What Are the 5 Basic Strength Training Exercises?

Who doesn’t want a strong body? Who doesn’t want to be able to lift more weight?

If you’re looking to build strength, there are five basic strength training exercises you should do. These compound exercises make an excellent foundation for any strength training program.

But before we get into the specifics, let’s look at what strength training entails.

What is strength training?

Strength training involves the body using force against resistance, which can be gravity, friction, inertia, elasticity, or fluid. The most common form of strength training involves gravity. It includes bodyweight exercises and load-bearing movements like squats and deadlifts.

Why is strength training important?

Strength training benefits the entire body. It strengthens all the body’s major muscle groups, increases bone density and tendon and ligament strength, helps prevent injuries, improves sports performance, and enhances mobility.

How does it differ from hypertrophy training?

Strength training contributes to hypertrophy (muscle growth), but each goal differs. Strength training increases performance, muscular endurance, and force.

Like strength training, hypertrophy training is a form of resistance training. Hypertrophy training involves adding as much lean muscle mass as possible. Both strength training and hypertrophy training can lead to a reduction in body fat. If the goal of hypertrophy training is bodybuilding, then reducing body fat is a must. Hypertrophy training will increase strength but not to the same degree as strength-focused training.

How does it differ from power and plyometric training?

According to the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM), “Plyometric training is a quick, powerful movement involving a system of reactive exercises and an eccentric contraction, followed immediately by an explosive concentric contraction. You accomplish this through any movement utilizing the Stretch-Shortening Cycle.”

Plyometric training is the development of power. Power is the ability to produce force as fast as possible. Plyometric training and strength training can complement each other. Strength is the production of maximal force. Fitness experts and coaches often include both in long-term training cycles for athletes.

Squat

What makes squats so great?

Squats are the king of strength exercises. They work the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. They offer benefits like lower body strength, stronger tendons, and improved joint mobility. 

Squats are versatile. You can do squats with a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, or your body weight (bodyweight squats).

You can use many versions of the squat to develop lower body strength. Squat variations include high-bar squats, low-bar squats, front squats, overhead squats, sumo squats, goblet squats, and Zercher squats.

Heavy squats in moderate to high volume and short rest periods of less than five minutes require the body to recruit its type 1 and type 2 muscle fibers to generate maximum force. That is one of the reasons squats are often the first exercise a personal trainer prescribes to new lifters looking to increase strength and muscle mass.

Squats also build lower body strength for almost every sport. Some studies have shown deep squats may help vertical jump performance, and partial range of motion squats may help with sprinting. As coach Herb Brooks of the gold medal-winning USA Olympic hockey team used to say, “Legs feed the wolf.” The wolf doesn’t catch its prey without strong leg muscles, and underdog hockey teams don’t win gold medals.

Squatting can also help with age-related losses in strength and muscle mass (sarcopenia) and reduce the risk of falls in aging populations.

Primary Muscle Groups Worked:

• Glutes and Legs

Specific Muscles Worked:

• Gluteus Maximus
• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Hip Flexors and Abductors
• Calves

Joint Movement:

• Multi-joint

Deadlift

If squats are king, the deadlifts are the Commanders of the battlefield. It’s a fitting title for the deadlift. The movement first received its name for the process of lifting a fallen soldier during battle.

There are two main lower body movement patterns: the squat and the hip hinge. The deadlift is the hip hinge movement pattern. The hip hinge is essential because it translates well to everyday life. How often have you picked something off the ground in the last 48 hours? Master strength in the squat and the hip hinge, and your lower body strength will be off the charts.

Research has shown that deadlifts can increase bone mineral density regardless of age. When trained with proper technique, they can also aid in prehab and rehab of the knees and lower back.

The deadlift also uses a high degree of force development and multi-muscle coordination. The deadlift is one of the best strength training exercises because it stresses the musculoskeletal system, including the back, hamstrings, hips, and core muscles.

The hip hinge is the movement pattern for other compound lifts like cleans and snatches. There are two main grip variations in the deadlift. The pronated grip (palms facing you) is an overhand grip. And the alternating grip with one hand supinated (palm facing you) and one palm pronated.

Primary Muscle Groups Worked:

• Lower Back and Hamstrings

Specific Muscles Worked:

• Gluteus Maximus
• Hamstrings
• Hip flexors and Abductors
• Erector Spinae
• Latismus dorsi
• Trapezius

Joint Movement:

• Multi-Joint

Bench Press

The bench press is a longstanding favorite for developing upper body strength. It can improve strength in the pecs, triceps, and deltoids.

You can include several variations of the bench press to strengthen the pecs. The incline bench press can help develop the upper chest muscles attached to the clavicle. The decline bench press can help develop the lower and inner chest muscles attached to the sternum.

Like squats and deadlifts, the bench press can help develop and maintain muscle mass with age. A strong upper body contributes to a healthy and functional life.

Primary Muscle Group Worked:

• Pectorals

Specific Muscles Worked:

• Pectoralis Major
• Petoralis Minor
• Anterior Deltoids
• Triceps

Joint-Movement:

• Multi-Joint

Barbell Shoulder Press

The barbell shoulder press, also called the military press, is one of the best ways to develop strength in the shoulders and upper back muscles. It targets the anterior and medial deltoids. We use our shoulders to press, lift, carry, and pull every day. Strong shoulders support most other upper body movements and lifts.

You can do the barbell shoulder press standing or seated with a barbell or dumbbells. The standing version can help develop core strength and stability. Strength in the overhead position is necessary for other compound movements like the snatch and overhead squat. The shoulder press and bench press combine to develop upper body strength that will benefit most athletes. Most strength-based weight training programs will incorporate some variation of these two lifts.

Primary Muscle Group Worked:

• Shoulders

Specific Muscles Worked:

• Anterior Deltoids
• Medial Deltoids
• Trapezius
• Triceps
• Abs
• Obliques

Joint Movement:

• Multi-Joint

Bent Over Barbell Row

So far, we’ve covered the basic lifts for legs, hips, lower back, chest, and shoulders. Now, it’s time to talk about the largest upper body muscles: the lats.

The lats allow us to pull, keep our bodies upright, and maintain a neutral spine.

The bent-over row is one of the most effective ways to build strong lats. You can do them with a pronated overhand grip or a supinated underhand grip. You can use a barbell or a pair of dumbbells. You can do rows with your elbows tucked or flared out. All are great options for building a solid back.

Bent-over rows build strength in the lower back, hamstrings, and rear delts. During the movement, you will use all these muscle groups to maintain proper form.

Primary Muscle Group Worked:

• Latisimus Dorsi

Specific Muscles Worked:

• Trapezius
• Rhomboids
• Posterior Deltoids

Joint Movement:

• Multi-Joint

The five basic strength training exercises are essential to building a strong body. But even people who love deadlifts and squats get bored sometimes. The good news is they aren’t the only options. I’ve included five more exercises you should consider for developing full-body strength.

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Other Exercises

Clean

Cleans come in several varieties, such as the hang clean, power clean, and standard clean. They are all great for developing whole-body strength and power. You can use a barbell or kettlebell to do cleans. Coaches often include cleans in training programs because they transition well to sport performance.

Kettlebell Swing

The kettlebell swing is one of my favorite exercises. It seems like such a simple movement, but so much technique and timing is involved in doing it correctly. It is a great way to work the hip hinge movement pattern. Kettlebell swings allow you to generate power from your hips that transfers through the whole body.

Turkish Get Up

The Turkish get-up is the key to slow, controlled strength. Unlike any other exercise, it requires sustained focus and precision. It can have consequences if you try to go too fast or use a load you’re not ready for. The get-up with a lighter weight is also a great dynamic warm-up for a strength training workout.

Lunge

Lunges are a close cousin of the squat. They work the same muscle groups. But they feel different. That’s because of the single-leg isolation. They also need a degree of balance that makes the movement difficult.

Lunges place less pressure on the knees and hips because you can hold the weight at your side or on your back. For some populations with hip or knee pain, holding the weight at the sides may be a better alternative to placing the load on the back like a barbell squat. Lunges include many options, like the forward lunge, reverse lunge, overhead lunge, and lateral lunge.

FAQ

How to incorporate these exercises into your strength training routine

There are many options for developing workout splits, including these movements.

The most common are full-body, push/pull splits, or bodybuilding splits.

The full-body routine involves completing all these movements in a single session multiple times per week.

Push/pull splits break up the training week with push days and pull days. Push days include “pushing” movements like squats and bench press, while pull days include “pulling” movements like deadlifts and bent-over rows.

Bodybuilding splits break up the training week by muscle groups. Some common routines include back/biceps, chest/triceps, and shoulders/legs.

What accessory exercises should I include?

It’s a good idea to include at least one exercise for the arm muscles, abs, and calves like:

• Alternating dumbbell curls
• Skull Crushers
• Reverse crunches
• Standing calf raises

What rep ranges should I use?

Strength training-focused rep ranges usually range from 1 to 5 reps.

Make sure you focus on progressive overload.

Work to increase the load each week. If you can’t increase the load, increase the reps by a single rep. Do this until you build enough strength to increase the load.

Don’t overdo it. These exercises are taxing on the body. Three to five sets of each is all you need. Build your workout routine around these exercises. Then, add accessory movements to work a specific muscle group. Use heavier weights for the strength training exercises and moderate weights for accessory exercises.

Do I have to use a barbell, or can I use dumbbells for these exercises?

You can use dumbbells. However, it is difficult to go as heavy with dumbbells as you can with barbells.  If you don’t have access to a barbell, most gyms have weight machines that simulate these exercises.

What Are the 5 Basic Strength Training Exercises Wrap Up

The squat, deadlift, shoulder press, bench press, and row are the foundation to a great strength training program. Build your workout routine around these exercises. Then, add accessory movements to work a specific muscle group. Use heavier weights for the strength training exercises and moderate weights for accessory exercises.

Now you’re ready to get started with your own strength training routine!

Make sure to subscribe to the Outdoor Muscle YouTube Channel for more exercise tutorials and fitness content!

You may also like these articles:

• Diamond Push Ups Muscles Worked, Benefits, and How To Guide
• 9 Best Triceps Workouts at Home With Dumbbells
• 7 Excellent Lower Back Exercises at Home with Dumbbells

References:

Almstedt, HC, Canepa, JA, Ramirez, DA, and Shoepe, TC. Changes in bone mineral density in response to 24 weeks of resistance training in college-age men and women. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 25(4): 1098-1103, 2011.

Vecchio LD, Daewoud H, Green S. The health and performance benefits of the squat, deadlift, and bench press. MOJ Yoga Physical Ther. 2018;3(2):40‒47. DOI: 10.15406/mojypt.2018.03.00042

Bejjani F, Gross C, Pugh J. Model for static lifting: relationship of loads on the spine and the knee. Journal of biomechanics. 1984;17(4):281‒286

Kroell, Jordan & Mike, Jonathan. (2017). Exploring the Standing Barbell Overhead Press. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 39. 1. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000324.