Traditionally, your overall strength is determined by adding up how much you can squat, bench press, and deadlift for a single repetition—your total. Changes in this total allows you to track progress and gives you a score to compare against others. Due to this, entire workout programs are designed around getting you to lift progressively more weight for those big lifts. And if you aren’t progressing according to that grading system, then you aren’t considered “strong”.

It’s a good system. Or, at least, it’s a good system if you’re a powerlifter. But what if you’re trying to gain muscle mass? Should you focus on different compound lifts? How should you choose your isolation lifts? And how should you measure your progress? Well, cutting-edge sports science is beginning to show better ways to assess your progress, no matter the fitness goal.

Let’s first start with the top 5 lifts for reaching your goals faster and pushing past those annoying plateaus.

1. Low-Bar Squat

   A low bar squat is a squat in which the bar is placed low on the upper back in the back squat position. It should be resting on the posterior deltoid, not the top of the shoulders. The feet are also shoulder-width apart and turned slightly out for this move.

   This squat style focuses the effort more on the posterior chain of muscles including the glutes, hamstrings, and back extensors. This position puts less stress on the quadriceps and more emphasis on the posterior chain muscles.

   More muscles are being activated with this variation. Some people find they can lift heavier weight with a low bar squat, maximizing strength gains. Also, this exercise may be good for those with limited ankle mobility because the knees don’t have to move in front of the ankles quite as far, decreasing the angle of flexion.

2. Bench Press

   No need to introduce this lift, we all know it. Why is it so popular and widely used in strength training? It’s because of the tremendous benefits it offers.

   The bench press is one of the best predictors of upper body strength and progress as it is very compound in nature.

   Depending on your goals, there are different variations of bench presses that work slightly different muscles, too. For example, a narrower grip bench press will put extra emphasis on the triceps and forearms.

   Other benefits of adding bench presses to your weight-training regimen include increasing upper body strength, improving muscular endurance, and even preparing your upper body to do movements like pushups. They also can be an effective strengthening exercise for sports like sprinting, hockey, and football.

3. Overhead Press

   Most athletes and lifters should incorporate an overhead press variation into their routine for overhead strength, power, and positive impact on other lifts and athletic performance.

   The prime movers in the overhead press are the anterior and medial deltoids — posterior deltoids get some love too, as they are the stabilizers when the weight is overhead (a rare occurrence with upper body strength moves).

   As a bonus, a strong overhead press can help your bench press. Both movements use the same muscles (triceps, deltoids and chest) from different angles.

4. Power Clean

   The power clean is a strength-training exercise that works muscles throughout your body. Power cleans build muscle throughout your upper and lower body, including in your quadriceps, deltoids, core, and triceps—as well as posterior chain muscles like the hamstrings, glutes, lower back muscles, and the trapezius in your upper back.

   This lift enhances your full-body strength, increases your explosive power, and improves your clean technique which is a foundation to other Olympic lifts. Overall, this exercise build functional strength and coordination that complements other exercises. When performed with proper form, this lift one of the best out there.

5. Conventional Deadlift

   The deadlift is a widely used compound weight exercise that involves picking up a weight from the ground by bending at your waist and hips and standing back up.

   The deadlift exercise and its variations require you to bend over while maintaining a braced, neutral spine, gripping the weight, and driving through the floor with your feet. The motion uses your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps to lift the barbell off of the floor.

   Deadlifts are highly effective at increasing functional strength due to the activation of your largest lower body muscles. They also help to improve jump performance, increase bone density, and boost your metabolism. Deadlifts are also the least risky out of this list as you can easily drop the weight on failed reps.

What do all of these lifts have in common? Besides offering tremendous strength benefits, they all must be performed with the proper form to maximize gains while decreasing your chance of getting injured. Not everyone has access to a trainer 24/7, so how do you know if you’re executing these lifts in ways that lead to the best results? Also, what’s the best way to integrate your personal goals to this type of feedback to get a personalized understanding of progress?

Well, we hinted at it earlier, and we have your answer! It starts and ends with Velocity-Based Training, or VBT for short.

VBT is revolutionizing how strength training is being done. It was founded around the principle of providing key statistics per repetition that quickly summarize rep quality and if the athlete is correctly moving towards their goals.

According to the National Strength & Conditioning Association, VBT can lead to up to 15% better results in the gym! No matter your fitness goals, getting the speed of each rep to consistently be in the optimal range leads to the best results.

VBT is almost exactly like what it sounds like. It uses velocity of each rep to determine set correctness and if the load of an exercise is right for you. VBT also helps amplify the intent of movements by demanding a consistent standard and providing immediate feedback.

More on the details of VBT can be found here

Are you ready to start your VBT training journey? If so, head over to www.fitlift.com to learn more about how our technology enables VBT and provides real-time feedback on your form.

Are you a trainer? Check out how we can benefit your program here