The Top 10 Exercises I Would Use to Train Someone If I Only Had 10
When it comes to building a strong, functional, and mobile body, the best approach is to stick to foundational movements that deliver maximum benefits. These exercises are versatile, scalable, and provide a solid base for both beginners and advanced gym-goers. From strength and mobility to endurance and balance, here are the top 10 exercises you should master for a well-rounded fitness routine.
1. Split Squat
The split squat is a lower-body exercise that doubles as a balance and stability challenge. It strengthens the quads, glutes, and hamstrings while improving single-leg coordination. By working each leg individually, it also addresses imbalances between sides. Beginners can start with bodyweight, while advanced lifters can add resistance with dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell.
Why it’s essential:
Improves leg strength and balance.
Great for building lower-body power and stability.
Enhances hip mobility.
Progression/Regression:
Regression: Hold onto a wall or use TRX straps for support if balance is a challenge, or reduce the range of motion by using a higher box for rear foot elevation.
Progression: Level up to Bulgarian split squats, add weighted jumps for a plyometric (power) component, or hold weights overhead to increase core and shoulder demand.
Tips to Get More Out of the Movement:
Focus on a slow, controlled descent with a slight pause at the bottom to increase time under tension.
Keep your torso upright and engage your core throughout to maximize stability and muscle activation.
To emphasize the glutes, take a slightly longer stance and drive through the heel of your front foot.
Adding Power or Rotation:
For power, incorporate explosive split squat jumps, aiming for maximum height while maintaining good form.
For rotation, use a medicine ball and add a rotational press or reach at the top of each rep, challenging core stability and integrating rotational strength.
2. Side Lunge
Most exercise routines focus on forward and backward movements, but lateral motion is just as important. Side lunges work the abductors, adductors, quads, and glutes while promoting better hip mobility. This movement also helps prevent injuries by conditioning muscles for side-to-side motion.
Why it’s essential:
Strengthens muscles in the frontal plane (side-to-side motion).
Builds hip and leg mobility.
Improves joint stability.
Progression/Regression:
Regression: Start with a limited range of motion or perform assisted side lunges using a TRX or holding onto a sturdy surface for balance.
Progression: Add weights such as dumbbells or a kettlebell to increase resistance. Try alternating side lunges or add a pause at the bottom for greater control and time under tension.
Tips to Get More Out of the Movement:
Push your hips back and keep your chest proud to maintain good form.
Drive through the heel of your lunging leg for maximum glute engagement.
Keep your non-working leg straight and foot flat for stability.
Adding Power or Rotation:
To add power, perform lateral skater jumps or explosive side lunges, focusing on pushing off forcefully and landing softly.
To include rotation, hold a medicine ball or weight and rotate your torso toward the lunging leg as you descend, engaging your core and improving functional mobility.
3. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
The RDL is a must-have for a stronger posterior chain. It primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back while reinforcing the hip hinge pattern, which is vital for many functional movements. Proper form is key, so focus on maintaining a neutral spine and activating your glutes at the top.
Why it’s essential:
Builds posterior chain strength.
Improves hamstring flexibility and hip mobility.
Reinforces proper movement mechanics.
Progression / Regression:
Regression: Perform bodyweight good mornings or use light dumbbells to master the hinge pattern before adding heavier weights.
Progression: Advance to single-leg RDLs to challenge balance, coordination, and unilateral strength.
Tips to Get More Out of the Movement:
Keep your knees slightly bent and hinge at the hips, not the waist, to protect your lower back.
Lower the weight slowly for greater muscle control and activation.
Squeeze your glutes at the top for a strong finish to each rep.
Adding Power or Rotation:
Power: Try explosive kettlebell swings, which use the RDL hip hinge pattern but with added speed and power.
Rotation: For rotational challenge, use a single dumbbell or kettlebell and rotate your torso slightly toward the working leg at the top of the movement (light weights only, and focus on controlled movement).
4. Pull-Up
Pull-ups are a benchmark for upper-body pulling strength. They engage the lats, traps, biceps, and core, making them an incredible compound exercise. They’re challenging but can be scaled with resistance bands or assisted machines until you’re strong enough for unassisted reps.
Why it’s essential:
Strengthens the back, arms, and core.
Improves grip strength.
Develops pulling power and upper-body control.
Progression & Regression:
Regression: Use resistance bands for assistance, perform negative (eccentric-only) pull-ups, or try inverted bodyweight rows if you’re building up to your first pull-up.
Progression: Add weight with a dip belt, perform archer pull-ups, or work toward one-arm pull-ups for an advanced challenge.
Tips to Get More Out of the Movement:
Focus on starting each rep from a full dead hang for maximum range of motion.
Engage your shoulder blades first—think about pulling your chest to the bar, not just your chin.
Squeeze your glutes and brace your core for a stable, controlled movement.
Adding Power or Rotation:
Power: Try explosive pull-ups, aiming your chest higher than the bar or even performing clapping pull-ups (if skilled).
Rotation: Add a slight twist at the top to target different areas of the back, or experiment with commando pull-ups (gripping the bar overhand and pulling up with a rotational motion from side to side).
5. Push-Up
Push-ups are the ultimate bodyweight push movement that you can do anywhere. They target the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. Variations like incline or decline push-ups ensure there’s a version for all fitness levels, making them accessible and effective for everyone.
Why it’s essential:
Builds upper-body pushing strength.
Improves core stability.
Adaptable for all fitness levels.
Progression/Regression:
Regression: Perform push-ups on your knees, against an elevated surface like a bench or wall to reduce intensity.
Progression: Raise your feet on a bench for decline push-ups, add weight with a backpack, or try one-arm push-ups for more challenge.
Tips to Get More Out of the Movement:
Focus on full range of motion—chest to the floor and full extension at the top.
Keep elbows at about a 45-degree angle to your body, not flared out wide.
Squeeze your glutes and brace your core so your torso stays rigid.
Slow down the lowering phase for added time under tension.
Adding Power or Rotation:
Power: Try plyometric push-ups—push off the floor so your hands leave the ground. You can also do clapping push-ups or explosive chest-to-floor push-ups.
Rotation: Incorporate a reach or “thread the needle” at the top, or perform alternating shoulder taps between reps to challenge anti-rotation and core control.
6. Dumbbell Row
To balance out pushing exercises like push-ups, dumbbell rows are an excellent choice for horizontal pulling strength. They work the lats, traps, rhomboids, and biceps while improving scapular health. Plus, working one side at a time helps even out any imbalances.
Why it’s essential:
Strengthens the upper back and arms.
Improves posture and shoulder stability.
Helps prevent imbalances between sides.
Progression/Regression:
Regression: Start with a lighter dumbbell or perform chest-supported rows (lying face down on an incline bench) to focus on form and reduce strain on your lower back.
Progression: Increase the weight, slow down the lowering phase, or pause at the top for a strong contraction. Try single-arm rows from a plank position to add a greater stability and core challenge.
Tips to Get More Out of the Movement:
Keep your back flat and core braced—avoid rounding your spine during the lift.
Drive your elbow up and back, keeping it close to your side, and squeeze your shoulder blade at the top of the movement.
Focus on pulling with your back muscles, not just your arms.
Adding Power or Rotation:
Power: Use an explosive "renegade row" (row with speed from a plank position), but make sure you can control the dumbbell.
Rotation: Add a gentle rotational component by twisting slightly at the top of the row or modify into a "rotational row," allowing your torso to follow the elbow lightly before returning to square. This can help engage more core and oblique muscles.
7. Shoulder Press
The shoulder press is unparalleled for building overhead strength and stability. This exercise targets the shoulders, triceps, and upper traps. Performing it standing adds a core stability challenge, while seated variations remove that element, allowing more focus on pure pressing strength.
Why it’s essential:
Builds strong, stable shoulders.
Improves overhead mobility.
Supports functional lifting motions.
Progression/Regression:
Progression: Move from dumbbells to a barbell, increase weight, or perform single-arm presses for added challenge and core demand. Try alternating arms.
Regression: Start with lighter dumbbells or resistance bands, or do a seated shoulder press to reduce balance demands.
Tips for Getting More Out of the Movement:
Brace your core before pressing to avoid arching your back.
Keep wrists straight and elbows slightly in front of the shoulders at the bottom.
Move smoothly—focus on both the press up and the slow control on the way down.
Adding Power or Rotation:
Power: Try a "push press" by adding a slight knee dip to drive the weights overhead more explosively.
Rotation: Add a controlled "rotational press" by rotating your torso slightly toward the pressing arm at the top—this variation is subtle but can further train shoulder stability and core control.
8. Mixed Carry (Single-Arm Rack + Suitcase)
Carries are often overlooked, but they’re a goldmine for core strength, grip endurance, and overall stability. This variation combines a single-arm suitcase carry (weight held at your side) with a single-arm rack carry (weight held at shoulder height). This asymmetrical load forces your core to work harder to maintain balance.
Why it’s essential:
Builds core strength and anti-rotation stability.
Improves grip and shoulder stability.
Transfers to real-world functional tasks.
Progression/Regression:
Regression: Start with a lighter weight or perform a standard suitcase carry with both hands until your grip and core are strong enough for the mixed version.
Progression: Use heavier weights or increase the walking distance/time, or try walking on an uneven surface for an extra challenge.
Tips to Get More Out of the Movement:
Walk tall, keeping shoulders level and core braced—avoid leaning or letting the weight pull you off-center.
Squeeze the handles tight to maximize grip engagement.
Keep steps smooth and deliberate for core activation.
Adding Power or Rotation:
Power: Incorporate short, brisk bursts or quick changes of direction if you have space, focusing on stabilizing between movements.
Rotation: Practice a controlled rotation at the waist (not with the weight) while paused, then reset and continue walking—this anti-rotational challenge further trains the core.
9. Hollow Hold/Deadbug Hybrid
A strong, stable core is the foundation of efficient movement, and the hollow hold/deadbug hybrid delivers both. This exercise improves core engagement, spinal stability, and control over movement. It’s an essential progression for anyone working toward advanced core exercises.
Why it’s essential:
Strengthens the core and lower back.
Promotes proper spinal alignment.
Enhances control and coordination.
Progression/Regression:
Regression: Keep your knees bent and arms at your sides to reduce lever length, or focus on only moving one arm or leg at a time (deadbug).
Progression: Extend arms and legs fully and lower closer to the ground for more challenge, or add light ankle/wrist weights.
Tips to Get More Out of the Movement:
Keep your lower back pressed into the floor to avoid arching and maximize core engagement.
Move slowly and with control, focusing on quality rather than quantity.
Exhale fully as you extend limbs to deepen core activation.
Adding Power or Rotation:
Power: Add a quick, controlled fluttering motion with arms and legs (flutter kicks) to increase intensity.
Rotation: As you extend, reach one arm and the opposite leg across your body to gently rotate your torso, stimulating the obliques and adding an anti-rotation challenge.
10. Turkish Get-Up
The Turkish get-up is the ultimate full-body movement. It challenges your strength, mobility, and coordination as you transition from lying on the ground to standing while holding a weight overhead. This exercise is as much about control and flow as it is about raw strength.
Why it’s essential:
Builds mobility, balance, and stability.
Enhances total-body coordination.
A full-body workout in one movement.
Progression/Regression:
Regression: Practice the get-up without any weight, focusing on smooth transitions and body control. You can also break down the movement into segments, mastering each step before stringing them together.
Progression: Increase the weight gradually or slow down each phase, pausing at every position to enhance stability and time under tension.
Tips to Get More Out of the Movement:
Keep your eyes on the weight at all times, especially during transitions.
Focus on smooth, deliberate movements. Don’t rush—control is key for safety and effectiveness.
Use your opposite arm for support in the early stages of the movement, then gradually rely less on it as you progress.
Adding Power or Rotation:
Power: Perform a controlled, explosive sit-up during the first stage of the get-up, but always maintain safety and technique.
Rotation: As you transition from the floor to the half-kneeling position, focus on rotating your chest open and driving your hips high, which increases core and shoulder activation and makes the movement even more dynamic.
Final Thoughts
These 10 exercises cover all the fundamental movement patterns and muscle groups needed for a strong, well-rounded body. Whether you’re a beginner mastering the basics or an advanced athlete refining your strength, these movements will elevate your fitness. Start with bodyweight or lighter weights, focus on good form, and adapt each exercise to your level. Over time, you’ll build strength, mobility, and resilience that translates to both gym progress and everyday life.
Now, grab some weights (or your own bodyweight) and give these foundational moves a go—you won’t regret it!