The big 8: Weekly Movement checklist

For the beginner and novice, the gym and weights can sometimes seem confusing and daunting. You walk into the gym and often times will see tons of different machines, all sorts of bars and dumbbells, squat racks or bicep curl racks as some like to think. Even for the intermediate lifter it can be easy to forget to hit certain lifts in a given week. You should load each muscle group at least once a week relatively to maintain strength at the least and more if you want to focus on improving strength and resiliency. It is not very realistic that someone does every single one of those possible exercises or exercise machines on a weekly basis, so what do you do? The best way to break it down is simply by the movement you are doing and not the exercise itself.

This is by no means a be all end all. Of course in some cases such as elite athletes with sport specific needs such as resisted throws for a baseball player, or in a rehab setting where certain muscle groups may need to be isolated such wrist extensor loading for tennis elbow. That being said, from the aspect of simple strength and conditioning for majority of people it will come down to 8 basic movements. Whether you prefer to go to the gym once a week and do these 8 on one day for a two or more sets each, or you want to split them up into 4-5 different days with a few variations of each it can all be beneficial.

So let's take a look at these 8 movements and break them down. Nothing fancy here, nothing you have never heard of just a great way to simplify your strength approach:

First off is the SQUAT, this is a crucial movement for many reasons. This exercise will mainly target the glutes, hamstrings, quads and adductors, as well as core and low back muscles. Firstly, this is great for stimulating general muscle growth. Research has shown that compound exercises with relative intensity such as the squat will have a greater increase in testoterone levels post workout. One study compared the squat to the leg press and found that the group performing the squat had a higher increase in testosterone after, this is simply due to a squat requiring more muscle to be working including the torso and upper body compared to a seated leg press(1). The other reason is because it is actually a really great core exercise as well since it involves the entire body. Some variations of the typical back squat are: goblet squat, front squat, real foot elevated split squat, sumo squat, etc. Picking a different variation every week or every few weeks is a great way to mix it up as each variation has slightly different benefits and target muscles.

Next is the HINGE commonly known as the deadlift, this exercise is simply bending at the hips but very beneficial. This exercise will mainly target the glutes, hamstrings, low back and upper back musculature, essentially what some may refer to as the "posterior chain" meaning all the muscles on the back side of the body. This exercise also mimics many day to day tasks, such as picking things up, which means by including this exercise it can make many day to day tasks less taxing, although all 8 exercises will contribute to your overall strength and resiliency as well. Also another great compound exercise to help spike testosterone levels and help with overall muscle growth and recovery. Variations of this exercise can include: sumo deadlift, single leg RDL, kickstand dealift, etc. A great compliment to the deadlift would be something like a hip thrust.

Next is the LUNGE, although this is similar to a squat in terms of the front leg it still has benefits of its own. The lunge again targets the quads, adductors and glutes as well as the calves and low back and core. Firstly, the staggered stance is a great way to work on balance. Another benefit is when done as a walking lunge or as a stepping lunge it has a dynamic component which is great for working on deceleration or eccentric loading of the muscles. This is a great exercise to do after doing squats as it is less taxing than the squat. Variations of this include: forward lunge, backwards lunge, lateral lunge, etc.

One of the more overlooked and underutilized exercises in the CARRY. This is one that I have come to love over the years. It focuses mainly on core strength as well as grip strength. It is also a great way to load the rotator cuff. This can also target many things depending on the variations. The carry is great because it allows one to really load their torso in a relatively manageable upright position. Variations include: suitcase carry, upside down carry, alternating carries, overhead carry, etc. This is a great one to include at the end of a workout once the body is under a bit of fatigue.

The HORIZONTAL PUSH aka international chest day. This is one of the most common movement incorporated into most programs. This mainly targets the shoulders and chest as well as the scapular muscles. There are many variations of this such as barbell bench, dumbbell bench, explosive sled pushes, etc. One thing that wasn't addressed in the 8 is rotation. Rotational work can be achieved by incorporating single arm pushes such as with a cable or a band, or anti rotation with a single arm dumbbell bench.

To compliment the horizontal push we have the HORIZONTAL PULL. A big back is the key to a big bench, so there is a strong relationship here. Think of it as a balance between the front and back. This targets the scapular muscles, posterior shoulders, lats as well as grip. Variations of the pull are: incline row, bent over row, single arm dumbbell row, etc. I personally like to have a pull day where I will do variations of vertical and horizontal pulling. This is where the single arm variations will also include some rotation of the trunk.

Next is the VERTICAL PUSH, meaning pushing anything overhead. This is one that is great for many reasons. Firstly, the overhead position is one that most people don't really do often in their day to day lives. The vertical push targets the shoulder, trapezius and the other scapular muscles as well as the upper chest and core. Variations of this include barbell overhead press, dumbbell military press, landmine press variations, kettle bell upside down presses, etc. I like to incorporate one or two variations of this on my push and pull days as shoulders are currently a personal focus of mine.

Last but not least is the VERTICAL PULL. This mainly targets the scapular muscles, the lats, as well as shoulders, it also places an emphasis on grip as do the horizontal pull. The vertical pull in the form of the pull up is one of my personal favorite exercises. It really demonstrates a mastering of ones strength to body weight ratio. Along with that its a great movement for the upper body that one may not perform often otherwise unless your a climber or other specific task. Variations of this include: the pull up, lat pull down, single arm pulls, etc. I like to include this with horizontal pulling on pull days.

So that's it, it's fairly simple in that aspect. Try to complete each movement under load 1-2X per week or more. Here is a sample program that one may implement:

Day 1- Horizontal push 1-2 exercises, vertical push 1-2 exercises, lunge 1-2 exercises

Day 2- Vertical pull 1-2 exercises, horizontal pull 1-2 exercises, vertical push 1 exercise

Day 3- Squat 1-2 exercises, hinge 1-2 exercises, carry 1-2 exercises

That is a great 3 day program for someone to start with and build from there. From there you can add days, or increase volume or make other variations. Now go out there and get strong!

Thanks for reading, Vitas

References:

1-Shaner, AA et al. The acute hormonal response to free weight and machine weight resistance exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2014 28(4): 1032-40