10 in ‘10: Top 10 Resistance Exercises of All Time
I will use the snow day to launch a great series for the new year. Since our 9 in ‘09 series was such a success (uh, huh?), 2010 is a great year for lists. People love Top 10 lists so throughout this year we will explore with our own lists of things we have learned as coaches for the past 10 years (yep, this is our 10th anniversary, so stay tuned for that celebration!).
So here we go…I’m going to jump in with both feet to try and tackle the impossible…Top 10 Exercises of All Time! Just that title makes me laugh, because we know that this list is totally dependent on who you ask and what the training goals are, but let’s have fun and I look forward to your disagreements, so post away!
10. Dip - It’s still mind boggling that the bench presses are full in gyms while the dip bar collects dust. This one is not made for every shoulder, but it still cracked the top 10 because of all the muscles involved with this challenging move.
9. Plank - It’s a little lame that I have a core exercise in my Top 10, but with everyone “core crazy” these days, I thought I should include the most versatile exercise for focusing on the middle. Stop doing crunches immediately and explore with the endless ways to “plank it”.
8. Truck (or other object) Push - Great full body move that always jacks my legs up in a very unique way. I haven’t found another exercise like it that challenges legs and abs simultaneously.
(That’s Dave Tate pushing a Prowler…great tool that I recommend you buy at www.elitefts.com)
7. Full-Body Pull - Pulling activities always rank higher for me than pushing exercises because most athletes I have worked with need more balance through the shoulder and involvement of the scapulae. This is just a big row that requires you to “root” into the ground and recruit the entire posterior chain from head to toe. We do this in our boot camps with thick bands, but sleds are great too.
6. Turkish Get-up - My favorite exercise on the list, but it’s a little too complex to get higher than 6 on my list. Here I am on Fox News Rising performing TGU’s with a bottle of detergent (what?):
5. Push-up - #1 pushing upper body exercise with unlimited variations!
4. Pull-up - #1 upper body pulling exercise and very possible for everyone to do. Add a band or change the angle of the pull for almost as many variations as the push-up.
3. Farmer’s Walk - The oldest exercise on the list…in fact, it’s just something man has been doing way before the word “exercise” existed. Picking up something (weights, sandbags, kettlebells, rocks, etc.) and carrying it for distance various ways (overhead, cradled in arms, suitcase style, etc.) is very underrated in training.
2. Lunge - Almost #1, the lunge becomes more useful in my training as time goes on and the athletes I train do more and more sitting. It’s great for the non-working leg to get into extension. It has tons of carry-over for athletes in terms of first step quickness and jumping ability. There is also a great cardio-vascular effect when you combine it with pressing or other upper body challenges. Also, there are many variations including the under-utilized lateral lunge.
1. Squat - It is such a foundational, primal movement that works over 250 muscles in the body. It is still the “King” of all exercises (as stated by the International Sports Science Association years ago) and the most basic movement required for healthy hips, low back, knees, and ankles. My 11 month old daughter reminds me of how we are designed to squat. She is standing for short spells and cruises around low tables, but when she gets tired, she drops into a perfect squat with a long spine position. Beautiful!
Tags: 10 in 10, dips, lunge, planks, prowler push, pull-up, push-up, sled pulls, squat, top 10 list, truck push, turkish get-ups