7 Core Weight Lifting Exercises

There are 7 core weight lifting exercises that should form the core of every weight lifting workout program you do from here on out.

Many weight lifting programs focus on way too many isolation exercises. You get faster results in less time with compound weightlifting exercises. And the “show-off” muscle groups like the chest and biceps for men will do even better with compound exercises.

You get EVEN FASTER results when you learn how to do these 7 core exercises with proper form and weight lifting technique.

There's more to learning how to do these exercises than you might think, so pay attention to these exercise videos and you'll soon be lifting heavy weights in the gym and watching your body transform right before your eyes.

WARNING: There is some bad language in a few of these videos so please watch the volume.

I wish I could find some good videos without the language, but these are great exercise videos and good examples of people using proper weight lifting technique to execute each lift. Just be aware there is bad language.

Core Weight Lifting Exercise #1: THE SQUAT

The squat is THE KING of all weight lifting exercises. Many doctors will tell you the squat is bad for you, and that's 100% true IF you don't learn how to do this amazing exercise properly. Watch these exercise videos to get you started in the right direction.

Make sure you watch all of the squat videos above! Pay attention and focus in on all parts of the body as you see people doing the squat. Notice all of the little things you have learned in the videos while watching others. The squat is dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

Core Weight Lifting Exercise #2: THE DEADLIFT

The deadlift rivals the squat as THE KING of all weight lifting exercises. Doctors will also say that the deadlift is a dangerous exercise, and again, they are 100% right if you aren't doing it properly. If you learn how to do the deadlift properly, this is one of THE best exercises to strengthen your entire body. Your lower back will become strong and powerful and less prone to injury.

You need to make sure you understand how the deadlift works and its purpose in your weight lifting workouts. You need to start out with light weights on this exercise and make sure you are using proper form and technique. Get it right and start increasing the weight. You'll notice fast and special changes to your body once you start getting stronger on this exercise.

Core Weight Lifting Exercise #3: THE BENCH PRESS

The bench press is one of the most popular weight lifting exercises in the world. The bench press is a good exercise and that's why I have it within the 7 core weight lifting exercises for WLC. It's no where near as good as the hype that it gets, though!

Remember, the bench press is a good exercise but you need to be doing MUCH more than just the bench press. Many people hurt themselves badly with muscle and strength imbalances because they believe the bench press to be the only weight lifting exercise needed. It's not.

Most people get stuck bench pressing the same amount of weight for many months and even many years. This is because they never learned how to bench press properly, eat properly, recover properly, and haven't been using the right weight lifting workouts. Watch the videos above to learn more about the bench press and to get started in the right direction.

Core Weight Lifting Exercise #4: THE ROW

I highly recommend use of the Pendlay Row as you're going to see in the exercise videos below. The row is one of the 7 core weight lifting exercises because it's going to target in on your entire back region. But that's not all. The row works your entire body very well. Even the legs and especially the hamstrings are hit hard during the row with heavy weights. Watch these videos closely and get it right before you start increasing the weight.

Notice the difference in the Pendlay Row and the rows you see other people doing in most commercial gyms. There's a HUGE difference. If you watch the first video above, they show you the huge differences. Again, I highly recommend this version of the row and this should be the type you are using from the beginning. You will need to lower the barbell under control instead of dropping them unless you have the right plates and flooring.

Core Weight Lifting Exercise #5: THE OVERHEAD PRESS

Here's one of my favorite weight lifting exercises. I haven't made this one of the 7 core weight lifting exercises because it's one of my favorites, though. This is an amazing upper body exercise that ALL PEOPLE need to focus on in their workouts. You'll feel great as you lift heavy weights high above your head. Reach to the sky!

Most people aren't going to get the form and technique right on this core weight lifting exercise until they practice using the techniques given in the exercise videos above. Learn and practice until you get it right. This is very important.

Core Weight Lifting Exercise #6: THE PULL UP

The chin up or pull up is another one of the 7 core weight lifting exercises. It's included because it is one of the best upper body exercises in existence. Your entire upper body is worked during the chin up including your midsection. Learn how to do this exercise properly. Don't cut yourself short by doing partial reps either.

If you can't currently do chin ups or pull ups, don't worry. You'll be able to do them in no time once you start using the WLC System. Once you start doing them with body weight and they become easier for you, you'll even begin to start adding weight around your waist.

Core Weight Lifting Exercise #7: THE DIP

The final weight lifting exercise you'll find included in every weight lifting workout here at WLC, is the dip. The dip is sometimes referred to as the “Upper Body Squat” and you'll see why if you've never done these before. If you have, you'll already know why.

You need to always warm up well before doing dips. Make sure you're doing shoulder mobility exercises during your pre-workout warm-up and do a few more before doing your working sets of dips. Get your shoulders warm and don't go down too far on this exercise but also don't do partial reps.

These 7 Core Weight Lifting Exercises Are The Foundation

You will find that these 7 weight lifting exercises are the foundation of every weight lifting workout you find at Weight Lifting Complete.

No matter which weight lifting program you find here, these movements are the foundation!

There's a reason for this as these are THE BEST weightlifting exercises in existence.

You need to spend the time learning how to do these exercises properly. When you learn how to do them with proper form and technique, your strength will skyrocket on these exercises.

I Highly Recommend Starting Strength For More Information

In many of the 7 core weight lifting exercise videos above, you probably noticed the same man. His name is Mark Rippetoe, and he is an expert on the 7 core weight lifting exercises shown on this page.

He has written a book titled Starting Strength that I HIGHLY recommend. He also has a Starting Strength DVD that gives you even more exercise videos for the best compound weight lifting exercises.

I purchased Starting Strength many years ago when I thought I already knew how to do all of the weight lifting exercises perfectly.

Well… I learned a lesson that day. I had no clue. I had never been taught to lift weights and simply learned on my own. Once I started using all of the weight lifting techniques within Starting Strength, my strength skyrocketed on each and every weight lifting exercise.

And this was AFTER I had been lifting weights for many, many years. This is why I highly recommend Starting Strength if you want to learn how to do the 7 core weight lifting exercises.