5 Effective Workouts For Bodybuilding And Strength Training

effective workouts bodybuilding strength training exercises frugal fitness

If you’ve spent any amount of time in the gym lately, you’ll probably have noticed there are several key workouts which the biggest guys there use each and every time. There’s a good reason for this - and it’s not because they’re simply lacking in imagination when it comes to how they spend their time in the gym. 

The real reason these guys use these same exercises day after day is due to their time-tested effectiveness. Ever since bodybuilding became a thing, these workouts have existed. And while other workouts may have come and gone, these bad boys have stood the test of time, because quite simply, they work! 

So, which are the 5 most effective workouts for bodybuilding and strength training? Lucky for you, we’ve listed them below: 

1 - Squats 

Everybody (and I mean everybody) knows the squat. I bet even your Grandma knows what it is. But not everybody knows how to do them with proper form. 

They’re probably the most commonly used workout there is in the world, and they don’t even require any equipment to get started. Fantastic for working the glutes and quads, they’re an essential part of leg day every time. And they’re key to maintaining strength in your legs no matter what your age. In short, even if you don’t ‘do’ bodybuilding, you should be doing squats. 

To perform a squat with good form: 

• Spread your feet hip-width apart, and turn your toes out slightly 
• Stand up straight, and keep your back straight as you lower your body into the same position as you would if you sat down on the toilet 
• Stop when your hips are at a point where they’re just slightly below your knees 
• Power yourself back up to a standing position using the muscles in your glutes and quads 
• Repeat 

To make the squat slightly more challenging as you progress, you can introduce a barbell, dumbbells or even kettlebells. 

2 - Deadlift 

Another well-known move, the deadlift, is an essential exercise for any serious bodybuilder. It works the lower back and hamstrings, but just as importantly, it also works the core and in particular the traps - making it great for improving stability. But it’s vital to get your form right with this one - failure to do so could lead to back injury, which is never helpful when you’re trying to build muscle. 

To perform the deadlift with good form: 

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and make sure you’re close to the bar itself, which should be lying on the floor in front of you 
• Bend at the knees and grab the bar, keeping your hands just slightly wider than shoulder width 
• Arch your back and lift the bar from the floor 
• As you reach the mid-way point of the lift, allow your hips to move forward, and move towards standing upright 
• Briefly pause once you reach the top, then allow the bar to return to its starting position 
• Repeat the process 

With the deadlift, it’s important you don’t overdo it at the start. Begin with light weights, and gradually work your way up to lifting heavier as your muscles begin to develop over time. 

3 - Bent Over Row 

Want to work your lats, traps, rhomboids, and posterior delts at the same time with a view to growing a monster back? Bent over rows are where it’s at. 

To perform the bent over row with proper form: 

• Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold the bar in front of your quads 
• The height of the bar should be slightly higher than your knees 
• Pull the bar up towards your sternum, then return to the starting position 
• Repeat 

If you have existing issues with your back, don’t perform the bent over row. While it’s brilliant for improving back strength if you have no existing problems, it will only serve to worsen any backache you already have. If this applies to you, opt for the low pulley row instead. 

4 - Overhead Press 

The overhead press is another move which is perfect for developing the core muscles and delts. Here’s how to do it properly: 

• With the bar in front of your legs, keep your elbows forward and out and lift the bar up just above your chest 
• Be sure to keep your back straight 
• Lift the bar above your head and straighten your arms completely 
• Return the bar to the starting position 

Always use a narrow grip (no wider than shoulder-width apart) to avoid shoulder pain during or after performing the overhead press. 

5 - Bench Press 

The much-loved bench press is popular with serious bodybuilders, and for good reason. Incorporating the chest and triceps, it can really beef up your upper body strength after just a few sessions. 

To perform the bench press with proper form: 

• Lay flat on a bench and grip the bar with hands shoulder-width apart 
• Your forearms should be completely vertical before lifting 
• Slowly lower the bar to your chest, then push it back up to its starting position 
• Repeat 

Be sure to keep your back arched; this helps protect it as you press. In addition, make sure you wrap your thumb around when gripping the bar. As you can imagine, a slip while performing the bench press could be pretty gruesome! 

You Don’t Need Roids To Get Results With These Moves 

These are the most popular workouts among professional bodybuilders, and those who stick at them are doing bodybuilding right. But unfortunately, they’re not the only popular way to build bulk fast. 

Steroids have been, and have stayed relatively popular over the years, despite the health risks they pose to users. Gym nerds who use them tend to give an inaccurate and dangerous account of just how safe they are. 

The truth is, no steroid is safe when it comes to bodybuilding. The side effects of Tren, Dianabol, Clen, and Anavar are all too real, but it’s not often you’ll find a user admitting it. 

Roid rage, hair loss, erectile dysfunction, man boobs, water retention, liver damage, and heart failure are all genuine side effects of anabolic steroids when taken in the quantities used by bodybuilders. And yes, there have been deaths. Rich Piana, Chad Brothers and Eddie Guerrero are just a few names which spring to mind. There have been countless others who have maybe not been so famous, but all deaths from steroid use are, of course, equally as tragic. 

The best thing about bodybuilding, of course, is how healthy you can become while engaging in the sport. Why, then, would you want to risk taking illegal, dangerous substances to get bigger? Logically, it really makes no sense. 

So long as you practice proper nutrition, perform effective exercises such as those mentioned above and supplement naturally, you will achieve great things without the need for any steroids. 

Work out regularly, stick to tried and tested methods, eat well, and you’ll have monster gains which will make your bulk the envy of those steroid users in no time - and all without any health risks! And really, what could be better than that?


I hope you enjoyed this blog post about the most effective exercises for bodybuilding and strength training on a frugal budget.

Interested in more articles about bodybuilding workouts? 

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