When you’re putting together your resistance training routine, you want to fill it with exercises that will provide the results you want. After all, there’s nothing more frustrating than putting your hours in at the gym only to see minimal, if any, results.
To help you with this, here is a list of some of the most basic, yet effective resistance training exercises so you can add them to your exercise regimen:
- Push-ups. Once these feel easy, place your hands in a diamond shape or perform them while on your fingertips.
- Pull-ups. These exercises test every ounce of upper body strength you have, which is why they deserve a spot on this list.
- Chest Presses. Although chest presses are designed to build your pectoral muscles, they also work the front of your shoulders and back, giving your entire upper body tone.
- Shoulder Press. Get arms that look good in tank tops or sleeveless shirts by doing shoulder presses often.
- Bicep Curls. Work the muscles in the front of your upper arms by doing bicep curls, or even hammer curls to change things up a bit.
- Triceps Dips. This move works the back of your upper arms, making it a great way to get rid of “jiggly arms.”
- Squats. Whether you do them with weight resistance or just rely on your body weight to work your thighs, squats are must-haves in a complete resistance routine.
- Lunges. Since you’re working the front of your upper legs with squats, you want to work the back as well, which is exactly what lunges do.
- Plank. Performing the plank regularly builds up all of the muscles in your core, which means a trimmer tummy and stronger lower back.
- Crunches. This resistance exercise also works the stomach, and you can perform it on the floor or use an incline bench or exercise ball for even more resistance.
What are your favorite resistance training exercises? Comment below!
