Best Exercises are B.S, You Heard It Here First 🤯

One of the most popular questions that I get as a personal trainer is, "What is the best exercise for *insert muscle group here*?"

The problem I have with BEST EXERCISES FOR “insert muscle group here” is that it doesn’t help anyone.

No one. Like seriously, no one.

Here's why.

Let’s say you have the best exercise for quads and it is squats, what if someone can’t squat because they don’t have the mobility or they have dodgy knees.

Should they give up on their quads?

How deflating!

How about this then…

Let’s say deadlifts are the best hamstring exercise, which they’re bloody not, what if someone always hurts their lower back when they’re deadlifting and doesn’t want to do it.

Should they give up on their hamstrings?

Once again, that's deflating.

What if someone doesn’t have access to a barbell… should they give up on their entire body transformation?

I can say that over this time of the pandemic, where many of my clients have been training at home, many people have completely transformed their physique without owning a barbell.

“BEST EXERCISES” don’t help anyone.

1. Everyone has different capabilities with their body. Some people are very mobile with no injuries, some people have sore elbows and knees and are training at home.

2. Everyone has different equipment access. Some are training in a full fledged gym, some are at home with a couple of kettlebells.

3. Everyone is at different levels. I wouldn’t put a complete beginner straight under a barbell and say, “well the best exercise for quads is a squat, so let’s squat!” That’s stupid. You’ll want to start off with a safer exercise like a leg extension, leg press or even begin to teach them a split squat.

4. There are many exercises to grow a muscle group and if there was only one “BEST EXERCISE”, we wouldn’t have workout programs. We would just have one exercise we do over and over and over again. But that’s not the case is it?

“BEST EXERCISES” don’t give any context and are posted on socials because it’s catchy and definite and people like to feel like they have a solution, I get it, but what it’s really doing is misleading people because the truth is you can grow a muscle group through a shit ton of exercises… E.g. for quads:

- leg extension
- rear foot elevated split squat
- goblet squat
- leg press
- straddle lift
- step up

See how I haven’t mentioned a barbell back squat yet? You don't need to do them.

You don’t need to do any exercise if you don’t want to or can’t execute it but the great thing is you have so many other exercises to choose from that fits you and your situation!

So don't listen to anyone who says to you, this exercise is a 'must-do' for a six pack.

They're full of it.

Like a lot of people out there on the internet trying to make headlines and get a quick buck.