Beginner Exercises
Perfect for those new to strength training.
Showing 61–90 of 562 exercises
Bodyweight Hip Thrust
A bench-supported bodyweight hip-extension exercise that targets the glutes through a longer range of motion than a floor-based glute bridge. The shoulder-on-bench setup lets the hips drop deeper, increasing glute recruitment at the bottom of the lift — a strong climbing-power drill for trail runners.
Bodyweight Squat
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. You can place your hands behind your head. This will be your starting position.
Bodyweight Step-Up
A unilateral step onto a box or bench, driving up through the lead leg. Builds single-leg quad and glute strength with a movement pattern that mirrors running gait — ideal for runners building leg endurance without heavy load.
Bodyweight Walking Lunge
Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands on your hips.
Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends
Connect a standard handle to each arm of a cable machine, and position them in the most downward position.
Bottoms Up
Begin by lying on your back on the ground. Your legs should be straight and your arms at your side. This will be your starting position.
Box Jump (Multiple Response)
Assume a relaxed stance facing the box or platform approximately an arm's length away. Arms should be down at the sides and legs slightly bent.
Box Skip
You will need several boxes lined up about 8 feet apart.
Bradford/Rocky Presses
The Bradford Press, also known as the Rocky Press, is a shoulder strength exercise that combines a standard overhead press with a behind-the-neck press in one fluid motion. It develops shoulder stability, triceps strength, and overhead mobility through a greater range of motion than a standard press.
Burpee
A full-body bodyweight conditioning movement combining a squat-thrust, push-up, and jump. Used as a conditioning finisher in calisthenics work because it loads the entire body across multiple planes in one rep. Distinct from Mountain Climbers (no jump, no push-up phase, sustained-tempo plank-position drill) and from Squat Jumps (no upper body component).
Butterfly
The Butterfly or Pec Deck is an isolation exercise performed on a machine to target the chest muscles. It is excellent for developing chest definition and the mind-muscle connection, as it minimizes stabilizer involvement compared to free-weight presses.
Butt Lift (Bridge)
The Glute Bridge is a foundational hip-hinge exercise that isolates and strengthens the posterior chain. It's excellent for building glute and hamstring strength, improving hip stability, and serving as a primer for more advanced lower-body movements.
Butt-Ups
Butt-Ups are a beginner-friendly bodyweight exercise that trains core stability and glute activation through a controlled hip-hinge motion. It builds foundational strength for posterior chain movements and helps improve mind-muscle connection with the glutes and abdominals.
Cable Chest Press
Adjust the weight to an appropriate amount and be seated, grasping the handles. Your upper arms should be about 45 degrees to the body, with your head and chest up. The elbows should be bent to about 90 degrees. This will be your starting position.
Cable Crunch
The Cable Crunch is a weighted core exercise performed kneeling at a cable machine. It effectively isolates the abdominal muscles through spinal flexion against resistance, allowing for progressive overload and strength development in the midsection.
Cable Curl
Stand up with your torso upright while holding a cable curl bar that is attached to a low pulley. Grab the cable bar at shoulder width and keep the elbows close to the torso. The palm of your hands should be facing up (supinated grip). This will be your starting position.
Cable Deadlifts
Move the cables to the bottom of the towers and select an appropriate weight. Stand directly in between the uprights.
Cable Flye
Standing cable chest flye performed between two cable stacks. A single-joint chest isolation movement using horizontal shoulder adduction through a controlled arc.
Cable Hammer Curls - Rope Attachment
Attach a rope attachment to a low pulley and stand facing the machine about 12 inches away from it.
Cable Hip Adduction
The Cable Hip Adduction is an isolation exercise targeting the muscles of the inner thigh (adductors). It is used to strengthen these often-underworked muscles, which contributes to hip stability and balanced lower-body development.
Cable Incline Pushdown
Lie on incline an bench facing away from a high pulley machine that has a straight bar attachment on it.
Cable Incline Triceps Extension
The Cable Incline Triceps Extension is a single-joint isolation exercise performed on a bench to target the long head of the triceps. The inclined position places a greater stretch on the muscle at the start of the movement, which can enhance muscle development and flexibility.
Cable Internal Rotation
The Cable Internal Rotation is an isolation exercise that targets the internal rotators of the shoulder, primarily the subscapularis muscle. It is used to strengthen the rotator cuff, improve shoulder stability, and support healthy joint function, particularly important for overhead athletes and general shoulder health.
Cable Iron Cross
Begin by moving the pulleys to the high position, select the resistance to be used, and take a handle in each hand.
Cable Judo Flip
Connect a rope attachment to a tower, and move the cable to the lowest pulley position. Stand with your side to the cable with a wide stance, and grab the rope with both hands.
Cable Lying Triceps Extension
The Cable Lying Triceps Extension is an isolation exercise that targets the triceps, particularly the long head, from a stretched position. It builds arm size and strength using constant cable tension, making it effective for muscle hypertrophy and definition.
Cable One Arm Tricep Extension
The Cable One-Arm Tricep Extension is an isolation exercise that targets the triceps brachii muscle on the back of the upper arm. It is performed unilaterally (one arm at a time) using a cable machine, which provides constant tension throughout the range of motion. This exercise is useful for developing arm strength and definition, and for addressing muscular imbalances.
Cable Preacher Curl
The Cable Preacher Curl isolates the biceps by using a preacher bench to lock the upper arm in place and a cable machine to provide constant tension throughout the range of motion. This variation is excellent for building biceps peak and strength.
Cable Rear Delt Fly
The Cable Rear Delt Fly isolates the posterior shoulder muscles by using a cable machine to provide constant tension throughout the movement. It's an effective exercise for improving shoulder health, posture, and building balanced upper-body strength.
Cable Reverse Crunch
Connect an ankle strap attachment to a low pulley cable and position a mat on the floor in front of it.
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