Do you want to build strong, rounded shoulders but aren’t sure which exercises to prioritize? Many upper body exercises emphasize the front (anterior) and rear delts but neglect the side or medial delts, which are located on the outer edge of your shoulders. The side (medial) deltoids are important for building wider, stronger shoulders and are primarily responsible for shoulder abduction (lifting the arms away from the torso). Read on to discover our list of the nine best side delt exercises to start building broader, capped shoulders.
[Read more…]Belt Squat vs. Back Squat: Pros, Cons, and Differences
Whether you love or hate them, there is no denying that squats are a crucial part of any lifter’s leg day. Whether you want to build the size of your quads, strengthen your glutes and hamstrings, or simply build overall functional strength in the lower body – there’s a squat variation to do just that.
The type of squatting exercise that works best for you will be influenced by your goals, experience level, access to equipment, and biomechanics.
The most common squat variation is the standard barbell back squat, which boasts an impressive amount of muscle activation in the lower body and the torso. But some lifters find that their back fails in a standard barbell back squat before their legs do, in which case they may want to consider an alternative: the belt squat.
We’ll go over the main differences between a belt squat and a back squat, the pros and cons of each, and which one you should be doing to meet your goals.
[Read more…]Preacher Curl vs. Concentration Curl: Pros, Cons and Differences
Are you looking for a bicep isolation exercise that will fire up your muscle fibers and help to build strong, thick biceps?
Choosing the right type of bicep curl can be challenging with so much conflicting information and advice available online.
Today, we’ll compare two popular variations of the standard bicep curl: the preacher curl and the concentration curl. We’ll explain the main technical differences, the pros and cons of each exercise, and how to perform each type of curl with the proper technique.
Let’s get into these two types of bicep curls to help you figure out which one is best for you
[Read more…]Trap Bar Deadlift vs. Barbell Deadlift: Is One Better?
Learning to do a deadlift with proper technique is a rite of passage for any serious lifter. Deadlifts are a staple exercise for improving your full body strength, and they carry over well to other exercises like the clean and snatch and the barbell row. The traditional deadlift is performed with a standard barbell.
Some lifters replace the deadlift with a variation known as the trap bar deadlift. Below, we’ll go over both the barbell and the trap bar deadlift, the pros and cons of each, and help you determine if one is better than the other for reaching your strength and hypertrophy goals.
[Read more…]Tricep Extension vs Skull Crusher: Differences, Pros, and Cons
If you want strong, muscular-looking arms that look great and perform well, it’s important to focus on the triceps.
Although often neglected in favor of shoulder and bicep exercises, the triceps actually make up around two-thirds of your arm musculature. The main purpose of the tricep is to support the extension of the elbow joint.
To strengthen and build your triceps, you need equipment that extends the elbow joint under mechanical tension such as dumbbells or a barbell. These movements are broadly categorized as tricep extensions.s.
[Read more…]EZ Curl vs Straight Bar Curls: Differences, Pros, and Cons
Bicep curls are one of the most well-known upper body exercises. If you’ve been lifting for a while, chances are you have tried at least one type of curling exercise.
But with so many different variations, it can be difficult to know which type is best suited for your needs and goals. Should you use dumbbells, a straight barbell, or an EZ bar to get the most out of your session and maximize bicep growth?
Below, we’ll go over two common types of barbell bicep curl variations: the straight bar curl and the EZ bar curl to help you decide which exercise is right for you.
[Read more…]Barbell Curl vs Dumbbell Curl: Benefits & Differences
Do you want to maximize your bicep growth and strength but aren’t sure which exercises to choose?
Have you been training your upper body for years without seeing the bicep growth and definition you would like?
Are you wondering whether bicep curls using a barbell or dumbbell will be most effective at helping you reach your muscle-building and strength goals?
[Read more…]Glute Ham Raise vs Nordic Curl: Differences and Benefits
Building strong, powerful hamstrings is a great way to improve the strength and musculature of your leg. Not only do big, round, hamstrings look great, they also form an essential part of the posterior chain. Strengthening the hamstrings can help you perform better in other lifts and translates well to everyday functional fitness.
[Read more…]Glute Bridge vs Hip Thrust: Differences & Benefits
What is the difference between a glute bridge and a hip thrust?
Do you want to build bigger, stronger glutes, but aren’t sure which exercises to choose?
Have you been training your glutes without seeing as much progress as you would like?
Are you trying to decide between a glute bridge and a hip thrust but are unsure what the difference is between the two?
[Read more…]Split Squat vs Lunge: Differences & Benefits
Are you looking for an effective lower body exercise to build size and muscle mass?
Do you want to even out muscle imbalances between your right and left leg, but aren’t sure how?
Are you wondering whether the split squat or the lunge is best for your goals, or unsure of the difference between the two?
[Read more…]