When it comes to optimising muscle growth and strength, Dr. Mike Israetel, a renowned fitness expert, has specific go-to exercises for each muscle group. These exercises are based on his extensive knowledge and experience, ensuring maximum effectiveness for both beginners and seasoned lifters.
Dr Mike Israetel, PhD in Sport Physiology and co-founder of Renaissance Periodization, is a well-respected professor in the bodybuilding community. He doesn’t only talk about workouts and fitness tips, he often dives deep into health and nutrition.
He was asked by Mike Thurston on his weekly video on First Things THRST YouTube Channel. Let’s delve into Dr. Israetel’s top exercise recommendations for various muscle groups.
Dr Mike Israetel Go-To Exercise for Each Muscle Group
Chest: Incline Cambered Bar Bench Press
For developing the chest, Dr. Israetel highly recommends the incline cambered bar bench press. This exercise utilises a cambered bar, which has a unique curve allowing for a greater range of motion compared to a standard barbell. According to Dr. Israetel, the deep stretch achieved with this exercise is unparalleled.
“The cambered bar allows you… to press super deep. That pec stretch is just unbeatable,” Israetel says. “It’s pretty close to objectively the best chest exercise you could do if you had to pick one.”
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This exercise not only targets the upper chest but also provides a significant pump, making it an excellent choice for overall chest development.
Shoulders: Cable Machine Lateral Raises
When it comes to the shoulders, particularly the side delts, Dr. Israetel favours cable lateral raises. He suggests setting the cable height at hip level to achieve optimal tension throughout the movement.
“You get a crazy peak tension at the bottom, the super stretch, and the top has almost no tension at all… that exercise both from an internal perspective of how it makes me feel and from a theoretical perspective is difficult to beat.”
This exercise ensures that the deltoids are fully engaged, promoting muscle growth and strength.
Back: Barbell Bent-Over Row
For back development, Dr. Israetel’s go-to is the barbell bent-over row. This exercise is versatile and effectively targets the lats, mid-back, and spinal erectors.
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“A strict bent row like that… hits the lats decently, hits the mid-back really well, and hits the spinal erectors too because you have to spinally erect yourself against the load,” Israetel explains.
The barbell bent-over row is a comprehensive exercise that promotes overall back strength and hypertrophy.
Biceps: Lying Dumbbell Curl
Dr. Israetel’s favourite new bicep exercise is the lying dumbbell curl. This unique variation, which he created himself after trying a couple of new things, maximises tension on the biceps throughout the movement.
“It exposes the biceps to maximum tension at their longest length and is just unreal… it gives me predictable repeated delayed onset bicep soreness which almost no other exercise has been able to give me.”
This exercise targets the biceps effectively, promoting muscle growth and strength.
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Triceps: EZ Bar Behind the Neck Tricep Extension
For tricep development, Dr. Israetel recommends the EZ bar behind the neck tricep extension. This exercise targets all parts of the tricep and provides a deep stretch.
“The EZ bar behind the neck tricep extension… is phenomenal. It works every part of the tricep and a huge deep stretch.”
This movement is excellent for isolating and developing the triceps.
Quads: Belt Squat
When it comes to leg exercises, Dr. Israetel prefers the belt squat. This exercise eliminates axial fatigue, allowing for more effective quad targeting.
“A belt squat properly done just has no axial fatigue… you can just zap your quad.”
The belt squat is ideal for those looking to focus on quad development without placing undue stress on the spine.
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Hamstrings: Stiff-Legged Deadlift or Good Mornings
For hamstring training, Dr. Israetel recommends both the stiff-legged deadlift and good mornings. These exercises ensure a deep stretch in the hamstrings, promoting muscle growth.
“Stiff-legged deadlifts are really tough to beat… it’s a biarticulate muscle which means it crosses the knee and the hip, so you can load it under a load of stretch super easily.”
Additionally, Israetel also talked about good mornings as another effective hamstring exercise:
“Stiff-legged deadlifts or good mornings are really tough to beat, but every kind of hamstring curl is awesome as long as I get a nice deep stretch in the hamstring.”
Both exercises target the hamstrings effectively, promoting hypertrophy and strength.
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For glute development, Dr. Israetel suggests the front foot elevated Smith machine lunges. This exercise provides stability and allows for a deep stretch in the glutes.
“Front foot elevation pre-stretches that glute… one set later I’m like, oh my God, my glutes are cramping.”
This exercise is excellent for isolating and developing the glutes.
Dr. Mike Israetel’s go-to exercises for each muscle group are designed to maximise muscle growth and strength. By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can ensure comprehensive development and optimal results. Whether you’re targeting the chest, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, legs, hamstrings, or glutes, Dr. Israetel’s recommendations provide a solid foundation for your fitness journey.
Actress Jennifer Aniston has launched a new four-week challenge with fitness app Pvolve to help people get into the right mindset to exercise.
The Worth It Everytime campaign, created in collaboration with mental wellness app Headspace, encourages people to view exercise as something that energizes them rather than punishes them.
Pvolve members can access 30-35 minute exercise classes—both in person and online—as well as 30 days of free access to the Headspace app, which offers guided meditations and stress-busting tools to build lasting habits and emotional resilience.
Members who complete all 16 workouts will receive a limited edition Everything Pouch, created exclusively for the challenge.
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Aniston, a Pvolve partner and fitness enthusiast, admits she doesn’t always feel in the mood to exercise.
“People assume I’m always motivated, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I have plenty of days where I don’t want to work out at all.”
However, she says training with Pvolve keeps her going on down days because the app makes exercise feel good rather than a punishment.
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“What I’ve learned is that the conversation in your head is actually part of the work. You show up for yourself anyway, you move a little, and then something shifts. You feel better. That feeling is what brings me back.”
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“I know I’m doing something good for my body long term, and that makes showing up feel worth it every time.”
Pvolve head trainer Dani Coleman adds that, “when movement and mindset work together, something clicks.
“Consistency becomes natural and a workout stops feeling like something you push through and starts feeling like something that truly supports your total-body health.”
To help new members get started, Pvolve is offering 10% off sitewide.
After a period of inactivity, getting your fitness back can feel like a tough slog.
Jason Smith, a personal trainer, nutritional advisor and founder of Fit in Midlife, knows this from personal experience. He got fit again at 50 after years of inactivity, then started training people of a similar age, helping them to do the same.
One type of client that Smith often works with is the ex-athlete—someone who was sporty in their teens or 20s, but became less active with age.
These people are often ready to jump back in at the deep end: running long distances or lifting heavy weights, but find their brain is writing checks their body can’t cash.
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“Your brain still thinks that you can do the things that you used to do,” says Smith.
“Your body has had the longest rest period it’s ever going to have and during that period of time, your muscles have gone into atrophy, your cardiovascular system has diminished and you won’t be as capable as you were when you were in your 20s. This is just an unfortunate fact of life.”
“It can be really demotivating because you don’t feel capable,” adds Smith. “You don’t feel as though you’re actually able to do anything. But of course, the truth is very different.”
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And in Smith’s experience, there are two things that will help you overcome the dejection that can come when expectations meet reality.
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1. Find something you enjoy
Smith tells me that the first run he went on after deciding to move more turned into a walk. “Once I’d run about 300 meters, I realised it was much harder than I thought it would be,” he says.
Instead of stopping, Smith decided he was going to do the distance he planned, but by walking, breaking into a jog now and then.
“Despite not being able to do what I intended to do when I left the house, I enjoyed being out in the fresh air, moving my body and being active,” he says.
Now he runs because he loves experiencing beautiful places.
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“You don’t have to set a personal best every time that you go for a run,” he says.
“It doesn’t hurt to enjoy the environment while you’re out there,” says Smith. “If you see something that you want to stop and look at, stop and look at it.
“You are still doing the run. You are still improving your cardiovascular fitness. You are still burning calories. You are still getting your heart rate up.”
2. Be consistent and add small challenges
Because he enjoyed his first outing, Smith tried again, and crucially, he tried to do a little more running than last time.
“The next time I went, I was able to run a little bit further and walk a little bit less,” he says. “And I went again. Over time, walks turned into proper runs.”
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“By being consistent, you will build up the strength, endurance and stamina that make you more capable,” says Smith. “Start easy and gradually increase the challenge.
“Go to that next lamppost if you’re running, or an additional repetition on each of your sets if you’re weight training.”
“These things add up and make all the difference.”
Three weeks later, he ran up his nearest hill without stopping at all. “It was such a great feeling,” he says.
And that’s how Smith advises formerly athletic midlifers to return to exercise. Find a form of movement they enjoy and aim for achievable, consistent progress. These two simple things will set you up for success in the future.
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“You will feel stronger. You will feel fitter. You will have probably lost a little bit of weight as well,” says Smith. “This will also mean you’ll feel a little lighter and more energized. Then you will feel good about the progress that you’ve made.”