Try going back to basics for results

When I was young the most common question heard at the local gym was, how much do you bench? Boy, how things have changed. Today you’re more likely to hear, how many box jumps, kettle bell swings and flying leg raises can you do in 30 seconds while standing single-legged on a bosu balance ball?

Don’t get me wrong; I too like change. After all, it makes life interesting, but don’t get so caught up in the hype that you forget about the basics that have been giving people great results for the past 75 years.  Here are four time-tested oldies but goodies that all serious fitness enthusiasts should consider adding to their training programs. Give them a try; you’ll be surprised at how simple and effective they are for helping you get in shape.

Barbell squats
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a strength athlete, body builder or soccer mom; if you want to reach your full potential, barbell squats should be included in your program. Many people don’t like to do squats because they are just plain hard, but the results you’ll get will be well worth the effort. No other exercise I can think of isolates the quads, glutes and hamstrings more effectively than the traditional back squat, so if this exercise is not currently part of your program, all I can say is, get squatting!

Dead lifts
Once thought only as an exercise for muscle heads and weightlifting behemoths, dead lifts have found their way into the mainstream of fitness.

I love dead lifts because there’s no real way to cheat; it’s just you against the weight, and you better be ready or the weight will win.

Dead lifts are a great addition to any program because they work several larger muscle groups including the upper back, traps, hamstrings, quads, hips and a host of smaller muscles all at the same time.

Military shoulder press
The thought of lifting a barbell overhead would normally be enough to make most orthopedic surgeons have a nervous breakdown, but if you take the time to properly strengthen all three heads of the shoulder muscles - front, side and rear delts - as well as use proper form, the military press can be a great shoulder exercise.

The military press primarily works the shoulders, but also hits the traps, triceps, upper chest, abs and lower back too. It can also be a great way to work on balance, and it takes a lot of practice to stabilize the weight.

Bent-over barbell rows
You can do all the fancy machines you want, but nothing will isolate the bigger back muscles like doing a bent-over barbell row.

I consider this the meat and potatoes of all back exercises and teach it to my clients once they have mastered basic movements such as seated cable rows and lat pulldowns.

Bent-over barbell rows are great because they require upper body strength, core strength and stability to do them correctly.

Chest dips
Most people associate bench presses with chest development, but I’ll take bench dips any day of the week. Bench dips are a great way to isolate the chest and triceps without using a bench to support your body weight, sharpening your core strength, balance and posture all in one shot.

Bench dips are not a beginner’s exercise, and most people will have to work up to them as they get stronger and lose excess body fat.

Once you’re able to pound out 10 or more of these babies, you might even want to strap a weight to your body for added resistance.

Bench dips have been around forever and are still a great choice for any program.

So if your training routine is beginning to sound more like an order of fancy Italian coffee than a workout, it might be time to go with a simpler, more effective approach of time-tested exercises that have been helping people achieve their fitness goals since 1932 when York barbell decided to forge pig iron into the first weightlifting sets.