INTRODUCTION
There are so many exercises that you can do at the gym or home, however, we feel there are a few massively underrated gym exercises! We are going to go over a few, and explain why we think they are underrated and why you should do them! Some of these might be completely new exercises, and something you’ve never heard before and some are variations of exercises you all would have heard of before.
Let us kick it off with our first of many underrated gym exercises the perfect exercise for anyone looking at becoming more athletic and powerful.
SLEDGE PUSH/PULL
Our first of many underrated gym exercises is the Sledge push/pull. Sledge pulls are so great, yet massively underrated! They help build endurance, power and speed. So they are perfect if you are training for anything of those things. For example, Footballer, Rugby player or NFL. Most gyms that have a sledge will also have attachments that means you can pull it. This is just as good as pushing.
When do I normally use them? I like to throw them on the end of a leg day. Help get the heart rate up and also they are great at burning the legs out. So they are great finishers. You can either load them up with loads of weight and focus on Strength and power, or you can keep it light and focus on speed and acceleration. I like to do a mixture.
Example Workout:
This is a partner workout and would be good at the end of a pull or leg day. You start with the sledge at the bottom of the track, with a rope attached. Person 1 begins by standing at the other end of the track and pulling the sledge back to them, once the sledge is at their feet they then push the sledge back to where it began. Then as they are walking back to the start point, Person 2 repeats and performs the same circuit. Perform 3-5 rounds of this. Minimal rest, and perform as fast as possible.
WALKING LUNGES
If you are after a Leg killer then look no further than Walking Lunges! These are killer! Such a simple exercise, but can burn so much! They help build up your entire leg, working all muscle groups in your legs. As well as helping you build your core strength and stability.
You can perform walking lunges using a variety of equipment. Most popular is either Dumbbells or a barbell. However, you can use a fixed bar, Sandbag, Plates or even just your body weight. You can also use walking lunges in a superset. Perform a set of Leg extensions and then superset it with walking lunges. It will burn!
Example Workout:
Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand. Find a part of the gym where you can perform lunges (a sledge track is perfect). While keeping the dumbbells hanging down, begin performing the lunges until you reach the other end of the “track”. Once you have got to one end you can then turn round and repeat. You can use either Dumbbells, Barbells or Sandbags. Each will put the load of the weight on a different part of your body and affect the lunges slightly different.
BARBELL COMPLEX
This one isn’t so much an exercise but a selection of movements put together to make a “complex”. In theory, you can choose any movements to use but I have a group of movements I like to do. What is the advantage of this? Well, you are doing both Weights and Cardio. This will get your heart rate up and also stimulate muscle and strength growth at the same time. Making it the perfect workout.
So let us run through what it is. My go-to is always, Deadlift, Hang Clean, Push Press (You can also add a front squat on the end if you want to). So to perform this exercise you would load up the bar with a sensible weight. You would perform 1 Rep on Deadlift, then go straight into 1 rep on a hang clean and once again straight into 1 rep of push press. Once you have completed this, you would repeat but this time doing 2 reps, then 3 reps and so on.
You could also do round, So start by doing 3 reps of each, have a timed rest, then repeat, then rest then repeat for as many rounds as you can do. I prefer the former format as it is more fun and I find it more difficult. Make sure you can perform each of these movements on their own and also pick a weight you are comfortable with (can at least perform 5 reps on each exercise).
Example Workout:
Perform 1 Deadlift, then 1 Hang Clean, then 1 Push Press. The repeat but doing 2 reps, then 3 reps and keep building until you can’t complete the set. Once you stop you then work back down. So if you fail on 5 reps. In the next round you do 4 reps, then 3, then 2 and so on until you finish.
JUMP ROPE
If anyone asks me what the best form of cardio is. I always have the same answer, “Jump Rope!” Not only is jump rope insanely simple but it also burns a huge amount of calories. For a 15 jump rope session you would burn roughly 200-300 calories.
Another advantage of jump rope is that it is “easy” to pick up, very, very cheap to get into! And also you can do it at home without much room! Making it the best home cardio routine!
Ever wondered why boxers are so fit and fast on their feet? Jump rope! It has so many pros and almost no cons! The only con we can think of is that we wouldn’t recommend it for anyone with ankle or knee issues.
Example Workout:
At the end of a normal workout Jump Rope for 10-30 minutes (depends on skill level). Don’t focus on speed when getting started, focus on trying to jump without stopping. Aim to do a full 30 minutes nonstop.
SINGLE ARM LAT PULL DOWN
This is a great variation of the standard lat pull down. If your gym has the option to use a single D Handle on their lat pull down machine I highly recommend it. Why do I prefer this to the standard “bar” attachment? You can get a better connection and feel the muscle contraction. If you have ever thought “I can’t feel it” when performing the Lat pull-down, then you need to give this a go. Doing it single arm lets you connect with the muscle.
Another reason I love single arm lat pull down, especially when using D handles, is because you get a lot more freedom to rotate your wrist. With a fixed bar, your wrists and hands will stay in the same place, Which not only could cause you pain or issues but could also be the reason you can’t feel the movement. Using D Handles will give you the freedom and flexibility to hold the weight in a position that is natural and comfortable to you.
Example Workout:
Perform 3 sets of around 8-15 reps per side. Make sure you are leading with the elbow and squeezing the lat. Have a rest not only between sets but also between sides. You want to be able to perform at your best for both arms. So having a short rest between sides will allow you to do this.
CONCLUSION
Is there any underrated gym exercises that you perform that you feel are left out? If so then let us know over on our Instagram or send us an email! We would love to hear about all the exercises that you all perform that you feel don’t get the love. Don’t be scared to give new exercises a try. Throwing a new exercise into your workout can not only help stagnate progress but also increase motivation and overall fun.
If you want more workout examples using these underrated gym exercises then make sure you check out our workout application, There are hundreds of workouts on there. So if you need any ideas for workouts check it out. You can download it for free here!
Written by Kieran Blacker
Kieran is the CEO and Founder of Sets & Reps. He decided to make an application that helped people get a gym workout when not at the gym. He designed, Coded and built the application himself.