Here are my favorite moves for different body parts when lifting weights, along with my least favs and the ones I feel are most effective for me personally. Thought this might get people thinking about how they can change their routines up!
Starting from the top:
Delts:
Fav move- Lateral Raises
Least Fav Move- Dumbbell bent-over Rear Delt raises (awkward!)
Most effective move- Probably Arnold Presses
Triceps:
Fav move- Overhead rope cable extensions (don't remember the real name, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about)
Least Fav- Barbell Skull Crushers (hard to keep my elbows in alignment)
Most effective- Probably bench dips.
Biceps:
Fav Move- 21's
Least Fav Move- Seated Incline DB Curls. (Don't feel right on my formerly torn rotator cuff)
Most effective- 21's
Pecs:
Fav Move- Dumbbell Flyes
Least Fav- Machine Flyes (hard to get the seat the right height)
Most effective- Dumbbell Bench press
Back: (My fav body part to work, by the way)
Fav Move- Strait-arm lat pull-downs (LOVE the way these feel!)
Least Fav- Good mornings. Feels like they are putting too much stress in the wrong places
Most effective- Wide-grip chin-ups with palms facing forward
Abs:
Fav Move- Cable Crunches
Least Fav- Planks (these stress my shoulders way before I feel anything in my abs)
Most effective- Hanging Leg Raises
Hams/glutes:
Fave move- Standing Leg Curls
Least Fav- Weighted Hyperextensions
Most effective- Stiff-legged deadlifts
Quads:
Fave Move- Extensions
Least Fav- Squats
Most effective- Squats
Exercise I do most often for entire lower body- Squats
Exercise I would do if I only had time to do one for lower body- Squats (It's the granddaddy of lower body exercises, and what I believe has been the most instrumental in reshaping my bottom half. I have a true love/hate relationship with Squats.)
Calves:
Fav move- Standing Calf Raises on Smith Machine
Least Fav- Any calf move done Reeeealllllly slowly. Youch!
Most effective- Standing Calf 21's
Was this a completely useless blog? Tell me what you think!
