Best Exercises By Muscle Groups For Complete Body Workout | Workout & Exercises slideshows | Physical activities center

Biceps : Dumbbell Incline Curl

There are many traditional exercises that can be used to exercise the bicep such as the standing or sitting bicep curl. But including some variety in training is essential to get the best results. Sit back on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand at arms length. Your elbows need to be tight to your torso and rotate your palms so they are facing forward. From this position, hold the upper arm still and bend from the elbow bringing the dumbbell toward your shoulders. Hold for a second and then slowly lower and repeat. Remember to breathe in on the lowering phase and out on the upward.

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Chest : Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press

Similarly to the incline bicep curl, slight alterations to your usual exercises can give great results. A neutral grip dumbbell press will activate different parts of the chest muscles to get an all over tone. Take a dumbbell in each hand and lay back on a flat bench. A neutral grip involves having your palms facing towards each other and hold the dumbbells with arms extended above you perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower the arms to the your side and continue until the dumbbells are level with your torso, elbows pointing outwards. Hold for a second and then return to the start position.

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Triceps : Dumbbell Floor Press

Sometimes in the gym it can be really busy so finding alternative ways to complete tricep exercises. Using the floor and a mat is an inexpensive way to complete a dumbbell press in the gym or at home. Lay on the floor holding dumbbells in your hands, your knees should be bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold the weights with a neutral grip, palms facing inwards, and start with arms extended out in front of you. Slowly lower the weights while exhaling until the upper arm comes in contact with the floor, tucking your elbows in close to your side. Pause at the bottom and then raise dumbbells to start position.

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Shoulders : Half-Kneeling Single-Arm Bottom-Up Kettlebell Press

Shoulder press exercises can become very boring so adding in a kettle bell exercise will really break the tedium to try something new. Kneeling on one knee grab a kettlebell and hold it down beside you. The weight of the bell should be on your outer forearm and you should grip the bell with a foreward facing palm. You can hold onto a bench or other equipment to help balance, when ready exhale and raise the bell straight up so your arm is fully extended. Hold for a moment and then begin to lower while inhaling to return the bell level with the shoulder.

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Back : Dumbbell Chest-Supported Row

The dumbbell chest supported row works the middle back muscles and requires an incline bench and a set of dumbbells. Using a neutral grip (palms facing inwards) lean into an incline bench making sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor. Take a dumbbell in each hand with the arms straight and hanging down towards the ground, retract the shoulder blades and bend the elbows to bring the dumbbells to your side, pause at the top of the motion and then lower. Remember to exhale on the upwards movement and inhale while lowering the dumbbells back to the starting position.

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Core : Rotational Cable Chop

To increase your core strength using a pulley machine really helps. Connect a standard handle to a tower with the pulley set to the highest position. Stand with your side to the cable and grab the handle with both hands, the pulley should be about arms length away so the arms are fully extended when gripping the handle. With outstretched arms pull the handle in a diagonal motion across the body to the opposite side and slightly downwards. Hold for a moment and then return to start position. Make sure not to bend the arms and keep your core tight, try to engage the core to force the movement and not using your shoulders.

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Quads : Barbell Front Squat with Heels Elevated

A front barbell squat is a great lower body movement which primarily triggers the quads, but it also works the gluteus and hamstrings. This is best performed inside a squat rack to allow support during the movement. Set the bar so it matches your height as the bar is placed across the front of your body on your arms is as if crossed. Take the weight of the bar and begin to lower into a squat position, but instead of having flat feet as you lower raise your heels from the ground. This makes the movement target your calves more to increase the intensity of the movement.

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Glutes : Barbell Hip Thrust

A barbell hip thrust mainly targets the gluteal's but it also works the calves and hamstrings. Begin seated on the ground with a bench directly behind you. The barbell should be loaded with the required weight and placed over your legs, use a pad to make it more comfortable. The bar should be directly above your hips and lean back onto the bench until your shoulder blades are nearly at the top. Drive through your feet to lift your hips vertically through the bar, your weight will be supported by your shoulders and your feet, when horizontal pause and lower to start position.

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Hamstrings : Barbell Straight-Leg Deadlift

There are a few versions of the deadlift, this exercise in particular targets the hamstrings and the lower back. Place a barbell with the required weight and stand with your feet shoulder width apart, your feet should be placed under the bar until you cannot see the laces. Grasp the bar with an overhead grip and equal distance between the hands. Remember to keep your body and torso straight and looking forward, keeping the knees still lift the bar keeping your arms also straight until you are standing upright. Then lower the bar back down without it touching the floor, pause and lift again.

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Calves : Standing Dumbbell Single-Leg Calf Raise

The calf muscle can be a tricky one to isolate to build strength or endurance in but some simple calf raises are just the ticket. Standing with feet shoulder width apart, grab a dumbbell which is the correct weight and hold on the side of which leg you will use first. Let it hang with your arm outstretched. When your ready, exhale and raise your heel until you are on your toes. Pause here for a moment and then begin to lower the heel but do not let it touch the ground, just before it is fully lowered raise up onto the toes. Repeat as many times as needed and then switch to the other leg.