One Lift to Rule Them All?
kppgreen
Posts: 4 Member
I'm trying to create a habit of lifting and I'm having a difficult time figuring how to bite off a manageable portion without getting overwhelmed and overworked too early in the game. There is so much information out there it's hard to sift through. I'd like to start by doing three sets of one exercise a day just to build it into my daily routine and introduce my body to weights again.
Please choose the best lift for the following...
Legs?
Chest?
Back?
Arms?
Shoulders?
Any others?
Please choose the best lift for the following...
Legs?
Chest?
Back?
Arms?
Shoulders?
Any others?
1
Replies
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Why not just pick one of the proven programs from the sticky that train full body 3x a week? That’s pretty simple. Those are your best lifts in terms of bang for your buck. The core compounds. Squat bench deadlift and press
One rule if I had to choose one = progressive overload.26 -
Agreed with the above, Starting Strength will change your life. But... three sets of one excercise a day? The best for that would be to squat. Squat, deadlift, and alternate between bench and overhead press.4
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Squats
Incline/flat bench press
Deadlifts
Weighted Chin-Ups (bicep focused)
Close grip pin press (triceps)
Standing overhead press
Others: Weighted pull ups, dips, dead rows2 -
Legs - back squat
Chest - bench press
Back - deadlift
Arms - I don't know if there is a "best lift" for arms
Shoulders - overhead press
Any others? - something cardiovascular
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In your situation I would focus on thr dead, squat, bench, and press.
Since you are novel to lifting, you will respond very well to any program that incorporates these four.
Doing any other "extra lifts" might be okay if it was programmed as a GPP day.
Otherwise stick to the four for best results at building a solid base for a variety of goals afterwards.
The key to any good programming is load management or regulation with consistency.1 -
Whatever lift moves the bar the most
Snatches
Cleans
Thrusters
1 -
I'm not going to talk exclusively about lifts but here you go:
Pec dips are great for building chest tissue and shoulder tissue, they are pretty easy to integrate into a workout routine, and you don't have to add weights if you don't want to.
I've found that skullcrushers are great for mass in triceps.
Other than that just the three big lifts are great: squats, bench, and deadlifts are great overall for multiple muscle groups.
If you want to really build muscle focus on singular muscle groups with specific exercises.2 -
tangwpoms8a wrote: »I'm not going to talk exclusively about lifts but here you go:
Pec dips are great for building chest tissue and shoulder tissue, they are pretty easy to integrate into a workout routine, and you don't have to add weights if you don't want to.
I've found that skullcrushers are great for mass in triceps.
Other than that just the three big lifts are great: squats, bench, and deadlifts are great overall for multiple muscle groups.
If you want to really build muscle focus on singular muscle groups with specific exercises.
Huh? no. Compounds that train multiple muscle groups should be the focus. The core 4. Especially for a newbie and someone who said they can’t really dedicate much time and will only do a couple things5 -
Meh, dips can very greatly with technique/form execution; mostly just too much front delt (enough of that already with bench press & shoulder press).
I think shoulders are tricky based on what your goal(s) are...strength? Sure go with shoulder press (more emphasis on front delt vs. side/lateral). Size/targeting lateral delts...cable side laterals with strict form. Combination of both? Wide grip upright row with limited ROM (about lower chest height) or clean & press0 -
Might want to look into sequencing if you want to opt for full body workouts...ex) start doing a deadlift, work into a clean or curl, front squat that, then press & repeat (extremely taxing & you've got to put some thought into which part of the sequence (ex) can throw in rows instead of deadlift or eliminate/add desired exercises & can do X reps of an exercise for more work - say front squats for more leg work using lighter load because of curl/press limitation) will be the limiting factor (ex. press, curl).
Pretty brutal going for reps; very effective in terms of hitting full body with limited time for a workout
Barbell or dumbbells work fine. Back in the day, I would use a front squat machine doing front squats into viking press (very machine specific because of range of motion required)0 -
In your situation I would focus on thr dead, squat, bench, and press.
Since you are novel to lifting, you will respond very well to any program that incorporates these four.
Doing any other "extra lifts" might be okay if it was programmed as a GPP day.
Otherwise stick to the four for best results at building a solid base for a variety of goals afterwards.
The key to any good programming is load management or regulation with consistency.
No pull movements, rows, pull-ups, etc?2 -
Another vote for the full body routine. I do squats and pulldowns every other day and then alternate barbell row/barbell press with deadlift/overhead press. I'm too weak and heavy to do pull-ups but once I'm stronger and lighter I'll drop the pulldowns for pullups (NOT chinups).
And I have to say, as a beginner, that nothing beats squats for making your whole body feel strong. If you're going to do once exercise, do squats (in my beginner opinion).
Get a weight belt which you'll need -- or really should use once the weights get heavier -- for deadlifts and overhead press. Use the self-spotting machine for the bench press, deadlifts and squats if you're just starting out. It'll help develop your form on those kind of delicate for your back exercises.1 -
Another vote for the full body routine. I do squats and pulldowns every other day and then alternate barbell row/barbell press with deadlift/overhead press. I'm too weak and heavy to do pull-ups but once I'm stronger and lighter I'll drop the pulldowns for pullups (NOT chinups).
And I have to say, as a beginner, that nothing beats squats for making your whole body feel strong. If you're going to do once exercise, do squats (in my beginner opinion).
Get a weight belt which you'll need -- or really should use once the weights get heavier -- for deadlifts and overhead press. Use the self-spotting machine for the bench press, deadlifts and squats if you're just starting out. It'll help develop your form on those kind of delicate for your back exercises.
I would suggest as beginner a belt is not needed, and absent some specific medical situation shouldn't be used. You're replacing the core strengthening most people need with a leather support. If someone gets to the point they are doing heavy singles (or low rep sets) it's fine.
Couple of articles on belts:
https://www.t-nation.com/training/do-you-really-need-a-lifting-belt
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/weightlifting-belt/
https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/lessons-in-weight-belts-how-and-why-to-use-them.html3 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »In your situation I would focus on thr dead, squat, bench, and press.
Since you are novel to lifting, you will respond very well to any program that incorporates these four.
Doing any other "extra lifts" might be okay if it was programmed as a GPP day.
Otherwise stick to the four for best results at building a solid base for a variety of goals afterwards.
The key to any good programming is load management or regulation with consistency.
No pull movements, rows, pull-ups, etc?
Deadlift is the biggest back builder out there . Yeah would rows and pull up be good? Absolutely. But the foundation lifts target all muscles well enough for a newbie for quite an some time before the volume lifts are required.
Again the OP doesn’t wanna do much so...1 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »In your situation I would focus on thr dead, squat, bench, and press.
Since you are novel to lifting, you will respond very well to any program that incorporates these four.
Doing any other "extra lifts" might be okay if it was programmed as a GPP day.
Otherwise stick to the four for best results at building a solid base for a variety of goals afterwards.
The key to any good programming is load management or regulation with consistency.
No pull movements, rows, pull-ups, etc?
As I stated during a GPP day is fine, but to build a base they are not needed. A deaflift will get you plenty of stimulus early on in training.
Also all lifts use pulling movements since muscles cannot push they can only contract or pull.0 -
Squats.0
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https://www.reddit.com/r/fitness wiki has a ton of workout routines and schedules you can follow in the About tab. Rather than focus on one lift for each you should probably choose one of the routines and stick to it.0
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Strong lifts is great to start with because you only need 5 lifts, and only 3 per session. Can’t get much simpler than that!2
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Just the main 4 for all: squats, deadlifts, bench press & OHP.
You really don't have to do anything else if you are doing those "right."1 -
Chest - Bench press
Shoulders - Overhead press
Back - Pullups or deadlifts or rows
Legs - Squats or lunges
Arms - I am not sure I would bother but, curls(bis) and skull crushers or close grip bench (tris)
others - any ab work, cardio
1 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »In your situation I would focus on thr dead, squat, bench, and press.
Since you are novel to lifting, you will respond very well to any program that incorporates these four.
Doing any other "extra lifts" might be okay if it was programmed as a GPP day.
Otherwise stick to the four for best results at building a solid base for a variety of goals afterwards.
The key to any good programming is load management or regulation with consistency.
No pull movements, rows, pull-ups, etc?
Deadlift is the biggest back builder out there . Yeah would rows and pull up be good? Absolutely. But the foundation lifts target all muscles well enough for a newbie for quite an some time before the volume lifts are required.
Again the OP doesn’t wanna do much so...
Deadlifts do train the upper back isometrically but it is primarily a lower back exercise.
If all one cares about is powerlifting, this is fine but if one cares about physique (as the vast majority of people here do, and I assume OP as well), rows would be highly recommended if only because doing nothing but deads, squats, bench and press is going to neglect the biceps.0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »In your situation I would focus on thr dead, squat, bench, and press.
Since you are novel to lifting, you will respond very well to any program that incorporates these four.
Doing any other "extra lifts" might be okay if it was programmed as a GPP day.
Otherwise stick to the four for best results at building a solid base for a variety of goals afterwards.
The key to any good programming is load management or regulation with consistency.
No pull movements, rows, pull-ups, etc?
Deadlift is the biggest back builder out there . Yeah would rows and pull up be good? Absolutely. But the foundation lifts target all muscles well enough for a newbie for quite an some time before the volume lifts are required.
Again the OP doesn’t wanna do much so...
Deadlifts do train the upper back isometrically but it is primarily a lower back exercise.
If all one cares about is powerlifting, this is fine but if one cares about physique (as the vast majority of people here do, and I assume OP as well), rows would be highly recommended if only because doing nothing but deads, squats, bench and press is going to neglect the biceps.
Who cares about the biceps? The elephant in the room is extensive pressing without pulling exercises and even more so our typical internally rotated shoulder posture from desk jobs at a computer and phone posture will cause shoulder issues.
Plus the pulling will give the biceps all the work they need.0 -
Deadlifts with a hex bar have me feeling my legs, glutes, lats, arms and traps the next day.1
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I disagree.Carlos_421 wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »In your situation I would focus on thr dead, squat, bench, and press.
Since you are novel to lifting, you will respond very well to any program that incorporates these four.
Doing any other "extra lifts" might be okay if it was programmed as a GPP day.
Otherwise stick to the four for best results at building a solid base for a variety of goals afterwards.
The key to any good programming is load management or regulation with consistency.
No pull movements, rows, pull-ups, etc?
Deadlift is the biggest back builder out there . Yeah would rows and pull up be good? Absolutely. But the foundation lifts target all muscles well enough for a newbie for quite an some time before the volume lifts are required.
Again the OP doesn’t wanna do much so...
Deadlifts do train the upper back isometrically but it is primarily a lower back exercise.
If all one cares about is powerlifting, this is fine but if one cares about physique (as the vast majority of people here do, and I assume OP as well), rows would be highly recommended if only because doing nothing but deads, squats, bench and press is going to neglect the biceps.
While there is nothing wrong with training biceps more than the lifts you mention. It's not necessarily needed for aesthetics.
I only train deads, squats, presses and their varients of each 99% of the year.
As a 50 year old natural powerlifter I would hazard not only are my arms bigger and probably more well defined than likely 98% here on MFP, but also in the general population.
It really comes down to many variables than just what lifts you train.
I mean I do curl up plates to load squats
.
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Deadlifts, but the plates have to be forged in Mordor.2
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5x5s is what I do. Keep it really simple and increase according to how your body responds.0
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