7 Easy Weightlifting Exercises For Those Who Hate Lifting
For those of us who don’t like lifting we want some easy weightlifting exercises that we can do to get in a quick workout at the gym. We may not want to spend hours lifting heavy weights like a gym-bro but we still want the body that comes with it. With that in mind here are 7 easy weightlifting exercises for those who hate lifting.
1. Squat
Now the squat may seem like a difficult workout, but it doesn’t have to be. Its a great workout that works your entire lower body and if done right will give you legs, and booty, for days. All you need to make the most of this easy weightlifting exercise is proper form and a heavy object, it doesn’t even have to be a weight.
Start with your legs about shoulder-width apart then move your body as if you were going to sit down on a chair. Make sure to start the movement with your butt and keep whatever weight you’re using in a neutral position either pressed against your chest or resting on the area of your back just below your shoulders. Then, slowly come back up to your starting position. Do this ten times, rest, and repeat two more times. Now you’re on your way to the butt you’ve always wanted.
2. Leg Extensions
Leg extensions are a great easy weightlifting exercise because you can do the exercise sitting down while still getting a good quad workout. This exercise doesn’t require you to worry about form too much either, all you need to do is push your legs up then slowly lower them back down. Since this exercise is done on a machine you can easily keep the same movement pattern throughout the exercise.
All you need in order to make the most of this easy workout is a few iron plates and the leg machine at your local gym. Start out with a warm-up set without any weight just to get some blood flowing in your legs. Once you’re warmed up add the plates and do fifteen to twenty reps before taking a short rest then repeating two more times. This workout has a few more reps than the squat because it doesn’t require as much energy to do.
3. Overhead Press
The overhead press is one of the best easy weightlifting exercises for someone who wants to do some work on their back and shoulders. The workout follows a simple movement pattern and you don’t need any real weights to do it. All you need is something decently heavy and you’re all set.
Start in a standing or sitting position with your feet about shoulder-width apart, then hold whatever weight you’re using and start with it on the front or back side of your shoulders. From here extend your arms upward and raise the weight above your head. Once you’ve fully extended your arms, slowly bring the weight back down to starting position and repeat.
Do this eight to ten times, take a breather, then repeat for two more sets. This exercise can wear you out quickly so there are fewer repetitions than squats and leg extensions. If the weight seems like too much to handle just get a lighter weight and finish up your set.
4. Bicep Curls
Bicep curls are one of my favorite easy workouts to recommend because everyone knows what a curl is and it’s one of the best exercises to make your biceps pop. The first muscles other people look at are usually your biceps, so its good to always make some time to work on those. These are another exercise that you don’t really need proper weights to do. Either grab some dumbbells are another heavy object and then you’ll be good to go.
First pick up the weight and hold your arms in a neutral hanging position. Then with the weight in your hand slowly bring the weight up to your chest. Once you’re at your chest slowly bring the weight back down, bringing the weight back down is just as important as raising it up for this exercise. Do this twelve to fifteen times, rest, then repeat two more times. In no time at all you’ll have a good set of guns to show off.
5. Lunges
Another one of the easy weightlifting exercises I like to recommend are lunges. Like most of the other workouts it doesn’t require any special equipment, and is a great way to work out your legs. And who doesn’t want a nice set of legs to show off during the summer?
Now this workout is really easy because essentially all you are doing is taking a big step forward to the ground, then coming back up to your starting position. So, like a lot of the other easy weightlifting exercises, grab your weights, keep your feet about shoulder width apart, then start your workout. Your legs are a lot stronger that your arms so you can do more reps of these than arm workouts.
If you want to stay in one position simply take a step out then come back to your starting position and repeat twelve to fifteen times, rest, then do two more times. If you want to involve more movement in your workout pick a spot and do walking lunges there, then turn around and do walking lunges back.
6. Lat Pulldowns
I really like lat pulldowns as an easy weightlifting exercise because you don’t have to worry about form too much and you can adapt the weight very easily to your skill level. The one downside to this workout is that you will need to have access to a machine. This workout is also done sitting down so you’ll be able to give your legs a little bit of a rest.
You can set the weight you’re lifting on the side of the machine so be sure to start by choosing a weight you can lift a few times. Make sure it isn’t too heavy or too light. Then you’re going to grab the bar above your head and pull it down to your chest. Following this slowly let the weight pull the bar back up.
Do this easy workout ten to twelve times, rest, then repeat two more times. This workout is great for developing your arm and back muscles, so a few weeks of this and you’ll start to look better and better without a shirt on.
7. Machine Chest Press
Last but not least the machine chest press. This is an easy weightlifting exercise because it’s basically an easier way to do the bench press. All you need to do to get the most out of this workout is grab on to the handles and push forward.
This workout is easier than the bench press because you won’t be working against gravity and you don’t have to use a 45 pound bar to put your weights on. This is one of the exercises you can add a little more weight on than usual because the chest is much stronger than your arms.
So to do this exercise push forward with your arms then slowly let the machine guide you back to your starting position. Do this ten times, rest, and repeat two more times. Before you know it The Rock will be jealous of your pecs.
