As a teenager, I was 64kg and 177cm tall, so I completely understand the frustration which most of you feel when you want to build muscle and strength. But with years of training and experimenting on myself, and discussing this with bodybuilders and athletes, I have come to understand what exercises can help you in building strength and muscle mass. Now remember I mentioned strength and muscle… not size. Size completely depends on your diet and calorie intake. So without waiting any more, let’s begin the strengthening and muscle building process.

Barbell squats

Time and again you must have read how important it is to train those legs to build a symmetrical and strong body, yet so many people still choose to ignore this advice. Most people don’t realise that squats can actually help improve and boost testosterone levels, which helps in building strength and a beautiful muscular body. Not to forget that this is one of the best ways to build abs as well. So the next time you want to skip training legs, think of your goal again.

Military press or push press

This shoulder exercise is one of the best ways to build shoulder strength and over all body conditioning. In my personal experience and that of my clients, it also improves and increases the width of the shoulders.

Deadlift

A lot of people run away from this exercise and consider it to be the most injury prone. But if performed under supervision and with the correct weight and posture, it is one of the best power training movements to build strength and increase the width of your back. Most of those guys that you see with that highly desirable ‘V’ shape back never forget to perform their deadlifts.

Flat Bench Press Barbell

"What’s your bench?" How many times have you been asked this question? The reason is that it is one of the best muscle building and compound exercises that there is in the exercise text book. It helps with building a ripped and muscular chest and also involves the triceps and shoulders as secondary muscle groups.

Power Cleans

From Cross-fitters to power lifters to sprinters to bodybuilders, everyone has included this amazing complete body conditioning and strengthening exercise in their regime. It is one of my favourite compound movements, which always leaves me pumped and breathless.

Now most of the guys will ask how these exercises will help in building bigger arms. Hear it from the guy with the 18 inch biceps that you are training biceps and triceps in all these exercises as secondary muscle groups. And because you will be lifting heavier in these bodybuilding workout exercises, your arms will get bigger and stronger. I say this again from my personal experience. I train my arms once in 10 days and yet have the biggest hammers when I walk into the gym!

So include all these exercises in your training regime and I am sure you will see results like you never have before. Also remember that it’s not the heavy loading but the right lifting and diet that helps you to build the body you dream of. 

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