Glute Exercises Ranked | Hamstrings (BEST TO WORST!)

[@athleanx]

Having trouble activating your glutes? Do this EVERY day to wake them up! - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKGufKGMnJabsKc

[@TheRc29fire]

​@@autumn_b905úùùy

[@benbraceletspurple9108]

@21 sec, had me laughing sorry the angle and timing is just too funny

[@AllanaxJ]

Hi/ where does the Bulgarian split squat come in to play? I’ve seen other videos of yours lauding it for legs but I assume it’s good for glutes and hams by extension?

[@haley2261]

What about standing hip thrusts? Are they as good?

[@nomnomyourmom]

@@haley2261 11:23

[@ssdvmmk6660]

WORST: prone hamstring curl - 1:49 heel press. -2:32 step mill. -3:24 leg press. -4:23 BETTER: reverse sprinter lunge. - 5:56 standing cuff kickbacks -6:45 single leg RDL. - 7:38 BETTER STILL: cable SLDRL. - 8:16 seated hamstring curl - 9:00 Banded step through- 9:46 Kb swings. -10:30 ALMOST BEST : cable pull through-11:23 dp leaning step up -12:04 gluteus bridge curl / gluteus ham rises. . -13:04 barbell Rdl’s. -14:20 low bar squats. -15:00 BEST : barbell hip thrust 16:07

[@MalibuGlassMI]

HERO!

[@ghart22]

You missed the whole better category thooo

[@syedalihaider2880]

Mvp

[@alterrihenri110]

RDL**

[@watchingyoutube_]

Thank you.

[@burricat9615]

Worst 1:50 Prone hamstring curl 2:34 Heel press 3:24 Step mill 4:23 Leg press Better 5:53 DB reverse sprinter lunges 6:43 Standing cuff kickbacks 7:35 DB single leg RDL's Better Still 8:17 Cable single leg RDL 9:02 Seated hamstring curl 9:45 Banded step through 10:32 Kettlebell swings Almost Best 11:20 Cable pull throughs 12:08 DB leaning stepup 13:12 Glute ham raises 13:32 Slick floor bridge curl 14:19 Barbell RDL's 15:01 Low bar squats Best 16:05 Barbell hip thrust

[@patriciajohnson1894]

Seated hstring curls hurt my knee

[@DwayndibbVids]

Hate that leg press machine. Always full of slackers. Finally it sucks ass. Just do squats or anything similar.

[@FitYourWayByMelD]

BRET CONTRERAS MUST BE PROUD OF THIS RANKING

[@Teresa-yi1gp]

You’re the goat!!

[@lizacraft7232]

Came to comment to look for this 😅

[@tariq3587]

Your best to worst series is of tremendous help for someone like me. I am not an athlete or a body builder, but like to stay in shape. Your B to W list removes any confusion about picking the most effective exercise.

[@NiggazHomie]

Yes, you're right. I'm trying to get back in shape and you have so many options to train certain muscles. But some exercises activate some muscle that I'm not trying to target. Thanks to his videos I have more information on why some exercises or better than others.

[@NireshaFalls]

I’m surprised Bulgarian split squats are not on here!! They are the elite in my opinion along with hip thrusts and RDL’s!! Also love sumo squats. I will add some of these in my rotation though! Thanks a lot ❤

[@Rachyluv11]

Hands down the best!

[@JayBigDadyCy]

Surprised he didn't mention split squats as well. But then again, he was trying to focus mostly on glute/hamstring and not quads. Although, any squat, which he had on here, is going to be heavy quad work.

[@SJ-di5zu]

He put Bulgarian split squats very high on quad building list and I’d guess it’s at least in almost best for this as well, keep doing them for sure

[@haleypoop9214]

Finally appreciation for squats for glutes! I’m sick of people saying that squats don’t work. They do!!

[@robinservais3881]

They work only if you are able to get down low. If the depth of your hip socket does t allow for that, you are .uch better off with the other exercises, no matter how fit you are. You can't change your bone structure.

[@nomnomyourmom]

​@@robinservais3881watch this instead of making stuff up How LOW Should You Squat (IT MATTERS!) ATHLEAN-X

[@Punchy361]

All I know is that after I do squats, my butt hurts. So I hope that means I'm doing something right.

[@kasutheg]

Jeff, can you do a glute spread tutorial next? Thank you.

[@SXLLXNBXE]

i love it. doing them almost everyday with my gym bro.

[@xhafts]

What color is ur bug attitude

[@davidblackman1586]

Lol

[@kelmas1917]

Jeff please spread your glutes 😈

[@joshthomas_1696]

Ayo😂😂

[@a5noble2]

My PT noticed a hamstring imbalance on me and recommended the DB step up that Jeff showed, which is actually his highest ranking single leg exercise on his list. Its always a good sign when experts agree on stuff.

[@JohnSmith-me2wg]

Maybe pt saw some athlean videos

[@marcisoos6572]

Hope it will works man

[@fabiomorgado5890]

If you have A PT you should just think that he is also an expert

[@EphraimSyriacus]

I had a thighbone broken few months ago and I am doing the step ups now, without a dumbbell yet because I am still weak and the bone isn't healed yet. The step ups are definitely the best, second is the hip thrusts. I find it strange he didn't mention the Good Morning exercise.

[@dazdaz7930]

Not to be the fun police.... but the step up would be more of a glute and quad emphasis. It requires primarily knee extension from the quads (which inhibits hamstring recruitment). However, the glute max will do most of the hip extension and I guess is why it is on the list.

[@TheArchBodom]

Keep in mind, the Five stars are based on my needs for this item kzbin.infoUgkxUHHotQRjIQnfuxEeVotlkHVYWH0DXZoS When I first bought the bike I was going to return it immediately. After trying it out for several days/weeks I came to realize it is actually perfect for WHY I bought it.This is not a workout, the resistance is, eh, it makes a bit of noise, not loud, and it isn’t very stable even with the mat. The mat certainly keeps the bike from sliding but nothing keeps the mat from sliding (if that makes any sense, lol). Mine is place on my hard wood floor. Maybe it would be better with a rug underneath??I sit for long hours for work and wanted something to keep my legs moving. This bike does exactly that! For the price it is amazing, it is compact, easy to use, light weight, keeps track of time, calories etc (not sure how accurate it is) but good little product. I am happy with it.

[@gloub7399]

Worst 1:49 Prone Hamstring Curl 2:32 Heel Press 3:24 (Powered) Step Mill 4:23 Leg Press Better 5:56 Reverse Sprinter Lunge 6:45 Standing Cuff Kickback 7:38 Dumbbell Single Leg RDL Better Still 8:16 Cable Single Leg RDL 9:00 Seated Hamstring Curl 9:46 Banded Stepthrough 10:30 Kettlebell Swings Almost Best 11:23 Cable Pull Through 12:04 Dumbbell Forward Leaning Step Ups 13:04 Gluteus Ham Rises/Gluteus Bridge Curl 14:20 Barbell RDL’s 15:00 Low Bar Squats Best 16:07 Barbell Hip Thrust

[@Me-nc8pp]

My favourites: 13:28 Without Equipment: Slick floor bridge curl 15:57 The best: Barbell hip thrust

[@anandaalvarez4336]

Same

[@j.mccarthy3008]

Thank you!! I appreciate all the time and effort you put into these videos. I’m rapidly approaching seventy 😱but not going down without a fight. I workout a few times a week and pretend to play golf 🙄 on the others. I don’t want to do something stupid in the gym and get hurt. I regularly do many of the band exercises you have shown in previous episodes. 👍

[@Mpowers717]

This was great. As a Massage therapist training muscle groups at the gym, i intuitively stopped doing the 4 worst on the list in the last year cus i was sick on having sore hip flexors and not feeling my glutes or hams loaded. This was great validation 😂

[@kiowa7893]

I'm glad you put leg press so low for glutes bc I feel like a lot of people don't know it's primarily for quads and believe it to be a substitute for squats

[@aigerim7788]

It depends on the position of your legs

[@KneeGrowDoingKneeGrowThings]

@@aigerim7788literally. Jeff is knowledgeable but ranking glute focused leg press so low is actually idiotic. 1. The moment arm of the leg press (for glutes) with feet high is better than any squat variation and is akin to that of most extension exercises (all forms of deadlift with bar ahead of knees) 2. It's a squat pattern movement meaning your quads and glutes will be primary movers. The hamstrings job is to flex the knee under load, but in a squat you're extending your knee under load. Hamstrings don't do any meaningful work. Glute focused squat pattern exercises are the best to build glutes without hamstrings gives you the bbl look 3. Your glutes are stretched more when you tilt posteriorly. So posterior pelvic tilt during a leg press isn't a negative during the exercise. But guess what you can pull your back and butt harder into the pads so they don't lift.

[@vampiro4236]

I'm constantly amazed at how many guys don't do the barbell hip thrust. It's one hell of an exercise and if you do any kind of grappling arts (Judo, Bjj, Wrestling) being able to bridge up against heavy weight is crazy important.

[@jttasb]

Trying to figure out how to do the barbell hip thrust in my home gym without olympic weights...? Am thinking about getting that equipment just for this 1 exercise!

[@psyche1182]

I like it a lot, but the problem is how do I get to the position and where am I supposed to keep the bb, it just hurts my ‘that’ area

[@chrisarrogante]

I love your worst to best videos. There are times when I want to perform certain “best” versions of an exercise, but don’t have access to equipment so I’ll switch to next best. ie: on vacation with no gym access. Great stuff! 👍

[@niki-maria]

I am a female and I can say I am NOT pissed by this video lol. I appreciate the science, and the time I am going to save now knowing the best exercises to reach my goals!

[@ts1560]

I 100% agree

[@ts1560]

my opinion is to keep the best 3 that we already know from the 80s

[@vger2]

The step mill can still be a functional leg workout if you take two steps at a time. By going two steps at a time with the machine, you are still lifting a decent percentage of your body weight. At the peak of the lift, I am also pressing up higher with my calves before taking the next double step up with my other leg and repeating. I've seriously had two different trainers and other random people in the gym ask me "how do you get calves like that?" I do two steps for two minutes, then one step at a time for two minutes at a slower rate (then repeat for however long you want to workout) so it becomes my HIIT training exercise.

[@Tonaldo90]

Yeah ofc he meant 100% seriously that lol lmao lol

[@CoNSu_11]

I'm happy this comment is on top. Jeff has to know we appreciate honesty and knowledge. And that we need him to acknowledge us more. We need a video about bra and imbalances it produces on us.

[@VIMassive1]

Jesse I'm proud of you! I watched a video of you 5 years ago and look at you now. Keep up the good work up Bro. You are an inspiration! Also Bigups Mr. Cavaliere! You are a great leader. Hard work pays off! Thank you guys! God Bless you! 🙏🏾

[@masr2978]

Jeff please don’t get old man. You make great and fun content and help so many people.

[@kshahkshah]

This was extremely helpful to me, thank you. I have an imbalance and a back injury (L5S1 herniated) and I've tried to doing squats again but am so nervous to perform them, I'd rather just not. So finding alternatives to activate hamstrings, glutes, and calves has been my goal. My takeaways (some beyond the scope of the video): * take away barbell squat, add in belt squat * add in Barbell Hip Thrust * add in KB Swings or Pull Throughs (cable with rope between legs) * add in single Leg RDL or DB Leaning Forward Step Up

[@HairyKnees1]

The barbell hip thrust is my favorite glute exercise, that definitely gave me visible results! (47 yr old female)

[@mariapena9157]

Yikes! I knew someone would say that! I never feel comfortable doing those 😮. Oooook I’ll start😅

[@DoomsdayCreator3k]

once you get over it it is life changing stg

[@LockOn95]

Question for a video: Can you go over the best mechanical drop sets for each muscle group based off of the 6 big lifts (Bench Press, OPH, Barbell Row, Chin-Ups/Pull-ups, Barbell Squat, Lunge, Hip Thrust, and Deadlift)? Looking to understand more joint-angle mechanical drop sets and have a vague idea but would like to learn more.

[@athleanx]

Funny you mention this Jonathan. This was a topic that was discussed here at length this week. Stay tuned! Thanks for being a valued subscriber my man.

[@austinhatch1608]

I’m doing the Beasxt workout plan right now and those exercises make up 90% of it. Loving it so far.

[@austindavid1862]

Bro. You are like 1 of 5 people who Jeff has replied to. Ever. What an honor

[@gopibble]

@@austindavid1862 I was about to mention that too..

[@Lo_649]

WORST 01:48 - #01 - Prune Hamstring Curl 02:29 - #02 - Heel Press 04:20 - #03 - Leg Press BETTER 05:53 - #04 - DB Reverse Sprinter Lunges 06:41 - #05 - Standing Cuff Kickbacks 07:34 - #06 - DB Single Leg RDL's (Romanian Deadlifts) BETTER STILL 08:15 - #07 - Cable SLRDL (Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts) 08:58 - #08 - Seat Hamstring Curl 09:38 - #09 - Banded Step Through 10:28 - #10 - KB Swings (Kettle Bell) ALMOST BEST 11:22 - #11 - Cable Pull-through 12:05 - #12 - Dumb Bell Leaning Forward Step Up 13:03 - #13 - Glute Ham Raises / Glute Bridge Curl 14:16 - #14 - Barbell RDL's (Romanian Deadlift) 14:58 - #15 - Low Bar Squats BEST 16:07 - #16 - Barbell Hip Thrust

[@security5389]

Awesome very organized, wish this was at the top

[@jacquesmaritz]

QUESTION: As one of the requirements you've set for these exercises are - progressive overload. How are you going to overload the GHR / Slick floor bridge curls?

[@ExplorerBen7]

Basically just trying to let your feet slide farther and farther out until you can do a decent amount all the way out which is harder than it looks, then when you can do that go to one leg at a time or maybe adding bands.

[@TyM4SaXxX]

For ghr pick up a dumbell or a plate not sure about floor thing

[@GT-tm1ft]

Carpet. For maximum difficulty: shag.

[@ManOfDeath567]

@@TyM4SaXxX Easy. Put db's or a plate on top of your hips.

[@Daean80]

I had a herniated disc and wanted to return to the gym, safely. My main issues were deadlifts and squats. My physiotherapist suggested leg press as an alternative to squat. The difference is, that I put a towel or a similar item to create an arc to my lower back to keep it safe. In the video Jesse is in some sort of leg press that looks like he has his lower back curve inwards, doesn't look good. On DL the thing was to limit the lift to above knee level(I'm also 6'8", which gives me other issues). I'll talk to him about the barbell hip thrust. I enrolled to the old school iron before the disc event, and want to complete it and keep going to the gym... but in a safe way. So.. I'll have the back-supported leg press to subsitute the barbell squats, even if it's not as effective in the video. Sucks.. but when I told this to my group of gym friends, turns out all of them have issues around the body, and have done a training routine that fits them. Just to encourage others who have issues with their bodies around certain moves or routines.

[@pump20]

My favorite exercise for the glutes and hamstrings are reverse hypers aka prone leg lifts because I can do them anywhere and it's 100% calisthenics aka bodyweight exercises too. Not to mention, squat alternatives too. I can also work the abductors/adductors by doing prone leg scissors too. Options are endless.

[@septicswank]

I love this series. It’s great to see examples of what to do, and even how to do them. But, it’s extremely beneficial to see examples of what not to do or waste your time on. Thanks Jeff!

[@robertalynch5433]

Thanks for the great info. As a 72 year old woman I just started my weight training a year ago.

[@flabio7074]

Would love to see a list focused on conditioning and power. You mentioned the kettlebell swing would be near the top. I would add burpees, kettlebell snatches, and jump rope. We need this list Jeff 🙏

[@thomasdelcourt6662]

True

[@friedlyintrovert]

Low Bar Squats 15:00 Dumbell Leaning Step Up 12:04 Barbell Hip Thrust 16:07

[@Jswizzle217]

Another glute ham raise substitution is the exercise ball leg curl (either single or double leg). If you want to light you hamstrings on fire and improve your balance and core stability, you can superset it with Bulgarian split squats near the end of your leg day.

[@mckenzie_Rockneberg]

Omg such a cohesive lesson on glutes! Love the structure of the lesson on the digital white board and color coded! Crystal clear info

[@Yupppi]

I was really waiting for the barbell hip thrust because it lights up my back chain like crazy. It's the only thing that hits my left side hamstring, glute and lower back really well, the side that's seriously lacking muscle volume. Second best is surely single leg RDL for hip stabilizing imbalances. And left side of the core also lights up really well when keeping straight leg in line with straight back.

[@MaverickBC_]

Finally another episode! This series of your videos have kept me safe and giving me perseverance for the past 3 months to hit the gym and allowed me to see growth! Thank you keep the vids coming

[@anthonystruck666]

This is the best series out there for anyone looking to gain knowledge of exercise effectiveness. Nice job.

[@iwantmypinkshirtback]

I feel like you’re going to save me a lot of time and money! I was doing all 4 of the worst on this list. In the past few weeks, my hips have been aching and I’m beginning to have lower back spasms. My bf is telling me to go to the chiropractor, which I will soon before I jump back into lower body workouts. Ever since these spasms, I decided to do more research on lower body exercises that are easy on the lower back/hips and came across your video. I have high hopes that with this new knowledge, I’ll be preventing what could’ve been a worse injury and will see better results soon. I wrote down the entire list of exercises you mentioned (in order from best to worst) so I can go into the gym more prepared next time. Thank you Jeff!

[@AllAmericanGuy01]

I'm so glad I found this channel years ago. I can only imagine where I would be in my training if it were not for Jeff.

[@thorbeorn4295]

Been training for 15 years. Never followed any youtuber's advice. I trained how and what felt best for me. Never had a single injury and now have a good physique. You only need common sense.

[@rubenbroekman]

Hi Jeff, I have a suggestion for these videos. I think it would be really helpful if you add a category below "worst exercises" where you list the exercises that you should never ever do, even if they're the only option available. Mostly considering that some exercises can very easily cause injury. Maybe not every muscle group has exercises you should never do but I imagine it would be a handy addition for those who do.

[@birgitschenk6569]

I did Bulgarian split squat yesterday, I can feel it today in my glutes.

[@danielleelizabeth9417]

Surprised this wasn’t mentioned

[@UnsungRebel73]

Upright posture hits more quads, lean forward posture hits more glutes.

[@snugglepug6760]

This is just a appreciation comment for Jeff, I don’t ever comment but I really want to say thank you for helping me with my own journey growing in the gym, I’ve been watching your videos way back since 2019 and you’ve helped me grown so much in mass and knowledge! You even teaching me new things till this day which is amazing and always keeps me interested in watching your videos. I do your workouts even the weird looking ones confidently in the gym cause I know you back it up with science and reason and that makes me confident to do them and not to feel embarrassed, I’ve even had people come up to me and asked and I just simply guide them to you as you honestly deserve it. Jeff you are for me the godfather of gym.

[@danqodusk8140]

Jeff, Five gold stars for your "Exercises Ranked" series. I tune in to a couple other exercise channels from time-to-time, But no one can top your exercises and knowledge of anatomy and muscles I will point out a silly technicality, you rank exercises from worst to best, rather what your title states. Worst to best makes more sense too.

[@3103frank]

The best leg exercise video I’ve seen in a long time! I’ve actually added a couple of these in the last month and definitely feel more stable and stronger. I’ll be adding a couple of these and consistent to get results. I want to build to be able to squat 3 plates!

[@tharunsholarajan]

Hi Jeff, this is a great list. Just surprised the Bulgarian split Deadlift (leaning) isn’t here for hammies. It’s much more stable and easier to load for hammies. Correct me if I’m wrong. Step up/down is generally far harder especially for a beginner/novice even with just bodyweight due to the stability factor.

[@gwengwen4535]

I agree! Also the step up includes a lot of knee and quad, not engaging the hamstring as much!

[@lindakeeler904]

Bulgarian splits are no joke though. I honestly don’t know if a beginner could these. Maybe without weight and low reps. Lol. But I was wondering why this wasn’t on here as well.

[@alanpadgett3213]

Jeff, you must have a microphone in our house because when my Personal Trainer wife starts talking about a body part she wants to focus more on, you put a video out a few days later and help further educate us. Thanks for everything you (and Jesse, lol) do! We LOVE all your content!

[@athleanx]

Thanks Alan (and the Mrs!). Appreciate you guys watching and most of all, being a subscriber.(youtube puts a little red icon next to your name to let me know!)

[@alanpadgett3213]

@@athleanx Thank you. We're both prior Air Force and meet on the gym while deployed to Saudi Arabia over 21 years ago. I was a normal gym rat and she was the head personal trainer on base. 21 years of marriage and we've never left each other's side since. It always warms her heart when she's talking about workouts for us and her clients and hears the same things tou speak of in your videos. We have your 6 Pack Abs App and preach to everyone about your channel and content. Keep up the outstanding work and may you and your family be as blessed as we are.

[@janterri3539]

I wonder why she wants you to work the glutes. Interesting.

[@jimobrien6903]

Yes I do like this "ranked" series that you do. I've learned some great new shoulder exercises from them and now learning some nice new leg exercises to incorporate. Nicely done!

[@victortaekwon]

Hey Jeff, my name is Victor, i'm from Brazil. I know this text is long, but i really want you to read this because you've changed my life with your videos. I used to be addicted to video games at a young age and the postural problems caused by bad posture while playing carried on to adulthood, until a couple of months ago. I had a bunch of issues like very rounded shoulders, forward neck, anterior tilt of the pelvis and even had to go through surgery on my knee because my walk was messed up. I also used to have pain on my back, my neck, and my shoulders were always crackling, so i was very disfunctional, i couldn't even imagine putting my arms over my head and standing up would never feel natural, i always felt as if i was struggling really hard against gravity, and i'm very tall with 190 cm (6'2 i guess). Recently i came around your channel and started doing the stretches and strenghtening exercises you showed on all your postural fix videos, now after some months all the pain and the weird vulture posture are gone. Now i'm 26, no forward neck, no rounded shoulders and no anterior tilt. I feel no pain at all and standing up just feels natural and almost effortless, and it's all thanks to you, i can't believe i spent all these years struggling with this. I wish you all the best, thanks for doing these videos in such a well explained, understandable way.

[@stanleystanley8315]

Leg press is so much better than the squat when it comes to people with back problems

[@ТатьянаЛаврентьева-с4е]

Ты жопой смотрел? Жим ногами лежа еще хуже для спины, ужасное, противоречащее анатомии положение тела и распределение нагрузки, которое бьет прямо в твою поясницу

[@sickoid87]

This is so wrong

[@jeremye33]

I have a herniated disc from injury before my workout journey. It is so hard to find effective lower body and ab exercises that won’t endanger my future well being 😢

[@dominiquemoore2910]

Literally needed this. Hitting gym for legs in less than hour

[@roscosanchez4649]

How was it?

[@dominiquemoore2910]

@@roscosanchez4649 it was great. Definitely going to focus more on hamstrings and glutes. That’s been my main problem. Thanks for asking !

[@user-mk5yy5ut9t]

Hi Jeff, I've started to seriously focus on building a connection with my Mid- and Rear- Delt training recently, and I've seen conflicting suggestions for how to disengage your Traps from exercises for both delt areas. Some videos recommend a head-bowed-forward approach to relax your neck and avoid shrugging, while others will explicitly state arching your back/neck will disengage them. Should the advice be different depending on the exercise (lying facedown, facedown on an incline, , lying back on incline, standing etc...)? Or is there a single answer for the best way to keep your traps out of the equation for Delt exercises? Thanks for all the consistently effective and intelligent content over the years!

[@mikeetemady4630]

I'm not Jeff but maybe I can make some suggestions. Tilting your head forwards/downwards will actually activate the traps, the upper traps contribute to keeping your neck stable and upright. Since your goal is to hit delts, that automatically means the weight must be relatively light. So my recommendation is find an appropriate light weight, then just depress your shoulders, during e.g. lateral raises. If the weight is light enough, you'll be able to isolate the delts as much as possible without the traps kicking in to save the day. I should also mention that the delts and traps work in synchronisation, so don't become too obsessed with eliminating trap activation.

[@user-mk5yy5ut9t]

@@mikeetemady4630 Awesome, thanks for all the advice - exactly what I was looking for.

[@c.h.7279]

I absolutely love the "Ranked" series! Please keep them coming! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@Neutral...]

The cable pull through is basically a way way way less efficient hip thrust to train the glutes/hams. Its so much less stable, grip might fail on you first. You have to lean forward more as the weights get heavier. You are going to be limited by the resistance pulling your entire body back rather than limited by your hip extension strength.

[@ringperm]

I’m surprised the nordic hamstring curl did not make an apperance. It is a fantastic exercise and I would not be surprised if it actually topped the list, if included

[@Vezoc]

Should’ve been there, it’s equivalent to not putting pull ups on the list of the best exercises for the back.

[@ringperm]

@@Rickai85 Of course there is. Just add weights. It shouldn’t be «too difficult» holding a smaller weight plate or using a weight vest. There will be a upper limit to what will be practical to do. But 99,9% of us will never reach that limit.

[@ringperm]

@@Rickai85 You are not wrong, but I do believe that for most lifters, a nordic curl will be challenging enough on its own, that increasing reps will give you enough progressive overload to warrant a place on this list. Of course I may be wrong and just blinded by the fact that including nordic have given me the best hamstring workout in a long time. But that’s just me. 👍

[@ringperm]

@@Rickai85 I think we are in agreement, and that is what makes lifting such an interesting topic to discuss. We might have a slight difference of opinions, but still have valid point based on a certain point of view. We are all different, after all 😏

[@justjoshingaround]

Hey Jeff! I love these videos! I actually find them super helpful when deciding which exercises to do. I was wondering if you could break up the video with "Video Chapters" (e.g. "Pullthroughs - ALMOST BEST")? That way, if I wanna go back to a specific exercise in the video, I can find it quickly.

[@loriell1996]

Yesssssss!! For the step ups, I love those, can you talk about squats and rank the different types, i started out with simple squats 100-150 a day to every other day and it was perfect for me as a beginner putting on weight

[@batteriesnotrequiredtoysth7271]

My son (33 yr old M) and I (66 yr old F) just joined a new gym that has different machines than our old gym - like that leg press machine! At the old gym, I could press 205 pounds, even with an artificial knee! At this new gym, I can barely move the sled without weights. A big part of it is the way I have to sit - which is so uncomfortable on a previously broken tail bone. I'm glad to see that it is not one of your recommended exercises - now I better get to watching the rest of the video! And will check out the rest of them, since I have to learn all new things now :)

[@nomnomyourmom]

Watch his Quad rank video

[@Betweentheraindrops8]

The barbell hip thrust is frickin amazing. It’s so safe, and it’s diverse in that you can place your feet farther up, bring them in, spread them wider, closer together, do a frog pump, etc. There are so many variations.

[@alejandroperez5368]

Safe? I managed to hurt my back without too much weight in it... I'd say it's a potentially dangerous exercise, just like squats.

[@Betweentheraindrops8]

Even a push-up or a bicep curl can be potentially dangerous if you don’t do them right. Hip thrust is much safer than a barbell squat because you’re secured, balanced, and the weight isn’t going to knock you over or crush you if it falls or if you go too heavy. Sounds like you didn’t tuck your pelvis forward. Try clenching your glutes; notice how your pelvis shifts. It’s a completely different activation from just tightening the muscle. You should start and end the movement the entire time in that position. A lot of people put pressure on their back as if they were doing a reverse hyper extension, taking all the power away from their glutes.

[@strixt]

@@Betweentheraindrops8 It's easier for people to blame *anything* else than admit they were wrong, like their form in this case.

[@nomnomyourmom]

@@alejandroperez5368 Learn to do it right first then.

[@Noface678]

@@alejandroperez5368 Don’t ego lift bruh

[@marcushooo]

hi coach, when will you do the best to worst QUAD exercise video ?

[@ashleyfashanu]

Yeah, i have been waiting for this too haha

[@whatcanihavethen]

Me too

[@ryno7437]

Still waiting!

[@SahajTalwar]

Time to get working on those glutes, guys and gals.

[@michaeljanowski8757]

Your knowledge and education pertaining to fitness is remarkable. You show us not just how the body works but how it works best. Other fitness/guru sites only show you what works for them not what is actually best for our bodies. I love your exercise comparison videos!

[@MemeGang420]

Here’s the problem: Jeff is not that remarkable at all, a lot of the nonsense that he is spewing is 30-40 years old and not backed by current research. There is NO such thing as what works best for our bodies. There is only what works best for YOU, and that can be completely different to somebody else.

[@Littlebpaulmuller-Owner]

@@MemeGang420 He's a PT who is constantly learning. You're just a barking dog who pretends to be smart by saying "everyone's different". He knows about each person's uniqueness more than you. That's why you made your own biased ranking and he's training pro athletes.

[@sekandsak]

Coming out of double total hip replacements and severe medius muscle atrophy...thank you so much...saves a lot of time

[@SRJ2832]

Hello. I had 1 hip replaced about a year ago and am still trying to find good exercises for my hip. Do you mind sharing which of these exercises worked for you?

[@victoe5780]

Hey Jeff! Last year, I had an inguinal hernia repair done with mesh. I love the barbell hip thrust. However, when adding any type of weight to the exercise, I notice pain in the groin area where the hernia was located. I've even tried adding a foam mat to cushion the bar, but the pressure of the bar is just too much. Do you have any tips to avoid this during the exercise? Thank you!

[@beira10]

I had mine done 5 years ago and it doesn't really hurt anymore but I can still feel it. I guess that if it hurts you should change to one of the almost best exercises. Or do more reps with no weight 🤷🏻

[@EphraimSyriacus]

Are you strong enough now? Maybe you lack power. Start with a regular hip thrusts, then level it up with a single leg hip thrusts and if you feel a better balance then level it up with weights.

[@Mdcl33]

The barbell hip thrust has become very popular. However, I see many inexperienced people in the gym doing this exercise without even really knowing proper squat form (for example). I think Jeff would agree that you should always focus on proper form and overall LPHC strength before you take on heavy loads with the hip thrust. I have seen people get injured in multiple ways doing this exercise improperly or with too much weight.

[@victoe5780]

@@EphraimSyriacus thanks for the input. I am strong enough. I have internal pain from the bar resting on my groin area. The more weight on the bar, the more it hurts. I recently started implementing medicine ball hip thrust which seem to be a safer alternative, but obviously I’m not able to do the same amount of weight as a barbell.

[@dandychiggins7240]

Every gym adict female watching this: >:0

[@trealsteve]

Especially the ones who got BBL’s. 🤣

[@salsadip7453]

@@trealsteveI saw one girl with a bbl at my gym and was like … oml, what are you doing here

[@robinservais3881]

I'm guessing this list is primarily for men, or ladies who are already very fit and just after some tweaking to their routine.

[@froyokid]

@@salsadip7453so because someone has a butt they can’t workout?

[@salsadip7453]

@@froyokid most people have butts 🤔 People that are interested in artificially altering themselves (bbl also is a high risk procedure) are not that interested in being healthy as a whole in most cases Giving off a similar vibe as a smoker that likes to run ^^

[@jeanniepeacher2966]

Hip thrusts are my favorite 🥰 my knees are bad so I can't load the weight much on squats but on hip thrusts I can lift over 500lb 🍑🙃 it is superior.

[@Turnpost2552]

It is seriously crazy how in general women can do crazy weights in this area. lol I can do like 40 lbs but I workout at home lol.

[@MariusViken]

Check out kneesovertoesguy to work on strenghtning your knees. No matter the injury, he has something that will make it better 😊

[@TrumpTrain911]

@@MariusViken JoeRogan FTW!

[@dianadambrosio1]

This may be one of the most pertinent videos I have seen from you Jeff, thank you …I’m changing up a lot as of just seeing this vid.

[@alicat3048]

I can't express how excited I was when I saw this video posted this morning!! I'm watching it on my break and taking notes hehe

[@squirrelgravy7513]

Question- I superset most of my exercises except for the big heavy compound lifts like deadlift as I have a limited time available to lift. Do you see a problem from a muscle growth standpoint supersetting too much? Thanks.

[@savvasef978]

If you have enough work capacity then it shouldn’t be a problem. Also it would be better if you superseded exercises from antagonistic muscle groups, like bis and tris,starting with your weakest one

[@joefixit1847]

As a personal trainer, I love super sets. It saves time and works the heart way longer than a single set of one exercise. The problem with super sets is, you can end up sacrificing effort for your super set exercises. You have to be mindful of that or your gains can suffer. So like the previous comment is really spot on about opposing muscle groups. If your doing biceps, super set triceps or vice-versa etc etc

[@NaturalHazard10]

How do you incorporate hip thrusts on leg day? After heavy squats I'm so tired so I move on to lunges.

[@lb9817]

If you train legs 2 × a week, you can make one leg day have heavier squats and the other one lighter. On the lighter squat day you can incorporate hip thrusts.

[@ryguy642]

You could add them in and take longer rest times and see if your body adapts or is able to handle the additional volume.

[@ExplorerBen7]

If you do legs once a week you can do heavy squats then light hip thrusts one week then heavy hip thrusts then light squats or squats more for quads like front squats the next week. Another option is just to add hip thrusts to a different day when you're legs/glutes won't be pre-fatigued.

[@athleanx]

You have the option to split leg training up into two sessions per week (one more anterior chain focused and one more posterior chain focused). Switch to front squats or stick with regular squats on anterior chain day. Use the hip thrust as your primary posterior chain exercise on the other day. Have had lots of guys get amazing results on that split and overcome the exact issue you are reporting here. As an aside, I'd also consider giving heavy barbell lunges their own day in the sun from time to time. Don't always relegate them to the "light" exercise following up the squat. That is one powerful movement that is underutilized for sure. Thanks for being a subscriber man (KZbin shows me the little red icon next to your name so I'm making sure I'm giving you some extra love!)

[@NaturalHazard10]

@@athleanx Thank you buddy! Means a lot to get a direct response from you since you got me into weight training exactly this time last year. I'm currently running "Nsuns 5 day" so only doing legs once per week but will likely switch to a PPL soon with inspiration from your PPL series. Keep it up man!

[@alexanderbarath19]

The lying hamstring curl is one of the best exercise for the hamstrings, hands down. The seated version is slightly inferior imo, since you are literally sitting on the muscles your are working, which given you have a great pump can be pretty painful. If you really get lower back pain becaus the hip flexor is pulling on your vertebrea you have 99 problems other than building hamstring size, go see your doctor 😜

[@sonicboom3097]

Bosu ball version is even better imo

[@andrewgilbert9637]

Actually if you've seen the video from Jeff nippard, the seated hamstring curl is superior to the lying hamstring curl because it works them in a more stretched position. And the low back discomfort is real when people get close to failure and they start lifting their hips

[@BigstickNick]

@@andrewgilbert9637 I always hate the set up. The laying down one is easier for me.

[@andrewgilbert9637]

@@BigstickNick fair enough

[@SRJ2832]

Just discovering your channel and your videos are very very very helpful! One of my biggest issues is knowing how to do a proper hinge...I have too much of my lower back being affected and looking at your technique and it's really helping me out a lot. Thank you for this!!!

[@fgfanta]

This is gold. I also like that you included an exercise with bands, which I am now using to train at home.

[@TheComedyButchers]

I disagree about the hamstring curl. Just because someone can hurt themselves doesn’t mean the exercise is bad. People can really mess up an RDL, but that doesn’t mean it’s inherently bad

[@nightflash5951]

Maybe it isn't, but I think he makes the lists as what fits for a lot of people and if a lot of people can do something wrong it drops in value because of that.

[@evadien]

True...not leaving my leg press

[@tumigillian5002]

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[@philipgrombliniak5651]

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[@kelvinjeff3893]

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[@kelvinjeff3893]

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[@klebercoutinho7349]

@@kelvinjeff3893 Great!! Is to know you are making progress Keep it up 😊

[@priscillaapanishile6170]

I refuse to believe this about leg press 😭

[@madmax1171ify]

How do u refuse when u showed u you are wrong

[@nomnomyourmom]

Watch his Quad rank video

[@jd4744]

I ended up having spinal surgery with 4 screws to stablize my L5 S1 and I really think the leg press machine was one of the causes. Im trying to regain some mobility and range back now 5 years after surgery. Thank you for mentioning the leg press, it is not for everyone and I would never want anyone to go through what I did. We need a lot of education to save our spine early in our life. I sometimes wish those were taught at school.

[@loriell1996]

Sooo excited for the band one, because the cable kick back is tough, everyone needs that thing

[@cyndimanka]

I do that leg work with ankle weights on that gives you a little more resistance. It’s not much but then I’m a 64-year-old female that has not exercised for 40 years. Often on but not consistently. I’m in a consistent mood. I’ve been going strong since November 2022.

[@jaimiemainberger5039]

Probably the most informative flute video I’ve watched. Thank you for putting this together!

[@fayeluvz4840]

This video answered SO many of my questions!!! Thanks for making this video, seriously.

[@May04bwu]

For people like me - hip and knee issues - the leg press is really one of the few alternatives that allow us to do at least SOME exercise without horrible pain. RDLs are also fine. Hip thrusts are not that great for two reasons: 1) depending on your personal anatomy your pubic bone can hurt af, if you lift even a bit heavier and there's no way around it; 2) Your ability to do this heavily depends on the equipment in the gym you visit. The best exercise is the one that fits within your anatomy limitations.

[@thebeatmajors_yt]

Well duh...but never did he say this list was for people with fucked up knees 😂

[@nomnomyourmom]

Leg press is for quad silly

[@nomnomyourmom]

Public bone ain't the place for you to place the bar on 🤦and where's the pad?

[@freehard9591]

i come from athlean x español, i love all the videos, and i need to say i really love how Jeff explain here and over the original webpage

[@georgiafan6618]

Your channel has really helped me out. I have a lot of physically limiting issues, one is age. I’m substituting all the old school, joint pummeling exercises with more even handed movements that hit the muscle.

[@omegoa]

That's a great list with good arguments for each exercise at each level. Thanks, Jeff

[@remybanner9550]

Thank you, Jeff! I have always felt awful whenever I've done the Leg Press! It just never felt like it was doing anything for me, it was always uncomfortable and hurt my hips, etc. I always thought it was me and I was just doing it wrong. Thank you for the hilarious breakdown of why it's one of the worst for your glute gains! I will happily stay away from it! You da boss and the boss says NO!

[@patriarchmike]

This checks out. Ive been lifting for 20 years and have been the same weight for 18 of them. I have done everything to grow my glutes except hip thrusts until a few months ago. I not only quickly tripled my strength on them but I've grown an inch and half on my glutes.

[@thomasmulroney2065]

Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge and saving me a fortune on health care

[@eriknordqvist9016]

I hurt my knee around 14-15 years ago while doing seated leg curls. Since, I use heavy weights, I now never to it seated, only lying down.

[@catche85]

The quads video never came?! Please do this one!! These videos are so helpful in concisely understanding a range of exercises.

[@rwb3562]

I've just found your channel...GAME CHANGER! thank you!

[@Zeplacon1]

These videos are good because it give you ideas of exercises to swap out with ones your doing now

[@chiselready9320]

I really like this ranking presentation. Thank you for all of the knowledge 😊

[@pamciufo1399]

Thank you !this shaved a whole lot of wasted time and effort off my routine and let me streamline my workout to it's most effectiveness .. I'm going to look out for other area videos of yours ( worst to best) series..wish I'd found you sooner

[@barrywood7351]

Awesome video! I learn a lot from your worst to best series!

[@kevinanderson7593]

Looks like an older series but these are very helpful. Would love to see one like this for quads. Thanks!

[@pbboeye1012]

Exceptional vid. Like, I apparently knew jack squat about glute/ham joint exercises. Blows me away. Thanks.

[@RichieDagger2012]

I'm very glad to see Jesse has developed such physique over time. You should have him present some vids in the future

[@kevindonohue6545]

Great to see Jesse back one of my favourite comedy duos while I get great info on work outs

[@StealthAZ]

Mondays are my leg day…thanks for the reminders. I’ve done about 4 of your programs and circulate between them often

[@ShomoniqueYoung]

I appreciate this videos . They have improved my workouts . Now I know exactly what exercises to do to get the best results. 💯💯💯💫💫

[@CoreyLahrmer]

Love watching your videos. So informative. I feel like I am actually progressing, albeit slowly. Also, your vids seem more realistic seeing you struggle or strain a bit. Makes me feel better about myself. Some other peoples videos they dont struggle and doesn't seem real. Thanks again, and keep up the great work.

[@jakeandsarahhealthnuts3299]

As someone who is also a certified personal trainer I pretty much agree with everything on this list. When I saw the list I knew Jeff was going to choose barbell hip thrust and I completely agree.