If you ask the average person what kind of fitness goals they have, they’ll usually tell you one of two things. Some of the most common fitness goals are losing weight and building strength.
Are you in the latter camp? If so, you should make sure you’re following the right workout routine and doing exercises that’ll help you reach those goals.
Building strength and muscle can be very challenging. If you’re following a good routine, though, you’ll have a much easier time with it.
Read on to learn about some of the best workouts you can do for building strength and getting swole.
Benefits of Building Muscle
Before we get into specific workout routines, let’s go over why someone would want to build muscle.
It’s common for men to want to build muscle and strength. Whether they want to admit it or not, most of them are eager to channel their inner Hulk Hogan, after all.
For women, though, it’s a little more uncommon for strength and muscle building to be a priority.
There are lots of benefits that come with making muscle building a priority. It might even be more important than weight loss for overall health and well-being.
The following are some of the greatest benefits of increasing muscle mass and getting stronger:
- Increase bone density and decrease the risk of osteoporosis
- Increase your metabolic rate so you burn more calories (this will also help you lose weight more easily)
- Improve heart health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
- Improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress
- Improve your sleep quality
Building muscle mass also helps you to perform everyday activities more easily. From walking up the stairs to carrying groceries from the car to the house, the more muscle you have, the easier these activities will be.
The Best Exercises for Building Strength
Okay, you’re convinced that building strength is a good idea. It’s not just about aesthetics. It can seriously change your health for the better.
How should you go about building strength, though? What are the best exercises that you can do to get stronger and more muscular?
Here are some of the most effective exercises you ought to do if increased strength and muscle mass are priorities for you:
Barbell Deadlifts
The barbell deadlift is one of the best functional exercises that everyone ought to be doing.
Barbell deadlifts strengthen all the muscles of the posterior chain (back of the body), including your calves, glutes, hamstrings, and back.
If you want to be able to pick things up off the ground well into old age, a deadlift is a must-do exercise.
Barbell Squats
Another essential strength building exercise is the barbell squat.
Squats are highly functional — how often do you lower yourself down into a sitting position and stand back up? They strengthen all the muscles of the lower body, but they’re great for the back muscles and core muscles, too.
Barbell Bench Press
A barbell bench press is a great exercise for strengthening the chest, as well as the back and shoulder muscles.
If you don’t have the strength to do a barbell bench press (yet), you can also experience similar benefits by doing a dumbbell bench press or even a push-up with just your bodyweight.
Barbell Row
Barbell rows strengthen the back muscles and area great exercise to go along with barbell deadlifts. They can also help to improve your bench pressing skills since they train opposite muscles.
Remember, all the muscles of the body work together. If you have a weak back, you’ll have a hard time getting the most out of exercises like bench presses that primarily strengthen the front of the body.
Barbell Overhead Press
Do you want to be able to lift objects over your head with ease? If so, you need to add barbell overhead presses into your routine. These are great for strengthening the shoulder muscles and improving your shoulder mobility.
Barbell overhead presses also improve your stability, too. You have to use your abs, back, glutes, and ankles to stabilize yourself and make sure you’re staying upright while pressing the weight overhead.
Farmer’s Carries
The stronger your grip is, the easier life will be as you age. Farmer’s carries are one of the best exercises you can do if you want to strengthen your grip.
With a stronger group, you’ll have an easier time carrying grocery bags, suitcases, and other objects. Even things like unscrewing the lid from a jar will be easier if you make grip strength a priority.
Choosing the Best Workout Routine for You
If you’re not sure what type of strength building workout routine you should be doing, the first thing to consider is whether or not it contains the exercises listed above.
Any good strength building program should include compound exercises that help you build muscle and that translate well to everyday movements.
Listed below are some other things you can consider in order to choose the best workout routine for your goals:
- How many days per week can you exercise?
- How much time do you have to exercise?
- Does the routine fit your schedule?
- What kind of exercise equipment do you have access to?
Think, too, about what you need to do to stick with this program from start to finish. Do you need to find a workout partner to hold you accountable? Do you need to invest in sessions with a personal trainer?
Learn More About Strength Training Today
As you can see, there are lots of different workout routines you can do to reach your goals of building strength and gaining muscle.
There’s not one workout routine that will work for everyone. Consider some of these different options and do some experimentation to figure out which one will work best for you.
Are you interested in learning more about getting strong and building muscle?
Be sure to browse our online magazine for some more healthy lifestyle tips! The Health and Fitness section is full of helpful information no matter what kind of goals you have.
