Which would you consider the best overall excercise?

[charles009]

I use to think deadlift and squat were the best exercise. Both are probably the best complex excercise. That was what I though until I tried full squat snatch grip. Basically you kneel as to deadlift, swing the barbell overhead into a full squat, then you stand up with the weight overhead. That excercise is a killer. I never thought of doing it until I saw Paul Anderson and said that guy is fat, I could do that. Man, was I totally wrong. That guy is truly strongest. This excerise really is good, try it, you wont regret it.

Think small and you will be.

 

[70w30]

Never seen that one .Paul Anderson was ahead of his time ,even now adays.If i had to pick one excercise it would be deads....

 

[rubberduckyo]

I'd pick deads.

I'm not sure I could even do the movement you describe. LOL! Even if I could, I'd never be able to move the amount of weight I can on deads.

 

[charles009]

Just look at the olympic lifters to get an idea. They have the clean and jerk which is another monster. Try to think of it as a overhead squat, but you got to clean it to the top first.

 

[eastarr69]

i go with deads...

E

 

[slobberknocker]

Squat is the best exercise for my sport.

 

[Fyre]

Squats and Deads.

 

[Viking Spirit]

To pick which one is the best OVERALL exercise, look at how many joints are involved (and thus how much muscle mass). Then you get this list:

1. DEADLIFTS!!! (4 joints directly involved (ankle, knee, hip, spinal joints from lumbosacral area to neck) and a lot of joints stabilizing (shoulder, elbow, hand), involving 80-90% of the total muscle mass of the body!)

2. Squats (3 joints directly involved (ankle, knee, hip), spinal muscles acting strongly as stabilizers.)

3. Heavy pressing and pulling exercises like dips, bench presses, chins, rows, etc.

Clean and jerk not even on the list, because:
It´s too much a technique exercise with too muxh injury potential.
It´s too LIGHT on the legs and back to train them effectively.
It´s too HEAVY on the shoulders to train them properly, unless you PRESS and not JERK the weight up. The latter just damaging them. If you can do the first (actually press the weight), then the weight is waaay to low to give the legs a workout!

But deadlift is the true KING of exercises!

 

[MP5]

I disagree, there are plenty of great back excercises that don't put your spine at risk.

dead lift= dead back.

 

[fatchops]

deads/squats..are sweet, and incline barbell for chest is a overall solid movement for strength and size!!

 

[rubberduckyo]

I disagree, there are plenty of great back excercises that don't put your spine at risk.

dead lift= dead back.

I'll agree that you could seriously injure your back doing deads if: 1. You're form is not spot on. 2. You're lifting too heavy for your ability thereby causing 1. a break in form.

 

[70w30]

I'll agree that you could seriously injure your back doing deads if: 1. You're form is not spot on. 2. You're lifting too heavy for your ability thereby causing 1. a break in form.

Mp5 is tall, so I can see why this excercise would take its toll.
For us shorties It works

 

[b fold the truth]

Mp5 is tall, so I can see why this excercise would take its toll.
For us shorties It works

I'm 6'2" (if not better) and have pulled a completely raw 702 and plan to pull 745+ this year.

Deadlifts require technique (just like any other lift) as well as training the body to be prepared for a big deadlift. Saying deadlifts are dangerous is like saying that guns are dangerous. Guns don't kill people...ignorant people with guns kill people. Deadlifts don't hurt people...ignorant people doing deadlifts hurt people.

Of course...ignorant just means 'not knowing'...it isn't an insult.

I think that Squats are the best exercise...with the clean and jerk being a VERY close 2nd.

B True

 

[Viking Spirit]

I think that Squats are the best exercise...with the clean and jerk being a VERY close 2nd.

Which muscles do you find the clean and jerk actually TRAINS? I find the exercise way too light to actually train the legs, way too heavy to train the shoulders, just "jerking" the weight up...

 

[MP5]

You guys are on crack if you don't think certain lifts are more risky than others!

Just like behind the neck shoulder press is very risky. Dead lifts are riskier than other back movements that don't put that kind of pressure on your spine. And squats are very risky for your back too and hard on your knees.

There are lots of less risky movements out there that are great for overall mass and muscle building.

Even Dorian says he prefers leg press to squats for overall size in your quads. And lifts such as seated rows or weighted pullups builds the hell out of your back.

Keep doing deads but don't come crying to me when you feel a pop in your spine and you get to have surgery. Even proper form puts severe stress on your spine at full crontraction.

 

[charles009]

Dorian Yates says leg press. That excercise is just for the quads. Besides that guy was huge and he had a little help from somekind of supplements(?), not saying what or accusing the man.
I am talking about overall, not just one particular muscle. The deadlift is a killer and it does work every pulling muscle in the body. The full squat snatch uses pulling and when the weight is above your head pushing muscles go into play. Just like the deadlift and squat require technique so does this excercise. That is why they recommend to start light and with some one teaching you the technique. The legs muscle is used in this excercise, not in the same manner as in squats. But I believe that central nervous system shoots out signals real quick to pick up the weight. If you can't do this excercise, then something similiar would be the full squat power clean and jerk. I guess I am looking at it as a efficient excercise. thoughts anyone.

 

[slobberknocker]

I think of deadlifts as fairly safe since there is no negative to the lift. I also believe they are excellent for injury prevention, since they strengthen many of the body's stabilizer muscles.


6'1, 735 pull (beltless), zero injuries.

 

[charles009]

Show off. Just kidding. 735. I wont see that in my life time. Maybe in my next life.

 

[Choppersinc05]

hardest exercise

as far as a load bearing exercise, snatch grip deadlifts while standing on a three inch box with a 6060 tempo will fucking rape you i challenge anybody to do those and not say they are hard. As far as olympic movements go clean and jerk is just straight up badass, it sends your heart rate through the roof and is a quadruple extension so it smokes a billion different muscles. I definetly pick this as the hardest exercise.


chopper

 

[b fold the truth]

Which muscles do you find the clean and jerk actually TRAINS? I find the exercise way too light to actually train the legs, way too heavy to train the shoulders, just "jerking" the weight up...

The clean and jerk work a LITTLE of everything. Not a lot of any one muscle group though.

MP5: Don't worry...I won't come back crying...lol. You are probably deadlifting with improper form as well as squatting that way too. You probably are not making use of pre-hab either.

B True