Bodybuilding Exercises You Don’t See Everyday

Bodybuilding Exercises You Don’t See Everyday

Typically, when you’re in the gym you see different gym goers performing the same standard exercises.

Although these exercises may be proven effective, you might be looking to add some variety to your routine.

So without further ado, here are some exercises you generally won’t see at the gym every day.

Exercise: Lying Side Dumbbell Flyes

Muscle Worked: Chest

How to do it:  Lying sideways on a bench, start by holding a dumbbell with your bottom arm just below your shoulder, keep your elbow slightly bent in a locked position and raise the dumbbell until its parallel with your top arm’s shoulder then slowly descend back into your starting position

Exercise: Lat Shrugs

Muscles Worked: Back

How to do it: Using a lat pull-down machine, start by gripping the bar with a wide grip while keeping your elbows slightly bent in a locked position. Contract your shoulder blades downward and pause in this position before returning to your starting position.

Exercise: Barbell Hack Squats

Muscles Worked: Legs

How to do it:  Start by standing straight while gripping a barbell with a shoulder width grip behind you. While keeping your back straight and head up, squat until your thighs are parallel with the floor then return to the standing position by pushing up through the heel s of your feet.

Exercise: Scott Press

Muscles worked: Shoulders

How to do it: Start with elbows bent at a 90 degree angle with arms in front and dumbbells about face height.  From there, moving only your shoulders, imagine doing a lateral raise and lift your shoulders until your elbows are just above shoulder height.

Exercises: Body Weight Tricep Extensions

Muscles Worked: Triceps

How to do it: Start by standing about a foot in front of a smith machine with the bar about waist height, grip the bar with a narrow grip (hands about 6-10 inches apart), keep your elbows tucked then lower your body forward until your head goes underneath the bar.  Keeping your body rigid and tight, use your triceps to extend back into the starting position.

Exercise: Hercules Curls

Muscles Worked: Biceps

How to do it:  Using a cable crossover, start by standing in the middle of the cable cross machine while gripping both handles.  Keeping your arms shoulder height, curl both arms towards shoulders by flexing your biceps.  Pause in this position for a moment before returning to the starting position.

Exercise: Barbell Calf Rock Ups

Muscles Worked: Calves

How to do it: Starting in the squat position with a barbell on your back, raise your heels as high as you can by contracting your calf muscles.  Pause in this position for a moment before returning to the starting position.

Exercise: Stomach Vacuums

Muscles Worked: Transverse Abdominals

How to do it: Start by standing upright and placing your hands on your hips or on your head, and exhale all the air out of your lungs and bring your stomach in as much as possible, and hold. Hold this position for as long as you can, then return to the starting position.

Injuring yourself doing a new exercise will hinder your progress so before jumping into exercises you’ve never performed; here are few things to keep in mind.  First, start with a light weight and work your way up. Second, maintain proper form throughout the entire movement and lastly, check your form in the mirror if possible.

About Julian Brown

JulianBrownTraining.com      Julian is the co-owner of The Yard Fitness, an established fitness writer, a professional natural bodybuilder, a fitness & sport nutrition specialist, and a certified personal trainer. He began strength training at the young age of fourteen to improve his sports performance and hasn’t looked back since. Julian is a graduate of Grambling State University, ACE & NASM certified, and he has over a decade of personal experience in strength training.