Exercises That Get You in Shape Quickly

There are tons of workout programs out there and I’ve done many of them. I’ve tried workout videos like p90x and a few workouts that I’ve found online. I noticed when I did these programs that they were not created equal. Some of these programs got me results very quickly and others had me feeling like I didn’t get much for all the work I did. A few of the workouts used some of the most fundamental movements. There are 4 exercises that will get results fast.

Here are some of the best exercises to get you results quickly.

Barbell Squats

Barbell squats are hands down one of the best exercises for strength and building lean mass. When you put weight on your back and squat you’re using every muscle in your body but most importantly it works the legs which are a powerhouse that eats up tons of energy. Barbell Squats are easy to make more challenging and all you must do is add more weight. Getting started with squats is easy all you must do is sit down and stand up but when you start adding weight it can be challenging. We encourage you to meet with a fitness professional if you’ve never attempted a squat before. Here are some tips to get you started.

Deadlifts

Just like squats deadlifts put a huge load on the muscles of the body. The deadlift got Its name from the Romans when they had to lift their dead off the battle field gross I know but you get the idea. You load up a barbell with weight and lift it. You can do this for 15 reps or 1 rep it doesn’t matter. When you’re picking the weight up make sure that the bar is lined up over your feet with your feet pointed straight ahead hip with apart, next you want to pull your shoulders back and push though the heels. Make sure to flex your butt when the barbell is at the top of the hips. Here is a short video to help you with the deadlift.

When doing deadlifts, you will feel your whole body working. This exercise burns tons of calories and you will see your strength increase quickly. If you’re new to deadlifts you should consult with a personal trainer to help get your started. One or two lessons can help you get the proper form down which will help with your gains.

Bench Press

The beach press is one of the best ways to build up the upper body fast. It works many muscles in the upper body including the chest, shoulders, triceps and lats. Yes the lats do work during the bench press. The heavy load on the body promotes muscular growth more than isolation because it loads each muscle on its own causing greater adaptation.

Bench press is easy to do with a few simple steps. Place the bar at the midline of the chest you let the bar come down almost touching the chest and going back up. There are three kinds of bench press and these include flat bench press, incline bench press and decline bench press with all have different benefits.

When doing the bench press make sure to have someone spot you during the lift because failure of this exercise can be dangerous. You can hire a personal trainer if you don’t feel comfortable with the exercise.

Pull up

Doing a pull up works tons of muscle in the body. When you’re pulling your body up you will feel almost all your upper body engage. The main muscles working are lats, biceps and rear delts. You will also see improvements in grip strength after doing a program with pull ups.

Pull ups are easier to learn than the other exercises with minimal risk of getting injured. All you must do is grip a pull up bar with your body weight suspended under it, now you want to low your body down and slowly pick your head up over bar. If you are just starting, try using an assisted pull up machine and slowly take off the resistance that is helping you. You can make this exercise harder by adding weight to the movement. Here is a video about how to do a pull up.

The Take Away

These exercises have one thing in common. They work multiple muscles and joints during the movement. This lets the body put a higher load on the body causing you to see gains faster. Big lifts promote the natural release of testosterone which helps the body grow lean mass faster. Be sure to add these exercises in your workout plan.

Check out our guide to program design .