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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!
Reverse lunge on the cable
For those who prefer the dynamic execution on the cable machine, the reverse cable squats offer a suitable option. Choosing the right weight is crucial, especially when it comes to lunges backward. Thanks to the supportive weight, reverse cable squats are considered one of the simpler variations of lunges backward.
Reverse lunges on the multi press
Reverse steps on the leg press machine are ideal for athletes looking to better learn the movement pattern with additional weight. They benefit from the movement within the guide rail, reducing the risk of errors. However, the range of motion is more limited. The focus remains on the buttocks and thighs in this variation.
Reverse lunges with the barbell
Reverse steps with the barbell are an effective exercise to train legs and buttocks. The main muscles targeted in this exercise are the large gluteal muscle and the quadriceps. Ideally, athletes lift the barbell with a rack and place it on the trapezius muscle. They then perform the reverse steps with a straight back.
Reverse lunges with dumbbells
Reverse lunges backward with dumbbells are a variation of reverse squats where additional weight is added for a more intense training stimulus. Before athletes perform reverse lunges backward with dumbbells, it is recommended to try reverse squats with body weight.
Reverse lunge with your own body weight
Reverse squats with body weight are particularly used in home workouts as a bodyweight exercise. In reverse squats, the movement goes backward, reducing the strain on the knees. However, the target muscles remain the same as in traditional squats, allowing athletes to train the glutes, quadriceps, and supporting hamstring muscles even in the reverse variation.
Classic lunges with high knees
Classic squats with high knee expand on traditional squats by increasing the training effect with the high knee movement. The focus remains on the large gluteal muscle and the legs. During the typical movement, the back leg is brought forward, and the knee is drawn toward the chest. The explosive movement adds greater dynamism to the workout.
Classic lunges with Theraband
Integrating Theraband Cross Lunges into one's training routine enhances the workout's intensity. The focus lies on strengthening the major gluteal muscle and the leg muscles. The resistance provided by the Theraband intensifies the training effect. This exercise is versatile, as it can be performed by athletes anywhere, requiring only the band.
Standard lunges
Cross Lunges are among the preferred exercises in leg and gluteal training. Especially female athletes prefer Cross Lunges, performed without additional weight. The characteristic lunging movements primarily engage the major gluteal muscle, along with the quadriceps and hamstring muscles.
Jumping lunge high knee
In Jumping Cross Lunges High Knee, lifting the knee after each jump generates an increased training stimulus for the gluteal and thigh muscles. Athletes execute the jumping lunge initially, followed by pulling the rear leg forward toward the abdomen.
Jumping lunge with stop
The exercise Jumping Cross Lunge with Pause involves leaping Cross Lunges, where the athlete briefly maintains an upright position after each jump. In addition to targeting the usual muscle groups involved in lunges, this jumping variation is beneficial for coordination and balance.
Jumping split lunge
Jumping Cross Split Lunges are a dynamic variation of Cross Lunges suitable for targeted leg and gluteal training. In addition to the typical muscles engaged in lunges, the hip muscles are also stabilized, allowing athletes to improve their balance and coordination. These Jumping Cross Split Lunges represent a classic form of dynamic lunges, characterized by a seamless and flowing motion.
Cross lunges with dumbbells
Diagonal Cross Lunges with Dumbbells stand out for their diagonal execution, providing athletes with an intense training stimulus for the usual muscles engaged in Cross Lunges and targeting the adductors. This exercise demands advanced fitness levels due to the additional weights, requiring an increased sense of balance.
Cross lunges without additional weight
The variation of weight-free Cross Lunges represents a modification of traditional lunges. In this case, the characteristic diagonal lunge occurs behind the standing leg. This slanted movement not only stimulates the gluteal muscles and quadriceps but also engages the adductor muscles. Athletes looking to incorporate this exercise must possess sufficient balance.
Barbell lunges
One way to intensify traditional lunges is by performing lunges with a barbell. Due to the smaller range of motion compared to dumbbells, athletes should already have experience with lunges. In this variation, the focus is on the glutes and the quadriceps. The natural execution of lunges makes them particularly appealing.
Lunges with dumbbells
The fitness exercise of lunges with dumbbells is popular in leg and glute training. The target muscles include especially the gluteus maximus and the quadriceps. Dumbbells are ideal for beginners who want to increase the intensity of lunges without sacrificing freedom of movement.
Side step ups
Side Step-Ups belong to the category of step-ups where athletes step onto an elevation with lateral movements. This lateral execution not only trains the target muscles, including the hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes, but also the lateral thigh muscles. The difficulty level can vary in different variants depending on arm position and additional weight.
Front step ups
Front Step-Ups are the classic step-up exercise, especially popular in CrossFit. The main focus here is on the hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteus maximus. It is important for athletes to consciously push upward during step-ups to generate the optimal training stimulus in the legs. Various variants are available based on preferences.
Split squats with the barbell
Split Squats with a barbell allow for targeted leg and glute training through alternating bending of the legs, creating an alternating and isolated training stimulus. To safely place the barbell on the shoulders, a rack is helpful. Athletes perform split squats standing on the floor, while other split variants, such as Bulgarian Split Squats, involve using an elevation.
Split squats with dumbbells
To intensify leg and glute training, consider incorporating lunges with dumbbells. In this dynamic variation, athletes grip a dumbbell in each hand, creating a challenging workout. The ensuing movement involves a typical dynamic execution of lunges, engaging various muscle groups for a comprehensive training experience.
Split squats without additional weight
Bodyweight lunges offer a fundamental introduction to this exercise, serving as an excellent starting point for beginners. This static variation, in contrast to dynamic lunges, still shares essential movement patterns. Athletes focus on strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus, promoting overall lower body stability.
Bulgarian split squats on the multi press
Utilizing the Smith Machine, athletes can diversify their leg training with Bulgarian split squats. By positioning themselves within the Smith Machine, athletes balance the barbell on their trapezius muscles. The guided movement of the Smith Machine offers a transitional step from bodyweight Bulgarian split squats to incorporating a barbell, enhancing the challenge.
Bulgarian squats with the barbell
Barbell Bulgarian squats provide an effective method to target the glutes and thighs with added resistance. Placing the barbell across the posterior shoulder muscles becomes advantageous when seeking a more substantial training stimulus than bodyweight exercises alone can offer. Elevating the exercise with a weight bench introduces a heightened stretch compared to conventional lunges.
Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells
For those well-versed in the mechanics of Bulgarian split knee squats, incorporating dumbbells introduces an extra challenge. Athletes grip a dumbbell in each hand, intensifying the workout for the hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes. This modification elevates the overall difficulty and provides a nuanced approach to leg training.
Bulgarian split squats without additional weight
Performing Bulgarian split squats without additional weight remains a valuable fitness exercise, emphasizing the standard squat muscles in the glute and leg regions. The alternating execution ensures an effective training stimulus on each side of the body. This variation, without added resistance, suits athletes aiming to refine their movement patterns initially. The key distinction from lunges lies in utilizing a weight bench or alternative elevation.
Tight squats on the squat machine
Narrow squats on the squat machine refer to a workout on the Hackenschmidt device. In this variation, the feet are placed close together, resulting in increased stimulation not only of the hamstrings and gluteus maximus but also of the quadriceps.
Hackenschmidt squat with neutral stance
The Hackenschmidt squat in a neutral position is a fitness exercise named after the weightlifter Georg Hackenschmidt. This form of squatting is quite challenging and should be practiced only by advanced athletes. It engages not only the multi-headed thigh muscles and the hamstrings but also the gluteus maximus.
Single-leg squat (with dumbbells)
Single-leg squats with dumbbells allow athletes to generate a higher training stimulus in the classic execution by using a dumbbell. Therefore, this exercise is particularly suitable for athletes who reach their limits with their body weight.
Hawaiian squat
The Hawaiian Squat exercise is primarily suitable for advanced athletes as the movement execution is relatively complex and "exotic." It is a squat variation that is rarely encountered in the gym.
Skater Squat
Skater squats are a variation in the realm of single-leg squats. By extending one leg backward in the air, the training stimulus in the thigh and gluteal muscles is intensified, making skater squats an extremely effective bodyweight exercise for the lower body.
Pistol squats
Pistol squats are one of several variations of single-leg squats. The movement is explosive, with athletes dynamically pushing their leg upward in an eccentric motion. This generates an intense stimulus in the thigh and gluteal muscles. Athletes can also use a box for support and perform single-leg box squats.
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