Strength Training: Exercises, Technique, and Equipment

Explore strength training exercises for pushing, pulling, squatting, and hinging, with practical guidance on technique, equipment, and progression.

Strength training uses resistance to challenge muscles through movements performed with body weight, dumbbells, barbells, cables, or machines. It includes foundational lifts as well as focused variations for different movement patterns.

What does strength training include?

This category covers pushing, pulling, squatting, and hip-hinge exercises, including bench presses, rows, squats, and deadlifts. Select equipment and variations that match your goals, experience, and available space. Braced positioning, controlled reps, and an appropriate load are central to sound practice; coaching can help when technique is uncertain.

Practical guidance

Start with a manageable resistance to learn the movement, then progress gradually. Adjust benches, cables, and machines before each set, and keep a clear area around free weights. Stop if you experience sharp pain or cannot control the movement, and seek qualified technique feedback.

Standing Dumbbell Front Raise

The Standing Dumbbell Front Raise is an effective exercise for strengthening your shoulders and improving your posture. This exercise helps build the front deltoids and provides stability to your shoulder joint. Execution Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in ea

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise

The Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise is an effective exercise for strengthening and defining your shoulder muscles. This exercise offers a unique way to target the lateral parts of your deltoids, contributing to a broader, more athletic appearance. Execution Begin by standing with your feet shoul

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise

The Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise is an effective exercise for strengthening and defining the shoulder muscles. This exercise helps improve shoulder stability and may contribute to better posture. Execution: Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at y

Standing Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension

The Standing Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension is an effective exercise for strengthening your triceps. This exercise offers a unique way to isolate and focus on the triceps, contributing to better arm definition and strength. Execution Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold

Standing Dumbbell Press

The Standing Dumbbell Press is an effective exercise for strengthening your upper body, particularly your shoulders and arms. This exercise not only helps build muscle mass but also improves your stability and coordination because you perform it standing. Execution Stand with your feet shoulde

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press is an effective exercise for strengthening your upper body. This exercise targets the shoulders, but also benefits the triceps and upper back. The unique benefit of this exercise is that it helps build symmetrical shoulder strength and core stability because you

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press is an effective exercise for strengthening your shoulders and upper body. This exercise not only helps build muscle mass but also improves your posture and stability. Execution Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and

Standing Dumbbell Triceps Kickback

The triceps kickback is an isolation exercise for the triceps. Since the triceps are involved in every pressing movement for the chest, this is an effective exercise for focusing purely on the triceps. Stand to the right of a weight bench with a dumbbell in your right hand and your palm facing inwar

Standing Dumbbell Upper Chest Fly

Introduction: The Standing Dumbbell Upper Chest Fly is an effective exercise for strengthening the upper chest muscles. This exercise not only helps build muscle mass, but also improves chest definition through targeted activation of the upper pecs. Execution: Begin by selecting a pair of dumbbells

Standing Dumbbell Wrist Curl

The Standing Dumbbell Wrist Curl is an effective exercise focused on strengthening the forearms. This exercise is unique because it specifically targets the wrist flexors, which can lead to improved grip strength and wrist stability. Execution Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand, with you

Standing EZ-Bar Overhead Extensions

If you're looking for an effective exercise to strengthen and shape your triceps, standing EZ-bar overhead extensions are an excellent choice. This exercise offers a unique way to isolate and train the triceps, helping you become stronger and improve the appearance of your arms. Execution Begi

Standing Front Barbell Raise

The Standing Front Barbell Raise is an effective exercise for strengthening and developing the shoulder muscles. This exercise not only helps build a strong, well-developed upper body, but also improves posture and stability. Execution Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Gri

Standing Glute Kickback

Want to effectively train your glutes without using heavy weights? Then the Standing Glute Kickback is an excellent exercise for you. This exercise focuses on strengthening and toning your glutes and helps improve your balance and coordination. Execution Begin in a standing position with your fe

Standing Hammer Curl

Hammer curls are a variation of dumbbell biceps curls. This grip places more emphasis on the long (outer) head of the biceps, the brachialis, and the brachioradialis. Hammer curls do not involve rotation of the hand during the exercise. The thumbs remain pointing forward, meaning that only one funct

Standing Hammer Curl

The Standing Hammer Curl is a popular strength exercise that targets the development of the biceps and forearm muscles. This exercise is distinguished by the hammer grip, which provides unique muscle stimulation and is an excellent addition to your arm-training routine. Execution Stand upright w

Standing Hip Extension

The Standing Hip Extension is an effective exercise for strengthening your glutes and hamstrings. This exercise not only helps build muscle mass but also improves your posture and balance. Execution Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart. Stabilize yourself by lightly engaging your abdo

Standing Knee Raises

Standing Knee Raises is an effective exercise for strengthening your core and training your hip flexors. This exercise also helps improve your balance and coordination. Execution Begin in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on your hips or hold them extended in

Standing Lat Cable Pullover

If you are looking for an effective way to strengthen your back muscles, the Standing Lat Cable Pullover is an excellent choice. This exercise targets not only your lats but also offers unique benefits for the overall development of your upper body. Execution Stand with your feet shoulder-width

Standing Leg Curl

The leg curl is the only exercise in which you can isolate the hamstrings (and the weaker sartorius) from other muscle groups. The hamstrings perform the function of bending the knee, assisted by the weaker sartorius muscle. This variation uses a machine that allows you to perform the exercise stand

Standing Leg Kicks

Standing Leg Kicks is a dynamic exercise that focuses on improving flexibility, balance, and strength in the lower-body muscles. This exercise is unique because it not only trains your muscles but also helps improve your coordination and stability. Execution Begin in a standing position with you

Standing Oblique Crunch

The Standing Oblique Crunch is an effective exercise for strengthening your side abdominal muscles, also known as the obliques. This exercise not only helps create a toned waist, but also improves your balance and stability. Execution Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands behi

Standing Oblique Crunches

The standing oblique crunch is an effective exercise for strengthening your oblique abdominal muscles. This exercise not only helps shape your waist, but also improves your overall stability and balance. Execution Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands behind y

Standing Overhead Push Press

Introduction: The Standing Overhead Push Press is a dynamic strength exercise that challenges both your upper and lower body. This exercise not only improves your strength but also your explosiveness and stability. Execution: Begin by placing a barbell at shoulder height. Grip the bar slightly wide

Standing scarerow

De scare crow richt zich op de kleinere, stabiliserende spieren rondom het schoudergewricht. Spieren die het schoudergewricht stabiliseren, maar ook zorgen voor...