Top 5 Exercises to Build Muscle

There are probably thousands of possible exercises that you could use to build muscle. New exercises are actually being invented everyday. Of course, when you're trying to build muscle, you want to use exercises that work. You don't want to put in the effort and not see results, but how do you know which exercises are the best? Well here are 5 of the top exercises you can use to get started building muscle.

1. Squats- This is one of the best exercises for your lower body. It works all of the major muscles in your legs and glutes. While this exercise is pretty effective as it is, there are some variations you can try to make it harder. For instance, you can add weight when you perform the exercise. This adds a lot more intensity.

2. Deadlift- This is a simple exercise that really works your entire body. This is not as well known as some other exercises, but it's incredibly effective. Your neck, back, biceps, forearms, glutes, hamstrings, and quads are all included in this exercise. The exercise is basically bending over and picking weight up. This is very practical in everyday life, since you often have to bend over to pick up heavy items.

3. Lunges- There are several different types of lunges you can do. There are forward lunges, reverse lunges, even walking lunges. You can add weight to any of the lunges to make them more difficult. No matter which one you choose to do, you'll get a great workout for your quads and glutes. You should be careful with this exercise though, since it can put extra strain on your knees if it's not performed correctly.

4. Crunches- This remains one of the top exercises for your midsection. There are different types of crunches that are designed to work different areas of your abs. You can also try adding weight or performing the crunches on an exercise ball to make them harder. These are very easy to perform incorrectly, so you want to go slow and focus on your form. You also want to remember to breathe during the exercise. Some people tend to hold their breath while doing crunches.

5. Push Ups- This is a great upper body exercise. There are several muscle groups that are worked during this exercise. Your chest, back, shoulders, biceps and triceps are all included. As with the other exercises, there are several variations to increase the intensity.

While there are several other exercises you can do to build muscle, these are 5 of the best.  These exercises work large groups of muscles at once and are very effective.  When you work several muscles at once, you actually burn more calories than you would with other exercises.   So, you might want to try to work these exercises into your current routine whenever you can.