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Fitness exercises
Compound exercises and isolation exercises, bodyweight exercises, and barbell exercises, personal favorites and less popular exercises – there is a wide range of training methods available. It would be nearly impossible to list all possible variations. Nonetheless, on this page, you can find around 400 exercises, neatly categorized, with essential information about the targeted muscle groups, proper execution, and common mistakes. Whether you want to work out in the gym, at home, or outdoors, whether your goal is muscle building or fat loss, this is where every athlete will discover suitable options.
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All fitness exercises
This offering presents you with a diverse range of effective exercises specifically tailored to different muscle groups. Whether you're looking for targeted muscle building, definition, or simply a varied workout routine, we showcase the appropriate exercises for you. Get inspired and explore the wide array of options to strengthen your muscles and achieve your fitness goals!
Negative bench press with dumbbells
The negative execution of the dumbbell bench press is performed on an inclined bench. However, two dumbbells are used here instead of a barbell. The focus of this exercise is on the lower muscle fibers of the major chest muscle. This allows for increased flexibility during the movement. On the other hand, it requires good balance to correctly lift and lower the dumbbells.
Negative barbell bench press
The negative variation of the barbell bench press is an effective fitness exercise to train the lower chest muscle. In addition to the lower fibers of the major chest muscle (pectoralis major), your triceps (triceps brachii) and the front part of the deltoid muscle (deltoid pars clavicularis) support the execution.
This fitness exercise is suitable for all athletes who have access to a negative bench. Although the entire chest muscle is stressed with the negative positioning, it particularly targets the lower fibers. When using the barbell, a training partner can be helpful in removing or passing the barbell if necessary.
Dumbbell incline bench press
Another exercise variation is the dumbbell press on the incline bench. Here, you grab two dumbbells instead of a barbell to effectively train your chest muscles. With the dumbbell press on the incline bench, you also strengthen your major chest muscle and triceps. Additionally, the serratus anterior muscle and the front part of the deltoid muscle benefit supportively from this exercise. Since not every training facility has an incline bench with a barbell, the dumbbell press on the incline bench is a proven classic among upper chest fitness exercises.
Barbell incline bench press
Pressing on the incline bench with the barbell is a fitness exercise that primarily targets your major chest muscle (pectoralis major) and triceps (triceps brachii). It is an especially effective exercise for the upper chest muscles. The body position and execution of the movement in barbell pressing on the incline bench are easy to understand. Therefore, beginners can also use this exercise for muscle building. Despite the seemingly simple execution, there are various mistakes that weightlifters can make in barbell pressing on the incline bench.
Butterfly on the machine
The butterfly on the training machine is a standard exercise for training the chest muscles. Especially beginners opt for the butterfly machine when it comes to effective training for the midsection of the chest, thanks to its simple execution. A significant advantage of this exercise variation is the fact that there is practically a butterfly machine everywhere – a gym without a butterfly machine is unimaginable. Consequently, both men and women perform butterflies on the machine to strengthen their chest muscles. Additionally, the front part of the shoulder muscles supports the easy execution of the movement.
Although the butterfly machine has a place in every gym, and beginners almost continuously occupy the machine, some mistakes are widespread that you should better avoid.
Dumbbell bench press (flat bench)
Many athletes prefer the conventional method with the barbell when strengthening their chest muscles. An alternative is the dumbbell chest press on the flat bench. In contrast to the traditional bench press, you grab two dumbbells here to specifically train the center of your chest. On the flat bench, you have the opportunity to isolate and strengthen your chest muscles and can benefit from increased freedom of movement with the dumbbells. While laying down a barbell alone is often challenging, this is simpler with dumbbells.
The dumbbell chest press on the flat bench is suitable for both beginners and advanced individuals who conduct their training independently. With the right equipment, you can easily perform this exercise even in the comfort of your own home. At the same time, it is a gentle variation that protects your shoulders and elbows.
Butterfly Reverse on the device
One way to train the rear shoulders is through the Reverse Butterfly on the machine. A common form of this exercise is the so-called Butterfly Reverse on the apparatus. Training with the device is particularly suitable for beginners. If your fitness center provides a combo device for Butterfly exercises, there is the possibility to strengthen not only the chest but also the rear shoulders.
In addition to the rear deltoid muscle, the trapezius muscle (Musculus trapezius pars transversa) and the major and minor rhomboid muscles (Musculus rhomboideus minor et major) are also trained. The execution of the exercise is straightforward – the key is not to lean the head too far forward to avoid neck injuries. Further information about the Reverse Butterfly on the apparatus, including execution and potential errors, can be found in a separate post.
Lateral raises on the lateral raise machine
Lateral raises on the lateral raise machine are especially suitable for beginners. If you feel uncertain about other variations of lateral raises, training on the lateral raise machine is a good option. Thanks to the fixed position, you can concentrate on the correct execution and target the strength specifically from the lateral shoulders. By performing lateral raises on the machine, you first acquire the proper movement technique and can later switch to lateral raises with dumbbells, on the cable machine, and the like. To achieve the maximum learning effect, it is advisable to choose a moderate weight.
Exercises for the gym, for at home and completely without equipment
The numerous exercises can naturally be categorized according to the involved muscle groups. However, it's also intriguing to classify them based on the available equipment.
Nonetheless, there are some misconceptions on this matter that we would like to briefly explain. When we refer to "equipment-free exercises," we actually mean exercises that can be performed without any equipment whatsoever. Exercises involving bands, dumbbells, and kettlebells do not fall into this category. Only exercises that require a flat bench have been included in the category of equipment-free exercises.
Since a bench can easily be replaced by a chair in many situations.
It's crucial to note that home training is not necessarily synonymous with equipment-free training. With minimal effort, the home gym can quickly become a place with numerous training possibilities. Even small investments in suitable home gym equipment allow for a variety of home exercises. This may even include the use of a barbell. Perhaps you even have a so-called strength station that enables various exercises. In this case, exercises with a cable pull might even be possible.
Fitness exercises for building muscle and losing weight
You might have pondered at some point which exercises are particularly effective for building muscle and which ones can assist with weight loss. However, such a strict categorization is not necessarily conducive. In fact, one exercise can simultaneously promote muscle growth and contribute to shedding pounds. It's worth noting that cardio exercises, often considered the ideal choice for weight loss, are currently not included in this list. Nevertheless, this isn't an issue, as they have limited impact on muscle growth and are not essential, even in the context of weight loss.
Classical strength exercises can facilitate fat burning, provided that the nutrition is appropriate.
Muscle can be built if the respective exercise provides sufficient stimulus and the nutrition is aligned accordingly. In a diet with a calorie deficit, the same exercise can also contribute to fat reduction due to the increased energy expenditure. Crucial for whether an exercise primarily promotes muscle growth or aids fat burning are factors such as the number of repetitions and the intensity of the workout.
The most popular workout exercises
Despite the wide array of exercises available for various fitness goals, some have emerged as particularly popular. However, preferences vary significantly based on factors such as individual gender and fitness level. Beginners often gravitate towards guided strength-training exercises, like leg presses, crunches, or planks. Gender-specific preferences are evident in the choice of exercises, with men frequently opting for upper body workouts like bench presses and cable rows, while women tend to favor lower body exercises such as squats and lunges. Nevertheless, many athletes have come to recognize the value of holistic full-body training.
In the following, we provide an overview of the most commonly preferred workout exercises.
✅ Lunges
✅ Squats
✅ Crunches
✅ Push-ups
✅ Deadlifts
✅ Sit ups
✅ Shrugs
✅ Hip thrusts
✅ Bench press
✅ Pull-ups
✅ Russian twist
✅ Mountain Climbers
✅ Hyperextensions
✅ Romanian deadlift
✅ Military Press
✅ Barbell rows
✅ Shoulder press
✅ Chest press