This content presents a curated list of the top 25 exercises for building a complete physique, with the presenter attempting to set new personal records on each to demonstrate their effectiveness and his continued progress.
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If I could pick 25 exercises to build a
complete physique, these are the ones.
Out of the hundreds, if not thousands of
exercises that I've done in my life,
these are the best of the best. And
here's the crazy part. To keep things
interesting, I'm going to try to set a
new personal record on all 25 exercises.
That was actually harder than I expected.
expected.
>> Usually, when I film exercise demos, I
use light weights so I can focus on
proper technique. In this video, I'm
going to load up some real weight and
push myself as hard as humanly possible.
still using good technique. If I don't
hit any new PRs, maybe I'm past my peak.
If I hit PRs on all 25, that means I'm
still making gains. Wish me luck. Okay,
in the number 25 spot, I've got the
machine lap pullover. Actually just got
this vintage Nautilus lat pullover
machine from the '90s for the muscle
lab, and I've been using it every week.
I absolutely love it. I had to include
it as an iconic bodybuilding exercise
for the lats popularized by six-time Mr.
Olympia Dorian Yates. It's one of the
very few back exercises where you can
isolate the lats while still overloading
it with some serious weight. I wish I
could put it higher, but since most gyms
don't have it, it's just squeaking in at
the 25th spot. And that's PR number one.
Since this is still a new exercise for
me, that was a pretty easy one.
>> Oh wow. Number 24, dumbbell shrugs.
These are making the top 25 because the
upper traps have such a big impact on
how muscular you look, yet they are
often overlooked. And I really like the
dumbbells here because they're so
simple. You don't need to load up a
barbell or a machine. Just grab a pair
Okay, we'll call it there. And I'm two
for two on PRs. I got a little cheaty
there at the end, but I'm still going to
count it because I control the negative
well enough. Number 23. I'm going with
the standing calf raise. The calves are
the only muscle of the legs that you
will always see in shorts. People
respect a set of well-developed calves.
Research shows that standing straight
leg calf raises are significantly more
effective than seated bent leg calf
raises. So, these are my main go-to for
calf gains. Okay,
Okay,
that is another new PR. Super happy
about that. Number 22, dumbbell wrist
curls and extensions. The forearms are
kind of like the calves of the upper
body. If you're wearing a t-shirt, your
forearms will always be visible and make
it immediately obvious that you're a
serious lifter. And dumbbells are my
go-to here. Since there's nothing to
overthink, you just [music] grab a pair
of dumbbells, brace your arm against a
bench, and flex your wrist back and
[groaning] Wow.
Wow.
Hey, let's go. I'm actually kind of
excited about that one. I superset wrist
curls with wrist extensions and knock
out three sets of each in about five
minutes. Man, it's crazy how like I
actually just barely get the PR. All
right, number 21. Sticking with the
theme of commonly neglected muscles that
actually make a big difference, I've got
neck curls and neck extensions. Just
like your calves and forearms, your neck
will be visible in clothes. And a
bigger, thicker neck not only makes you
look more jacked, it can also reduce
headaches, prevent neck pain, and help
you take a punch better. If you're new
to it, do plate weighted neck [music]
curls superseted with head harness neck
extensions twice a week for 10 to 15
reps and your neck will grow. Heavy
deadlifts and shrugs don't grow your
neck. You need to train it directly. And
[music] since most people don't, it
usually grows very fast once you
actually start hitting it.
>> Okay, I'm going to stop there. There's
no evidence that neck training causes
sleep apnea, at least not in natural
lifters. And more recent evidence
suggests it's actually tongue fat that's
the main issue. Okay,
Okay,
I'm going to leave it there. I have not
been training my neck. I don't just want
to go for a PR. Okay, now we're into my
top 20 exercises of all time. To get
into the top 20 is tough. These are all
elite. Just making it in at number 20 is
the cable crunch. Cable crunches are one
of the very few ab exercises that you
can easily progressively overload by
adding a little weight each week. And
just like any other muscle, your abs
will get more developed the more you
train them, leading to a more prominent
six-pack once you're lean enough for it
Okay.
25 reps. I think the most I've ever done
with the max stack on this machine is
20. So, it's a five rep. That's not bad.
Let's go. Okay. Number 19, the machine
pec deck. For pec isolation, this one's
tough to beat. You're locked in against
this seat. So, you know that all the
tension coming from this weight stack is
going straight to your pecs. And since
your arms are externally rotated, your
front delts are positioned up toward the
ceiling out of the line of pull, while
your pecs are positioned straight ahead,
[laughter]
Yeah, no shot. That was nine, though.
So, that's three reps over my [laughter]
three reps over my previous PR, which is
kind of insane, but I truly do think
it's because I would normally go for
that as my last set. But still, to get
three reps, that's actually crazy.
Number 18, reverse pec deck for the rear
delts. I do these to the side, but I
think a standard reverse pack deck is
totally fine. And this way, you'll get
about twice the range of motion, and all
that extra ROM is coming in the
Okay.
Hey, I got it. One thing to keep in mind
when setting a PR, your technique has to
be the same. Otherwise, it doesn't
count. Hopefully, you noticed that I was
going just as slow on the negative as I
normally would. Doesn't need to be super
slow, but it has to be controlled. If
technique isn't consistent, the PR
doesn't count. Okay, number 17, weighted
dips. Dips are an incredible mass
builder for the pecs, front delts, and
triceps. They're amazing for progressive
overload, and you can get a deeper range
of motion than on presses. Once you can
do five or 10 clean reps with body
weight, gradually add a little weight
each week using a belt. Now, the only
reason that they aren't ranked higher is
that some people get cranky shoulders if
they do them too often. If you ever feel
some pinching, though, just try leaning
forward a bit more and only go as deep
as feels comfortable on your shoulders.
Nope. So close. Darn.
Number 16, the Nautilus glute drive. If
you don't have this machine, a barbell
hip thrust still does the trick, but I
find the machine a lot more comfortable
on my hips. This is one of the only ways
to get a huge overloading stimulus for
the glutius maximus without taxing the
quads. And there's a large pile of
research demonstrating that the hip
thrust is very effective for muscle
growth. The only reason that it isn't
ranked higher is that a lot of gyms
don't have this machine and many people
It's another one. Okay. In the number 15
spot, I've got the Beijian cable curl.
I'll admit, I do have a soft spot for
this exercise. I've been doing it for
about 10 years now, and despite it being
a lot more popular now than it was a
decade ago, I still think it's
underrated. It's the only exercise I'm
aware of where you get to train the
biceps in such a long muscle length
while keeping high tension throughout
the range of motion. [groaning]
Let's go. Another PR. Let's go. All
right, let's check in with the PR
counter over here. I'm honestly super
surprised that I've got this many PRs so
far. It goes to show that if you just
really lock in and motivate yourself,
you might surprise yourself with what
you can do. Okay, [music] in the number
14 spot, this will probably be a
controversial one. I've got the
deadlift. This is one of the most
fundamental strength training exercises,
and I really think it deserves to be in
the top 20. It's a time-tested basic
movement pattern that anyone with a
barbell can do. [music] It's as raw as
it gets. You just pick some weight up
off the ground. And I truly think every
beginner should learn how to do it.
[music] You can deadlift with a
conventional stance or a sumo stance.
Both activate similar muscle patterns
and both are fantastic for building
strength and power. [music] Yes,
deadlifts cause a lot of fatigue. And
yes, deadlifts probably aren't the most
optimal exercise for pure muscle growth.
But even if the deadlift doesn't need to
be in every bodybuilding program, I
still think it's a lift that everyone
should learn and get strong on at least
once in their life. Okay, I'm going to
end it there. My alltime deadlift PR is
545 lbs from back when I was competing
powerlifting. I'm not focused on
powerlifting right now. So, [music] I'm
not even going to pretend like I'm going
full throttle on that one. No PR on this
one. At number 13, I've got the OP, also
known as the overhead press. And similar
to the deadlift, even if it isn't the
most optimal exercise for hypertrophy on
paper, it's just such an important
movement pattern that everyone should
learn and get strong at at some point in
their life. [music] If you've never
picked up a barbell and pressed it over
your head, I don't think you're the best
lifter that you can be. In fact, if
there's any one lift that I'm most
impressed by as a coach and as a lifter
myself, it's the OP because I know
firsthand just how hard it is to
progress on and how impressive it is
No PR here either. Okay, number 12, the
walking lunge. There isn't a lot of
research on lunges, but from my personal
and my coaching experience, there's no
exercise that crushes the glutes like
lunges do. I can do one hard set of
walking lunges and be sore for days. And
if you haven't done them in a while, do
one hard set on your next leg day and
you'll see what I mean. You can hit
these Ronnie Coleman style with a
barbell on your back, but I personally
like dumbbells. Or if you don't want to
take up the whole gym, you can do them
stationary on a Smith machine. As long
as you're lunging under some decent
weight, your glutes will grow. If you
want a little more glutes, do a wide
lunge with a big step. If you want a
little more quads, do shorter steps with
more forward knee travel. 30.
30.
Man, it's crazy. 24 was my best PR. The
last time I did dumbbell lunges, I just
did 30. That's crazy. All right, number
11. Here we go. Probably another hot
take. Just outside the top 10 in the
number 11 spot, I've got the bench
press. I love the bench press. I
actually do attribute most of my own pet
development to just gradually building
my way up to a 365 lb bench press at 165
lb body weight and a 390lb bench press
at 180 lb body weight. There's also
plenty of research showing a strong
relationship between bench press
strength and pec growth. Yeah, it may
not be the most optimal for hypertrophy
for everyone, but this is another one of
those basic exercises that everyone
should try to get strong at at some
point in their lifting career.
>> I'm cooked. No PR on that one. At least
once, you need to feel the satisfaction
of loading some weight up on the bench
press that you've never tried before and
pressing it up and off your chest for a
new PR. I think it's one of the most
gratifying experiences in the gym. Of
course, most people just spin their
wheels on the bench press. They load up
the same weight week after week and
month after month and do it for their
three sets of 10 or whatever. But to get
a big bench, you need to be intentional
about it. That means tracking your lifts
from week to week. And officially, as of
today, the best way to do that is using
the new macroofactor workouts tab. Yes,
you can see a big difference by taking a
slightly wider grip, getting nice and
secure on the bench, tucking your
shoulder blades down, and pressing the
bar up and slightly back rather than
just pressing it forward. But nothing
that you do will make as big of a
difference as simply tracking your lifts
and making sure that you're adding a
little weight or a rep from week to
week. You can do tracking the old school
way with a notepad or you can use a
notes app, but nothing will guarantee
progress like macroofactor workouts. It
makes the logging process not only
clean, simple, and organized, but also
super motivating. Like let's say you
benched 225 last week and this week you
want to do 230. The app will show you
exactly which plates you need to add
without needing to think about it at all
beforehand and then logging it after
your set is super fast. Most men should
be able to bench press one time their
body weight in their first year or two.
Most women should be able to bench press
half their body weight in year [music]
one. And this is the best part about the
app. It isn't just a tracker. It'll
actually coach you to your specific goal
using science-based algorithms. All
[music] you need to do is fill out your
starting information and your goals and
the app will generate a program
specifically for you. Then it'll update
that program every week based on your
progress just like a coach would, but
for a tiny fraction of the cost. Every
exercise comes with a video demo from
me. We actually filmed over 500 exercise
demos specifically for the app. And it's
the only app where you can log partial
reps, drop sets, supersets, and check
your volume analytics and your progress
over time with super helpful visuals,
charts, and graphics. If you're a
MacroFactor nutrition app user, the two
apps will sync together seamlessly. And
if you're one of the users of my
programs, you can load those into the
app. So, you can download a free twoe
trial of the new MacroFactor workouts
app at the first link in the description
box below or [music] by scanning this QR
code over here next to my head. Just use
code Jeff when you download and that'll
get you 2 weeks for free. Okay, now
we're into my top 10 exercises of all
time. So, up to here, the list was kind
of a mix of some personal hypertrophy
favorites and some [music] basic
fundamentals. My top 10 exercises are
the 10 exercises I think you should do
if you can only do 10. So, if someone
says, "I can only do 10 exercises. Which
10 should I do?" These are the 10. All
right. Coming in at the number 10 spot,
I've got the seated leg curl. The
hamstrings make up about 40% of your
thigh mass, and they're a lot more
important for reducing knee pain and
promoting knee joint health than many
[music] realize. Training them directly
is huge. Also, this 12-week training
study found about 50% more hamstrings
growth with seated leg curls than lying
leg curls. Now, if you don't have a
seated leg curl machine, lying leg curls
definitely still get the job done. Or
you can do Nordic ham curls. No shot.
Okay, number nine, the leg extension.
This one is ranked so highly because it
really is the easiest, most accessible
way to isolate your quads. And contrary
to popular belief, some recent anatomy
research suggests that the quads are the
biggest muscle in the human body, bigger
than the glutes or the lats, they
deserve some special attention. Now,
sure, you could do reverse Nordics or
squats, and I think they're both
great options, but a lot of trainee do
find them awkward, less stable, and
trickier to overload than the tried
andrue leg extension, which most gyms
are going to have. If you set the seat
back, you can smash the big long rectus
forous head of the quads better than any
compound exercise, including squats. And
I've been doing leg extensions twice
[music] a week for more than a decade.
Plus, research shows they're perfectly
safe for your knees. Just make sure you
warm up and don't use weights that you
Nine. That's a two rep PR. Nice. The
number eight spot, I've got the overhead
cable triceps extension. This may seem
like a high ranking for a triceps
isolation exercise, but I have good
reason for it. First of all, unlike dips
or the bench press, you can get a huge
tricep stimulus here without taxing your
chest, delts, or core. And research from
May and colleagues showed that when
compared to press downs, overhead
extensions caused about 40% more overall
triceps growth across 12 weeks. That
probably has something to do with the
fact that the long head of the triceps
will be more lengthened in that overhead position.
Okay, number seven is the preacher curl.
Most guys want bigger biceps. They're a
legit show muscle. And if I had to pick
just one biceps exercise these days,
this would be it. They're easier to do
and harder to mess up than the Beijian
curl. And even though there isn't as
much of a stretch on the biceps at the
beginning, because of the angle of the
bench, you get super high tension from
the very start where the biceps will
still be quite lengthened. And then
because you're braced and locked in
against the bench, it's virtually
impossible to cheat. If you're getting
stronger in the 6 to 12 rep range on the
preacher curl, over time, your biceps,
brachiialis, and brachi radiialis are
Close. So close. Number six. Here we go.
The lateral raise. The side delts might
be the single most important muscle from
a bodybuilding aesthetic standpoint
because from the front and from the
rear, they create that broad shouldered
X-frame appearance. And while they will
get worked on presses, they can take a
backseat to the [music] front delts. So,
I think isolating them is crucial. You
can do that with dumbbells, machines, or
cables. Research suggests that they all
seem to work similarly well. I
personally prefer cables, though,
specifically with a high handle position
because it'll provide more tension on
the delts while they're in a more
lengthened position. Also, with cables,
you get this nice even smooth tension
throughout the range of motion, which I
find helps me connect with my side delts
better than dumbbells. Either way, as
long as you're pushing them hard, you're
going to get a lot of bang for your buck
out of lateral raises.
Hey, let's go. Okay, let's get into the
top five. Again, if you can only do five
exercises across your entire lifting
career, these are the five I'm picking.
And I've hit this many PRs in the video
so far, you've only got five exercises
left. Hopefully, I'll hit at least one
more. All right, coming in at the number
five spot, I've got the chest supported
T-R. I think any horizontal row could be
inserted here. But this is my personal
favorite for the midback because your
chest is braced so your lower back won't
be a limiting factor. The chest support
also prevents cheating. So if you're
adding a little weight over time for the
same reps with the same form, rest
assured your back is growing. Doing
these as keelso shrugs are also great,
especially as you get more advanced. But
I think when you're starting out, get
strong on some good old T- bar rows
first. Then you can start playing around
with keels. If you don't have a T- bar,
any chest supported row machine will
work fine. Or you can use dumbbells
against an incline bench. Row with your
elbows at a roughly 45° angle and you'll
get a nice mix of mid traps, romboids,
lats, and rear delts. I think that was
nine. Let's go.
>> Okay, in the number four spot, I'm going
with the Romanian deadlift. I think
every training program needs a
hinge-based exercise where you basically
bend forward on the negative and then
extend your hips on the positive. That
can be a conventional deadlift, 45°ree
back extension, good morning, and so on.
But I really like the Romanian deadlift
the best. I prefer it over the
conventional deadlift because it's much
less fatiguing for the same or perhaps
even greater stimulus on your glutes,
hamstrings, and spinal erectors. I
prefer it over the 45°ree back extension
because it's a lot easier to overload.
And I prefer it over the good morning
because it's easier to learn and feel
smoother. Regardless, if you don't have
a basic hip hinge movement in your
program that you're gradually getting
stronger [music] on, you're definitely
leaving some gains on the table.
Okay, I'm going there. That's eight.
Okay, in third place, my number three
exercise of all time, I'm going with the
incline bench press. This is my go-to
pressing movement because it gives you
the best of a vertical press and a
horizontal press with just one exercise.
You get the delta activation of a
shoulder press with the pec activation
of a flat bench press. In fact, some
research shows that you get more upper
pec growth with the incline press
without sacrificing any gains in the mid
or lower pecs. All you need is an
adjustable bench, a rack, and a barbell.
I've been doing these on the Smith
machine lately, just adding a little
weight each week in the 6 to 8 rep
range. Most studies use around a 45°ree
incline, but anything in the 20 to
45°ree incline zone will work great.
Just find an angle that feels good for
you, stick to it, and get gradually
stronger at that incline before
switching it up. You can do a swap for
dumbbells or a machine. As long as
you're pushing hard, you'll see similar gains.
gains.
Okay, let's rock it. Uh, yeah, not
today. [laughter]
After doing dips and like other presses,
I I just don't have it in me right now.
In second place, my number two exercise
of all time, I'm going with the pull-up.
Over the last year, I've built my way up
to body weight plus 75 lbs for six clean
reps on pull-ups, and I truly believe my
back is looking the best it ever has.
That's obviously just my N equals 1
anecdote, so it isn't worth a whole lot.
But I do think that if I was doing pull
downs instead of pull-ups, I'd be a lot
less diligent and motivated to actually
progressively overload. I actually get
super motivated when I hit a new pull-up
PR. But I'm not going to lie, I really
couldn't care less about a PR on a lat
pull down. That said, as long as you are
progressively overloading, I think pull
downs or pull-ups are both great options
here. I personally do both. But I will
say pull-ups have a few upsides. You
can't really fake a pull-up. You can
either do it or you can't. You can fake
a lat pull down, though. Pull-ups also
are more accessible than pull downs. All
you need is a bar to hang from and your
own body weight. And if you can't do a
full bodyweight pull-up yet, there's
absolutely no shame in starting with
assistance. Most people will need to.
And then once you can hit eight to 10
clean body weight pull-ups, use a belt
All right, I'm going to count that as
seven. That's pretty ugly, but And in
case you missed it, last year I updated
my back tier list to put pull-ups in S
tier alongside pull downs. I think
they're both amazing. Okay, and here is
my number one exercise. This means if
you said to me, "I only have time to do
one exercise. Which one should I do?"
What I would tell you is that you should
do a squat. MRI research shows that more
than half of your body's muscle mass is
in your legs. Roughly 55% in men and 58%
in women. So, simply based on muscle
mass distribution, I think the number
one exercise should be a lower body one.
That said, squats will build up back
strength and total body power, too.
There's a reason why powerlifters always
notice that if they get stronger on the
squat, their deadlift goes up too, even
if they aren't deadlifting. But the same
doesn't work in reverse. As I see it,
the squat is the king of all exercises.
I don't think there's one best way to
squat, though, at least not for muscle
growth. I like the pendulum squat the
best at the moment. But Smith machine
squats, hack squats, Bulgarian split
squats, they're all so good. You get
high tension in that deep squat position
where the quads and the glutes are both
stretched and need to fire the hardest.
They're super conducive to progressive
overload as long as you're tracking.
They get you massive gym cred. Now, it's
not a perfect exercise. I don't think
any exercise is on its own. It doesn't
hit the hamstrings well, for example.
And it doesn't hit the rectus feorous
head of the quads as well as leg
extensions do. But those gaps are really
easy to fill. And I don't know, even if
all you did was squat week in and week
out, there is absolutely no doubt in my
mind that you would build a very
impressive set of wheels.
Okay, you know what?
My all-time PR on the squat is 500 lb.
And I did that at Canadian Nationals
when I was powerlifting. And I know my
limits on this exercise, so I think I'm
going to leave it there. No PR on this
one either. That was a lot of fun,
though. If you want to take your
training to the next level this year,
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right, that's it for this one, guys.
Thank you so much for watching. Don't
forget to leave me a thumbs up if you
enjoyed the video. Subscribe if you
haven't already. And I'll see you all
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