7 Most Important Exercises for Men
Male fitness programs are among the most sold services in the world today because many men wish to get ripped abs and bigger arms and chest, not to mention that many older men are trying to achieve weight loss and burn belly fat.
If you are trying to achieve a perfect body as a man, the kind of body that draws attention, makes you respected and above all, keeps you fit and healthy, then there are some fundamental exercises you should focus on. The problem is there are many exercises that are not worth your time, or better put, not as effective as some of the ones that will be listed in this article.
In this article, we will go through a list of some of those exercises that can help men with fat loss, ripped abs, bigger arms, and every other personal goal you wish to achieve. Let’s get to it.
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Deadlift (Weight loss, Core, Thighs, Back, Hips)
Many male fitness instructors are quick to tell you that for fat loss, you should engage in some sort of cardio. While it is true that cardio helps with weight loss and a whole lot of other benefits, deadlifts burn more calories than cardio exercises and could be a great exercise for burning core fat. Deadlifts also help build stronger bones on the hamstring, thighs, and back, giving you a better physique generally.
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Bench Press (Arms, Triceps, Chest)
There is no gym member who doesn’t know what bench press is. It is one of the most important exercises with weights in the world of male fitness. The upward and downward movement is good for your triceps (arms), and it also helps in expanding your chest and building strong pectoral muscles. If you wish to get a solid chest in no time, you should consider bench pressing the next time you’re at the gym.
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Pull-ups (Shoulders, Back, Arms)
If you are looking for a body that makes a statement with the abs, then you should be doing pull-ups. You don’t need a male fitness instructor to tell you that. Pull-ups work on your latissimus dorsi (or simply called lats). Pull-ups are also good for fat loss and burning unneeded calories from your body.
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Russian Twists (Abs, Shoulders, Hips)
Russian twists are very powerful workout routines for abs. When used in conjunction with sit-ups, crunches, and other powerful ab exercises like spiderman push-ups, they can be effective at producing some very ripped abs. Since they work so well on your core, they are wonderful for weight loss and total removal of core fat.
Russian twists also work on your hips and shoulders too, so there’s that added benefit. There are different variations of Russian twists you can do to increase the difficulty of the workout.
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Back Squat (Thighs, Back, Hips, Core)
The back squat is just as powerful as the deadlift as it works on almost every muscle in your body you can think of. The back squat works on your core to burn fat and on your back and thigh muscles to make them stronger and better shaped. If you are an athlete who has to be quick on your feet or jump better, then the back squats will help you develop the legs for it.
Back squats are done with barbell weights. You put the weight on your shoulders and squat for as many reps and sets as your male fitness program state, based on your level (beginner, intermediate, or expert) and weight.
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Push-ups (Upper body)
Every single male fitness enthusiast knows what push-ups mean. It’s compulsory. They are done by lying face down to the ground and using your palms to push your bodyweight up until your arm is outstretched. Push-ups help with the development of your chest muscles, arm muscles, and core, but they can also help with fat loss to burn unnecessary fat from your sides. This exercise is great if you don’t have equipment but want to build your upper body and core strength.
It is important, however, to note that doing only push-ups every day will increase your body’s risk of plateauing. What this means is that after a while, you no longer feel challenged and at that point, you no longer get the benefits of doing just push-ups. This is true for almost all exercises. Ensure you challenge your body and do a couple of different routines with different exercises to get the best results from your workout.
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Barbell overhead press (Chest, Triceps, Shoulders)
The barbell overhead press is very similar to the popular bench press. The only difference is that with the barbell overhead press, you stand up to lift the barbells over your head instead of lying down on a bench to push it upwards. Both the bench press and the barbell overhead press have a significant impact on your chest, arms, and shoulders (all muscles in your upper body). As a matter of fact, many male fitness trainers and enthusiasts swear that the barbell overhead press is more powerful in this regard than the bench press.
Because men love having a strong upper body, the barbell overhead press is a very important exercise for them. Apart from that, like many other exercises on this list, it helps burn a lot of calories in the body, making your weight loss journey easier than if you just did cardio.
Conclusion
Most exercises are important in their way, and many aren’t on this list. Exercises like Hamstring curls, Medicine ball slam, Suspended push-ups, and kettlebell swings are also powerful exercises recommended by male fitness trainers and programs, guaranteed to help you with your core, arm, chest, and leg muscles as well as weight loss.
It is important to remember that switching exercise routines are necessary if you wish to achieve the best results. This is because doing just one exercise will make your body get used to it to the point where you no longer feel challenged again. At this point, your body will no longer benefit from doing just that exercise until you switch to other equally potent exercises.