The Best Gym Exercises for Building Strength
If you only have time for a handful of gym workouts each week, these are the exercises that give you the most for your effort — heavy compound lifts that train several muscle groups at once. This is the shortlist experienced lifters keep coming back to.
Barbell Bent-over Row Overgrip
Barbell
Chin-ups Pull-Ups
Bodyweight (pull-up bar)
Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift
Barbell
Barbell Bench Press
Barbell
Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press
Barbell
Squat
Bodyweight (or add load)
Frequently asked questions
What are the best gym exercises for beginners?
Squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull-ups and overhead press cover almost every major muscle group and are worth learning first.
How many of these exercises should I do per workout?
Most effective gym workouts build around 1-3 of these compound lifts, then add accessory exercises for weaker areas.
Start tracking your workouts free
GymMonster is free on iOS and Android — or open it right inside Telegram, no download needed. Log your first set in under a minute.
