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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!
Single-legged donkey calf raises
The single-leg Donkey Calf Raises is a calf exercise that is perfect for home training without equipment. All that is needed is a support structure, such as a chair or table. By performing the exercise on one leg, athletes can focus their attention specifically on the workout.
Donkey Calf Raises on the machine
Calf Raises on the machine focus on isolated training of the lower leg muscles, generating a higher training stimulus through the movement. However, the Donkey Calf Raises machine is rarely available in German fitness studios.
Barbell side lunges
Advanced athletes have the opportunity to perform lateral lunges with the barbell. They take the barbell from the rack in a back-friendly manner and place it on the trapezius muscle. They then perform lateral lunges to train the buttocks, thighs, and adductors.
Side lunges with dumbbells
Lateral lunges with dumbbells increase the difficulty of bodyweight side lunges. The additional weight intensifies the engagement of the buttocks, quadriceps, and adductors during execution. Moreover, the natural movement in lateral lunges allows for execution anywhere.
Side lunges with your own body weight
Side lunges with body weight are a variation of lunges that focus on lateral movement. This exercise aims to strengthen the thighs and buttocks. In contrast to other lunge variations, it also provides a training stimulus to the adductors.
Glute flutter kicks for the butt
The Glute Flutter Kicks are a well-known abdominal exercise. In a reversed execution, Flutter Kicks can be transformed into a buttocks exercise. In this case, lie on your stomach on a bench and perform the classic Flutter Kick movement.
Leg stretches with the Theraband
Leg lifts with the Theraband offer various possibilities for athletes. They can secure the Theraband traditionally with one foot or alternatively attach it to a holder. This exercise is an effective method to strengthen the quadriceps, particularly suitable for home training.
Leg stretches on the cable tower
The execution of leg lifts on the cable tower is ideal for athletes when there is no specific equipment for this exercise available in the gym. With the cable tower and the foot strap, leg lifts can be strengthened.
Leg curls with the Theraband
Those who want to try leg extensions with the Theraband benefit from the variable training design. Since only one Theraband is needed for this exercise, it is also suitable for home training. The Theraband is placed around the feet to create resistance when bending the legs.
Leg curls standing on the cable tower
Leg stretching standing on the cable tower is suitable for a flexible and dynamic training of the hamstring. Athletes attach a foot strap to the leg and then train the hamstring with the typical bending motion. Due to the free standing position, this exercise is more challenging than leg curls on the machine.
Leg curls sitting on the leg curl machine
The fitness exercise of seated leg curls on the leg curl machine is very popular. The execution is simple, and the machine is suitable for beginners. However, it is important that the back and buttocks remain firmly on the cushion during the exercise to then push the legs down in a controlled and slow manner.
Leg curls while lying down
Leg curls lying down are performed on the special leg curl machine. This exercise primarily targets the training of the hamstring. At the same time, it specifically strengthens the other muscles of the posterior thigh muscles, making leg curls suitable for training the entire back of the thigh muscles. In this position, lie on your stomach on the cushion of the machine and then press the lower legs down in a controlled and slow manner as far as possible towards your buttocks.
Side leg raises while standing
For athletes who prefer training their thigh abductors with standing lateral leg swings, the characteristic movement is performed as a bodyweight exercise from an upright position. This variation of standing lateral leg swings adds a welcome change to the training routine and is particularly suitable for athletes who have already strengthened their thigh abductors with other exercises.
Side leg raises while lying down
Lateral leg swings while lying down are often preferred because athletes can focus on optimal movement execution in a stable starting position. The lying-down variation is, therefore, the favored method of leg swinging for thigh abductors. The use of a Theraband can increase the training intensity.
Spread your legs while sitting
Leg opening in a sitting position is a fitness exercise focusing on thigh abductors, where you train the various muscles of this group by moving your thighs sideways. The use of a Theraband can effectively enhance the training stimulus. Leg opening in a sitting position is an easy choice for beginners in training this muscle group.
Spread your legs while lying down
Leg opening while lying down is a fitness exercise primarily aimed at strengthening the middle gluteal muscle, although the hip muscles and the small gluteal muscle, as parts of the thigh abductors, are also trained. Various variations are available, and the intensity of this exercise can be increased with a Theraband.
Leg raises with the armrest
Leg swings with arm support pose a higher level of difficulty compared to the classic lateral leg swings. In addition to focusing on thigh abductors, the abdominal muscles are also stimulated secondarily. Since the lower arm in this exercise must support almost the entire body weight, leg swings with arm support are more challenging than other variations.
Standing abductor machine
While the standing abductor machine is also ideal for training thigh abductors, this device is rarely found in gyms in this country. Therefore, only a few athletes in the gym are likely to resort to this exercise variation. From a standing position, athletes lift their legs sideways into the air. The training of both leg sides is done alternately, allowing for a greater focus on the respective target muscles.
Abduction on the abduction machine (classic)
The workout session for abduction on the abduction machine is widely popular and is among the preferred exercises to specifically strengthen the abductors using the specialized equipment. Particularly, women who value isolated training gladly incorporate this exercise into their workout routine. Due to its straightforward execution, this variation is suitable even for beginners who can confidently rely on it.
Side lying leg raises (stretching)
The side-lying leg lift is also known as the Side Lying Leg Lift and serves as a stretching exercise resembling the lateral leg lift. However, athletes adjust the exercise slightly to achieve an effective stretch of the adductors. Since only the hands and buttocks touch the ground, the execution becomes somewhat more challenging. Therefore, not every athlete can perform side-lying leg lifts as an effective stretching exercise.
Stretching the adductors by opening your legs (stretching)
During the lying leg opening, one lies on their back on the floor with the legs pointing vertically into the air. A gentle outward spread creates a pleasant stretch. In this lying position, athletes can comfortably focus on stretching the adductors.
Adductor stretch sitting with wide legs (stretch)
In the exercise for stretching adductors with wide legs, one spreads the legs outward while sitting and pulls the toes towards the body. This generates an intense stretch on the insides of the thighs. To intensify the stretch on the adductors, one can reach forward with the hands.
Adductor stretch with a wide stance (stretch)
The stretching exercise for adductors with a wide stance requires the legs to be as far apart as possible. The flexibility of athletes can vary significantly in this position. Leaning forward with an upright back enhances the stretch on the adductors.
Squat adductor stretch (stretching)
Squat adductor stretching is a stretching exercise where the insides of the thighs are stretched in a squatting position. Starting with an upright stance and the feet angled outward, one can support the movement during squat adductor stretching with the hands to achieve different levels of intensity.
Standing adductor stretch (stretch)
A stretching exercise, also known as the Standing Groin Stretch, is the standing adductor stretch. In this, you stand upright and move one leg laterally outward. The weight is shifted in the opposite direction. There are various variations, including the option to theoretically kneel with one leg on the ground.
Butterfly stretch
One of the preferred stretching exercises for the adductors is the Butterfly Stretch. Alternatively, this exercise is referred to as sitting hip stretching or Seated Groin Stretch. In this position, you sit and bring the soles of your feet together. For an intense stretch, you press your knees toward the floor.
Adduction on the device reversed
Some athletes opt for reverse adduction on the machine, especially female athletes who specifically strengthen their adductors by sitting on the machine with their gaze toward the backrest. Although this exercise is rarely recommended by experts, it is increasingly seen in the gym.
Adduction on the device while sitting
The most popular training method for the adductor muscles is sitting on the adduction machine. In this isolation exercise, only the adductors are trained. Almost every gym now has such a machine, which is particularly popular among female athletes. After the first workout, fitness enthusiasts consistently report a strong muscle soreness.
High knee walking lunges
High Knee Walking Lunges are a variation of walking lunges where you finish with a raised knee. Pulling the back leg forward and moving toward the chest generates an intense training stimulus in the quadriceps and gluteal muscles.
Classic walking lunges
Walking Lunges are a type of walking lunges. Due to their dynamic execution, walking lunges feel more natural. The focus is on the four-headed thigh muscle and the large gluteal muscle. Especially female athletes integrate walking lunges into their abs-legs-buttocks training plan.
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