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EXERCISE TIPS
Listed below are Body-Solid’s picks of the best exercises you can do for each body part. These
exercises can be done using free weights, machines and multi-station gyms. Learn to do each exercise
in proper form. You can make substitutions in your training and try variations of each using different
Body-Solid grips, cable attachments and accessories to slightly change the emphasis of a particular
exercise. Note: Many movements, especially multijoint exercises, work more than one muscle group.
For example, your front deltoids and triceps are stimulated during bench / chest pressing movements.
CHEST
This powerful muscle group is the
cornerstone of a well-developed
upper body. To most thoroughly
work your pecs, include both
pressing and fly movements and
vary the angle of the bench from
decline to flat to incline.
BENCH / CHEST PRESS
INCLINE PRESS
DECLINE PRESS
PEC FLY
INCLINE FLY
DECLINE FLY
CABLE CROSSOVER
DIPS
SHOULDERS
The shoulder joint, which has the
greatest range of motion of all
joints in the body, is best worked
by training all three deltoid heads.
Include a pressing movement
followed by a raise for each of the
three heads.
SHOULDER PRESS
BEHIND THE NECK PRESS
FRONT DELTOID RAISE
LATERAL (SIDE) DELTOID RAISE
BENT-OVER LATERAL DELTOID
RAISE
REVERSE PEC-FLY
UPPER BACK
A powerful upper back is marked
by both middle-back thickness and
width (the sought-after V-taper).
This is best achieved by combining
various rows with pull-downs
and pull-ups. Remember to vary
your grip to slightly change the
stimulus.
PULL UP
UPRIGHT ROW
LAT PULLDOWN
SEATED ROW
BENT OVER ROW
HIGH ROW
REVERSE GRIP PULLDOWN
TRAPS
A signature muscle of a strong
upper back, well-developed traps
help prevent neck injury. Shrug
movements should be done with
heavy weights in a straight up-and-
down motion.
STRAIGHT BAR SHRUG
DUMBBELL SHRUG
BEHIND THE BACK SHRUG
UPRIGHT ROW
LOWER BACK
Important not only for spinal
protection but also because it’s the
seat of power for many exercises.
If you spend a great deal of time
crunching for abs, you need to
balance your training for complete
development and muscular
balance.
PULL UP
UPRIGHT ROW
LAT PULLDOWN
SEATED ROW
BENT OVER ROW
HIGH ROW
REVERSE GRIP PULLDOWN
TRICEPS
This three-headed muscle on the
back of your arm is involved in
extension of the elbow. Like the
biceps, the triceps cross the elbow
and shoulder joints. Because of
this, you can and should work the
triceps through a variety of angles
to ensure complete development.
LYING TRICEPS EXTENSION
CABLE TRICEPS EXTENSION
CABLE TRICEPS PRESSDOWN
CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS
REVERSE-GRIP PRESSDOWN
TRICEPS PRESS
DIPS
BICEPS / FOREARMS
A two-headed muscle, the biceps’
primary focus is to flex your elbow
and supinate your wrist. The
ability to build your biceps peak is
largely genetic, but exercises that
maximally stress the short head
will help.
BICEPS
STANDING BICEP CURL
SEATED BICEP CURL
INCLINE CURL
PREACHER CURL
CONCENTRATION CURL
ONE-ARM CABLE CURL
FOREARMS
WRIST CURL
REVERSE WRIST CURL
ABDOMINALS
The rectus abdominus has upper
and lower regions. Include both
upper and lower ab movement to
emphasize those areas, and do
twisting movements to work the
obliques for complete develop -
ment.
UPPER AB REGION
CABLE AB CRUNCH
DECLINE BENCH CRUNCH
LOWER AB REGION
REVERSE CRUNCH
HANGING KNEE RAISE
HIP THRUST
OBLIQUES
CABLE SIDE BEND
OBLIQUE CRUNCH
THIGHS / GLUTES
The main muscles of the thighs
are the quadriceps which are
composed of four muscles. You
have several others near the hip
joint, including the body’s largest
muscle group, the gluteals. Multi-
joint movements (in which action
occurs at both the hip and knee
joints) are your best choice to work
these muscles.
BACK SQUAT
FRONT SQUAT
LEG PRESS
LUNGE
REVERSE LUNGE
STEP-UP
LEG EXTENSION (does not work
glutes)
HAMSTRINGS
On the back of the thighs, the
hamstrings balance the quads
and allow for a wide range of
movement. Good exercise choices
include those that work the
hamstrings and both the hip and
knee joints.
DEADLIFT
STIFF-LEGGED DEADLIFT
GOOD MORNING
LYING LEG CURL
SEATED LEG CURL
ONE-LEGGED STANDING LEG
CURL
CALVES
Calves consist of two major
muscles, the gastrocnemius and
soleus. The latter is best worked
when the knee is flexed, as in the
seated calf raise.
STANDING CALF RAISE
SEATED CALF RAISE
DONKEY CALF RAISE
LEG PRESS CALF RAISE
HACK SQUAT CALF RAISE
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