I love that Dr. Mike acknowledged that a cable machine is hard to come by in a regular gym because I feel like most TH-camrs assume you are always working out in an empty gym
@@dwigtschrudeI'm constantly struggling with the choice between two nearby gyms. One of them is open 24/7 and has all the equipment imaginable but I fucking hate to go there in evenings as it's so crowded (and often full of annoying high school gym bros... and crappy auto-tune pop rap blasting from the speakers). The other one is a crappy gym with crappy opening hours and apparently their original equipment from the 80s/90s. But training there is so relaxing for the mind. Much of the time I'm literally the only customer so it's almost like having my own personal gym.
S Tier: Deficit Push-Ups Prime Machine Row Dumbbell Pullover A Tier: Barbell Bench Press Incline Barbell Bench Press Pull-Up Cable Overhead Tricep Extension Barbell Bent Over Row B Tier: Machine Rear Delt Fly Barbell Front Raises Hip Thrust C Tier: Cable Crossover Barbell Curl Leg Extension Dips D Tier or Lower: Dumbbell Kickback Standing Barbell Overhead Press Deadlift Seated Calf Raise
@@punxsutawneyphil3944I honestly didn’t listen to whole thing but I’m thinking it would be from stimulus to fatigue ratio and weighted stretch in lengthened portion of the lift
@@efrainmendez2623 You gotta remember Mike is always talking about strictly muscular hypertrophy unless otherwise specified. Deadlift and OHP are great for many many things, but their aren't great for growing any particular muscle. They are neccesary for building a strong base and for athletic purposes.
@@FiFiFilth d-tier influencers he knows nothing going to get people injured. that's y he has a big fat stomach and when on steroids still has nothing. He's a nobody
S-tier: 7:09 Deficit Pushups 24:08 Prime Machine Row (or Chest Supported T-Bar Row if not available) 26:59 Dumbbell Pullover (or EZ bar pullover or Lat Prayers if you can’t do it).
Agreed, Unfortunately I think too many newbs that have no interest in competing in bodybuilding will take this video as gospel, when its geared (no pun intended) towards bodybuilding. IMO most people would do well to master the deadlift and OHP before getting all nutty with some of these higher tier movements.
Not really. It's hard to overload and push close to failure on the squat, I'm seeing more and more people swap it out for the hack squat. Squats aren't necessary for big quads. Just look at Will Tennyson.
Love the rip into the seated calf raise. Utter garbage movement that so many people use as their only calf raise movement. And boy oh boy do a lot of those people complain about their calves not growing. The big thing that I'm surprised Dr. Mike didn't mention is the stretch/lengthened position. The calves attach at the top to the femur, above the knee, and to the foot below the ankle. Thus, in order to stretch your calf, your knee must be straight and your toes have to be pointed up (ankle dorsiflexion). It is outright physically impossible to stretch your calf with your knee at a 90 degree angle, and thus cannot be in the lengthened, most stimulating position. Super easy to feel, too. Sit down with your knee bent. Try to pull your toes up like you're trying to touch them to your shin. While keeping your toes up, straighten your leg, and you'll feel the calf stretch. Want an effective calf movement? Gotta feel that stretch during the exercise.
@@woodfamily5229 Not to an important degree, which Dr. Mike touches on in the video. Basically, the "advantages" of the seated calf raise are outclassed in every way by any standing/straight leg calf movement. There is some research that concluded seated calf raises preferentially target the soleus relative to the gastroc, which is true within the scope of seated calf raises. But when you expand the scope to all calf movements, straight leg movements both preferentially hit the gastroc (the part you actually see and care about) and give a much higher absolute stimulus to the soleus. Just as example values to highlight what that means: If seated calf raises give stimulus to the calf muscles of Soleus: 3 Gastroc: 2 Then straight leg movements give: Soleus: 7 Gastroc: 10 Again, those are just sample numbers to illustrate the point. The soleus is "targeted" compared to the gastroc in the seated movement, but the overall stimulus is just outright better for both parts of the calf with straight leg movements. There's no justifiable reason to do seated calf raises where your knee is at a 90 degree angle.
Dips for me are the most S tier chest excercise. Nothing gets my chest as pumped or as sore. Ring dips are even more crazy, but I only do weighted dips on a Dip bar for safety.
Do you have a dip machine available? I found that to be the best of all options because it’s weight loaded and you don’t have to balance at all since you’re sitting down. Also super easy to change emphasis between the chest and triceps, and also you can pause at the stretch
Same, i feel chest most with dips, and contrary to a friend pulling your legs back I put my feet forward beyond the "place where you put your feet" of the machine.
He is absolutely right about the deadlift the deadlift is actually more of a whole body power movement so it will be great for martial artists boxers or powerlifters
If you aren't a bodybuilder your focus should core and strength,not individual muscle group hypertrophy. I don't care how big my muscles are. I want max core strength and fast twitch power. Deadlifts and Standing push press are boss...cable machines are for crunches.
10:00 - I like how he doesn't have an immediate answer on the absolute worst tricep exercise. But he has yet another hilariously inappropriate analogy ready to go. Never change, Dr. Mike.
Superb video I did standing overhead presses for ~10 years after following the Starting Strength crowd. Took me the whole decade to try something new and when I substituted them with seated OHP, I had much better front delt SFR. Standing presses are bullshit. Have fun with your low back and everything else limiting you
I would like to add one thing on the rear deal discussion. Doing rear deal work as a entry-level intermediate lifter has really helped my shoulder joints. I think my shoulders were kind of out of whack from years of sitting in a chair and bad posture, so that may be a factor.
Yea, rear delt work is great if you are working on posture/imbalance issues. A good rear delt exercise forces your rear delt to do all the work and activate properly. Whereas just general pulling lets you compensate in another way.
I appreciate your insights, Milo. That's why I subscribed to your channel. That's also why I was disappointed you didn't offer any insights in this video. Mike puts out a ton of content - I know which exercises he likes and which he doesn't. I would have preferred more point-counterpoint btn you. You recently did a bicep video where you weren't to high on Mike's lying bicep curl (though I think you did it incorrectly). A discussion btn you and Mike on that would be great!
One of my new S tier exercises I learned from Dr Mike a month or so ago, the elevated smith machine reverse lunge. It makes me really tired so I end my workout with them, but the glute stimulus is absolutely insane and I don’t really feel them anywhere else other than a bit in my spinal erectors, but I need to use such little weight that it doesn’t really cause any fatigue accumulation but I swear I can feel my glutes actively growing.
I understand Mike's logic, but I still can't justify deadlifts as a D. He throws out all the different muscles it hits as a negative, and I understand what he's saying, but that can also be a positive for a lot of people, in that it gives you a lot of bang for your buck even in terms of hypertrophy. But besides that, I feel like strength training, and increasing strength is a great tool for hypertrophy training. Hitting heavy deadlifts is probably gonna help you increase the load on a number of different "S/A tier" exercises, and that's a really good thing!
100% on deficit push-ups. Best, most stimulating chest exercise I’ve ever done. The stretch is phenomenal, and if you do flat dumbbell bench press, you get another amazing stretch and ROM. Slow eccentric, pause at the bottom for max stretch, then explode up. Excellent for superior chest growth.
@@marketlider2811 he mentioned easiness of setting up the exercises. Putting a belt or weights on top of me doesn't check that box then. Generally there is no need for this exercise if you do incline you are covered for your whole chest.
@@drumline17 how am i doing wrong the deficit push ups man?? 😂😂 I'm not saying it's a bad exercise but incline is definitely better for overall chest development.
Yeah, a lot of the things Dr Mike says doesn't add up. He lists "no axial loading" as a benefit for pullups, then he goes on to say that a con is that they don't include spinal erectors... literally all movements involving the spinal erectors have axial loading. He says that pullups would be better if they were harder at the bottom when the bottom is the least hypertrophic part according to studies and actual biomechanics since the lats aren't as active. He puts overhead press in f tier but later says that he doesn't do front raises because he used to do a lot of overhead pressing which built his front delts... a lot of his opinions and advice don't add up.
Mike does a great job explaining why he ranks the exercises where he ranks them, but certain people based on their anthropometry seem to make tremendous games out of whatever barbell lift they can load the heaviest and still do in the range of motion that is intended for the lift. Also my arms are rather long I think I have pretty good insertion points or origination points whatever it is on my humerus with my pectorals and they have a barrel-shaped chest and as a result of barbell bench press the barbell decline press and the barbell incline press all worked the best for me in terms of hypertrophy because of the way I can load them. Now do I know this for certain? No I don't know this for certain because I never relied on the other lifts in my early training days when I made all my math games so I guess it's almost impossible to rape these exercises in a way that is superior to the way Mike ranks them without having metadata on people who have similar anthropometry and have performed certain lifts as their primary lifts early on because it seems like most people rely on barbell presses for the majority of their pet growth early on
Ring dips! I will never go back to standard dips because they kinda suck for my shoulders too. The locked position of a dip station is just not for everyone especially when you start to add weight with a belt. With rings, you can turn them inward, outward and easily adjust the width of the whole setup. If you lean forward your arms/wrists/shoulders will propably ´want´ to be in a different position vs a more vertical position. Also; ring excersizes are more fun, a step up in challenge and more of an actual skill. This applies to ring pullups too.
@@jeredpecoraro1668 Yes, I think it's because we can all agree a good barbell squat will always be fantastic for hypertrophy and this list has some more specific hypertrophic exercises here.
Thanks for this Dr Mike you're the best. I would have appreciated getting the best replacement exercise for the worst one in the same section or at all in the video 😅
I can't do any form of push ups because it just destroys my wrists (in regards to the deficit pushup being S tier). Barbell, dumbbells and machines are no problems though.
@@DjDolHaus86 I've tried using the rotating "perfect push up" kind of accessories, it does take away some of the pain, but its still enough for me to avoid wanting to do them. I appreciate the suggestion though!
@@JT-yx7vf yeah that's fair enough although I will say that I found the non rotating versions better as they felt more stable. If it's not for you then it's not for you, find something that works better for your body 👍 I can't do skullcrushers as they tear my elbows to pieces but I get by fine with push downs and overhead extensions
Came here to comment about the OHP too lmao in my experience the idea that it doesn’t hit side delts hard simply isn’t true and extra front delt stimulus still matters because you’re eventually plateau if you rely on just horizontal presses and lateral raises. Even with incline pressing in the mix eventually need that overhead position which is why some people even do the anterior delt/alpha destiny press where it’s pressing from a 90 degree angle to make it even more front delt biased
@@clockywork You're right that pre-stretching the pecs can be beneficial, but with extreme arching during the incline bench press, you lose the specific angle that's meant to target the upper chest muscles. While pre-stretching activates more muscle fibers, the unique benefit of the incline bench press is diminished if it starts to resemble a flat bench press too much. A slight arch can help, but extreme arching can reduce the effectiveness for that specific muscle group.
@Maiwa-wk9yhHe’s stated before that he doesn’t like the hip thrust because it’s hardest on the glutes and hamstrings in the contracted position rather than the stretched position, making it a bad exercise for hypertrophy. Basically, it’s a good strength exercise but not a great muscle builder. If you want something to build your glutes, Dr Mike recommends a split squat of some kind.
He did an entire video on why he hates the barbell hip thrust. His points mainly being it's most difficult in the contraction and annoying to set up. Then he offered absolutely fucking zero alternative options that work for people with knee problems.
It really depends on the person. Some people are just way more flexible than others just by the way their bodies grew. Still not recommended for most lol
If a big ass guy like Dr Mike can do it, then that’s pretty good evidence that it can be done safely. But you have to trained your shoulder stability and mobility in order to do so
@@TinyLegs15243 they definitely aren’t. Which is why I never said they were. 🤔 you never specified that we were talking about whether you can or should.
the list isnt actually a representative of what you should do. overhead bb press is one of the best movements you can do. just from the perspective of side delt hypertrophy it isnt that good.
@@jerppazz4525 I know. But at my age I do mostly prioritize hypertrophy in my weights at this point. The military press is just one last one I keep for the sake of making sure I can still do it
Fantastic comment and Im right there with you. This is the second "hypertrophy" expert Uve seen this week, pooping on the OHP, when both gentlemen will freely admit that they built their shoulders with the movement. If youre not a hardcore bodybuilder, its still the way because you get alot of bang for your buck, especially if your not axially loading your spine with deadlifting.
@@jerppazz4525 it's not even close to one of the best movements you can do. People tend to hyperextend their low back when the reps get hard, your core will limit you (compare seated vs standing pressing). Again: one of the most ass movements you can do.
I'm confused about the temperature of this room. Mike is in shorts but a warm thick hoodie even covering his head, whilst Milo is in trousers but rocking just a t-shirt.
Dr Mike said in a recent video about steroids that he has a bunch of negative effects from what he takes. He listed anxiety and said how bad it was while he was filming. So I imagine he's shaking, and I've known friends to wear hoodies to help hide that. I assume he'd be in his regular shirt otherwise
I actually do the "cross over" portion as a separate exercise from the flies, typically immediately after the flies... for the same reason Dr. Mike points out here about it distracting from the form and energy of the fly movement.
I always feel gaslit when people tell me OHP doesn't hit shoulders, my side delts always come out with 3liters of blood in each one and burning like a motherfucker
Because there's no convincing evidence currently to link the amount of pump or soreness to hypertrophy. They probably do something, and might even work well for you (although unlikely that well given the usual relationship of stretch with tension) but there is no scientific/evidenced basis for them to say it's any good for side delt hypertrophy.
I get a pump when I do bicep Curls in the top half and squeeze at the top but it's pretty clear that it's not as good as doing the bottom half even tho I feel it less
One of my favourite side delt exercises is Klokov-style snatch grip behind the neck overhead press for moderate to high reps. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend them as a primary side delt exercise for everyone because they don’t really get you into a super deep stretch and on top of that it can just be a difficult/uncomfortable/awkward/painful position to get into, but I love doing them and I’ve found that they skull fuck the brains out of my side delts.
Here’s my two cents: if the OHP is an exercise that excites you, keep doing it. If you watch this channel, then you’re probably not a beginner, and if the OHP helps you get in the gym and knock it out of the park, do it- its not like all the effort is a complete waste-atleast, even if marginally, you’ll grow your front delts more.
For me, Ring Pushups - S tier. Turn palms up at the top and tap the rings together (TRX doesn't work as well, but is still good) Crazy chest pump. I'll play with with deficit pushup, but I think Rings are just a better version. Only downside is you don't want to fail at the bottom of them. Maybe you could switch to deficit push ups at the end of the set.
High bar squats (preferably with elevated heels) are like the best leg exercise you could do, along with RDLs. Those two are really all you need for legs (plus calves), but of course there are lots of benefits to exercise variety too.
The head of the quad mentioned in the leg extension study is not targeted particularly well without something like a reverse nordic curl, but broadly yes those will do a very good job for most
Mike might be the only person in history that thinks that rear delts are overdeveloped on most lifters and that they shouldn't be trained in isolation. This is soooooo backwards. Rear delts are clearly one of the most underdeveloped muscles on the vast majority of lifters. It absolutely kills me everytime I hear him say this.
Yeah, shoulder impingement is one of the most common chronic injuries I see as a trainer for this exact reason. Rest delts are almost always underdeveloped, and everybody does way too much front delt work
Shoulder press is an awesome movement that gets hate just cuz it’s not side delt focused, wah wah wah. It’s a powerful movement that works your shoulders, traps, triceps, and core. Lifting heavy stuff overhead just feels like natural strength
@@KevinsKontentKorner did you even listen to the argument? front delts are sufficiently covered in other pressing movements. Dr Mike's overhead pressed 300+lbs for reps so I think he'd know.
@@clockywork but I LIKE the shoulder press and do it every push day and even I still do r have cannon shoulders. Shoulder press works more than just your overdeveloped delt, it works all 3 heads, and I just like lifting stuff high
Dr. Wolf, I'm confused about the overhead cable triceps extension having high tension in the stretch, wouldn't there be minimal tension in the lengthened position at the start if you point your elbows up to the ceiling as high as possible (as is typically recommended) since your arm is pretty much in line with the cable pulley below and behind you? And the beginning of the motion will have your hand move further back behind you as it arcs up, but there's no force trying to pull your hands forward, only downward, so tension will be minimal and gradually increase until it's maximized when the elbow reaches 90° and now the cable force is perpendicular but at this point only the long head may be slightly stretched due to the elbows being overhead and that means there's minimal tension in the stretch during the initial motion for most of the triceps. To increase tension at the start for all 3 heads wouldn't you need either your elbows to come forward and down keeping your hands by your ears or some weird cable/machine that is trying to pull your hands forward in front of your body at the start, so the force is perpendicular to the initial motion? But at that point you're not stretching the triceps long head as much since your elbows are no longer overhead or need some special equipment which I haven't seen before.
I dig Dr. Mike playing the sith lord in this one. Wait. Did you ask him to cover his head so the spot lights don't cause a massive reflection from his bald head? The fun thing about overhead barbell press is that I had never ever felt those muscles in the upper back work that were active in overhead press. And in a way it started helping some of the odd stuff going on with my back and shoulders and arms due to learning to keep tension and pushing in a stable manner. Like the exercise just doesn't allow your scapulae to do whatever they want. They will keep tight and glide on the ribcage like they were supposed to. But for side delts snatch pulls were awesome. Doesn't make much sense to me why they were the ones that made a huge difference, but it was a nice side effect. And judo off-balancing is a lot of pulling from the sleeve and lapel to face level, elbows up, secret exercises. Do like 100 reps of those every session and surprise your delts grow. Honestly just doing it for some minutes is killing the shoulders.
I love that Dr. Mike acknowledged that a cable machine is hard to come by in a regular gym because I feel like most TH-camrs assume you are always working out in an empty gym
😅 l. 😊
I recently started going to an objectively worse gym just because there’s almost always a free cable
Nothing more douchey than occupying both sides of the cable machine on a weekday 5:00. Hit the bench, kiddo.
@@dwigtschrudeI'm constantly struggling with the choice between two nearby gyms. One of them is open 24/7 and has all the equipment imaginable but I fucking hate to go there in evenings as it's so crowded (and often full of annoying high school gym bros... and crappy auto-tune pop rap blasting from the speakers).
The other one is a crappy gym with crappy opening hours and apparently their original equipment from the 80s/90s. But training there is so relaxing for the mind. Much of the time I'm literally the only customer so it's almost like having my own personal gym.
Easy choice for me, I’m going to the old place and training with old shit for sure!
Dr.Mike has entered his Palpatine era
😂
😭😭😭😭
The low body fat level has him feeling cold
Broooo😅😅😅😅😅
No, it's just that Scott the video guy isn't here, and Mike feels fragile
S Tier:
Deficit Push-Ups
Prime Machine Row
Dumbbell Pullover
A Tier:
Barbell Bench Press
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Pull-Up
Cable Overhead Tricep Extension
Barbell Bent Over Row
B Tier:
Machine Rear Delt Fly
Barbell Front Raises
Hip Thrust
C Tier:
Cable Crossover
Barbell Curl
Leg Extension
Dips
D Tier or Lower:
Dumbbell Kickback
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Deadlift
Seated Calf Raise
Hero!
How are deficit pushups S tier? And how are deadlifts D or lower?
@@punxsutawneyphil3944I honestly didn’t listen to whole thing but I’m thinking it would be from stimulus to fatigue ratio and weighted stretch in lengthened portion of the lift
Deadlift and standing OHP in d tier or lower is a crime against humanity
@@efrainmendez2623 You gotta remember Mike is always talking about strictly muscular hypertrophy unless otherwise specified. Deadlift and OHP are great for many many things, but their aren't great for growing any particular muscle. They are neccesary for building a strong base and for athletic purposes.
I could watch a 6 hour long video of Dr Mike ranking every possible exercise in existence
0:40 Barbell bench press
02:08 Cable crossover
04:05 Incline barbell benchpress
06:00 Dips
07:11 Deficit push-ups
08:14 Barbell curl
09:40 Dumbbell kickback
12:12 Cable overhead extension
14:40 Standing overhead press
17:18 Machine rear delt fly
18:33 Barbell front raises
21:39 Barbell bent over row
24:08 Prime machine row
25:46 Pull-up
27:01 Dumbbell pullover
28:16 Deadlift
31:26 Hip thrust
33:38 Leg extension
35:50 Seated calf raise
Dankeschön
Bless you sir
GOAT
wrong.
Thanks!
I like the fact that he clarifies the teir list as being specific to hypertrophy of specific muscle groups. Not whether or not it’s a “good exercise”.
Deficit pushups r not good for hypertrophy since u cant do lot of progressive overload on it
@@sumitnaiyaa You can easily put a weight vest
You can do more reps@@sumitnaiyaa
@@sumitnaiyaayou elevate your feet to add weight
@@isexuallyidentifyasanapach4720 only upto 25kg if you go above that your back will hurt and your peform will get worse
The balls to have him as a guest, just after putting him in the A-Tier of Fitness Influencers.
😂😂
I think this was recorded before. 😅
@@FiFiFilth d-tier influencers he knows nothing going to get people injured. that's y he has a big fat stomach and when on steroids still has nothing. He's a nobody
They are friends, though. And work together in some stuff if I’m not mistaken
Who TF was S Tier?!
S-tier:
7:09 Deficit Pushups
24:08 Prime Machine Row (or Chest Supported T-Bar Row if not available)
26:59 Dumbbell Pullover (or EZ bar pullover or Lat Prayers if you can’t do it).
here before eric bugenhagen turns this into a 24 episode 4 season anime adaptation
Holy buckets
Thank youuu for beeeeing my frieeeeeend
Well frick that's how you get jacked, stacked, succulent and dense. What's with all this pencil neckology?
Doctor Density
👀 LOCK THE STABLE 👀
I think Mike Israetel is my favorite guide. His intelligence, experience, and humor are hard to match.
This, but for everyday strength exercise is something I'd really like to see. Like, a tier list for the strength conscious everyman.
Agreed, Unfortunately I think too many newbs that have no interest in competing in bodybuilding will take this video as gospel, when its geared (no pun intended) towards bodybuilding. IMO most people would do well to master the deadlift and OHP before getting all nutty with some of these higher tier movements.
@@JMo-uh5cd 100%
@@JMo-uh5cd You should be required to master the big three before the knowledge in this video is made available to you.
@@JMo-uh5cdyep, I love deadlifting and seated overhead press... Will keep doing them even though they are low ranked here
Dr. Mike is saving/salvaging the health and fitness industry. Such a breath of fresh air.
This is a hypertrophy focused video in which he ranks the OHP a D. This is not health and fitness, this is bodybuilding.
He isn't really doing anything unique
13:05 - Classic Mike... explaining how he can't do a certain lift because his muscles are too big
Muscle Bound is real
@@Eparker09 but he says it a lot lol... its becoming a meme
Forgetting squat is a crazy oversight
In favor of fucking calves raises especially
Always S.
S for Squat
Squat is the king of leg exercises
Not really. It's hard to overload and push close to failure on the squat, I'm seeing more and more people swap it out for the hack squat.
Squats aren't necessary for big quads. Just look at Will Tennyson.
How on Earth could you do this whole list and not even have the barbell back squat on it? Insane.
Yea wtf?!
yea, and no biceps?
I assume it's A/S tier and therefore wasn't necessary?
Everyone knows it's a fundamental S-tier exercise so no need to spend time on that.
@@Yupppi You could’ve said the same for benches, OHP, and deadlifts and none of those got S tier.
:30 pinky pushers
:56 dominate dumbbells
1:39 foot twerve
2:34 shoulder snuggles
3:01 glooty claps
4:00 sit downs superset
4:44 couch cushions
5:30 Cobb salad
6:21 bicep bracelet
7:09 wrist wrestles
8:02 Donald trump trunks
Good one bro
All God tier workouts and must be done on a regular basis 😂
I rate both you and Dr. Mike a 10/10.
his content grows better
MIKE'S CALVES
The fact that it doesnt even look like a good/gifted genetic😮 science worked
@@shakir4969steroids.
You mean DADDIES calves?
I know right
You realize he uses steroids right? @@shakir4969
Sith look always works for Russians
Mike hates me (only A-tier after all), so he only accepted to do the tier list vid with the hood on.
The "I like you, don't come to the gym tomorrow"-look.
"I'm inside your home" look
Darth Israetel
@@Sam-vf5uc he is jew lol xD
Love the rip into the seated calf raise. Utter garbage movement that so many people use as their only calf raise movement. And boy oh boy do a lot of those people complain about their calves not growing.
The big thing that I'm surprised Dr. Mike didn't mention is the stretch/lengthened position. The calves attach at the top to the femur, above the knee, and to the foot below the ankle. Thus, in order to stretch your calf, your knee must be straight and your toes have to be pointed up (ankle dorsiflexion). It is outright physically impossible to stretch your calf with your knee at a 90 degree angle, and thus cannot be in the lengthened, most stimulating position.
Super easy to feel, too. Sit down with your knee bent. Try to pull your toes up like you're trying to touch them to your shin. While keeping your toes up, straighten your leg, and you'll feel the calf stretch. Want an effective calf movement? Gotta feel that stretch during the exercise.
Yep, standing calf raises are the only way to go. The DOMS I get from these sometimes are like nothing else.
I really appreciate this information. Doesn't the sitting and the standing work different muscles though? I've read that's why you need to do both.
@@woodfamily5229 Not to an important degree, which Dr. Mike touches on in the video. Basically, the "advantages" of the seated calf raise are outclassed in every way by any standing/straight leg calf movement.
There is some research that concluded seated calf raises preferentially target the soleus relative to the gastroc, which is true within the scope of seated calf raises. But when you expand the scope to all calf movements, straight leg movements both preferentially hit the gastroc (the part you actually see and care about) and give a much higher absolute stimulus to the soleus.
Just as example values to highlight what that means:
If seated calf raises give stimulus to the calf muscles of
Soleus: 3
Gastroc: 2
Then straight leg movements give:
Soleus: 7
Gastroc: 10
Again, those are just sample numbers to illustrate the point. The soleus is "targeted" compared to the gastroc in the seated movement, but the overall stimulus is just outright better for both parts of the calf with straight leg movements.
There's no justifiable reason to do seated calf raises where your knee is at a 90 degree angle.
@@woodfamily5229Purely from hypertrophy you don’t really need it but it’s definitely very important if your goal is to also be athletic
I've read in the past that calves are one of the more difficult muscles to grow. Probably a load of shit tho 😅
I am hyped up for the second part!
(The horsecockery-commentary part)
Dr. Density, Mr. Spice
"These are not the exercises we're looking for" Jedi energy at 6:54.
The dumbbell pullover is becoming my fav lat exercises
Dips for me are the most S tier chest excercise. Nothing gets my chest as pumped or as sore. Ring dips are even more crazy, but I only do weighted dips on a Dip bar for safety.
Agree💪🏻
Do you have a dip machine available? I found that to be the best of all options because it’s weight loaded and you don’t have to balance at all since you’re sitting down. Also super easy to change emphasis between the chest and triceps, and also you can pause at the stretch
I love dips, i only wish it could target upper pecs more. Have got lower pecs overdeveloped. Looks like old grandma tities lol.
Weighted dips on rings are about facing fears.
Same, i feel chest most with dips, and contrary to a friend pulling your legs back I put my feet forward beyond the "place where you put your feet" of the machine.
He is absolutely right about the deadlift the deadlift is actually more of a whole body power movement so it will be great for martial artists boxers or powerlifters
Did you get to 405 for reps?
If you aren't a bodybuilder your focus should core and strength,not individual muscle group hypertrophy. I don't care how big my muscles are. I want max core strength and fast twitch power. Deadlifts and Standing push press are boss...cable machines are for crunches.
I save every video Dr. Wolf puts out in order to watch it. One day he’ll actually put chapters and I’ll finally watch one.
Timestamps?
@@richtofen4888 yeah, same difference.
10:00 - I like how he doesn't have an immediate answer on the absolute worst tricep exercise. But he has yet another hilariously inappropriate analogy ready to go. Never change, Dr. Mike.
That was a really good rating of exercises, with scientific reasons, keeping in mind how most people work out. Thanks.
Only if most people train like a bodybuilder.
More tier lists please, they're awesome!!!
When the top two coaches in the same class in one video “Gets the juices flowing” amazing hats off to Doc Mike and Doc Milo 💪🏻
The best are the ones you will do consistently
Maybe the real S tier exercises were the friends we made along the way
😮😮😮
What if I do squatting with DBs one legged on a medicine ball consistently?
@@jameswilson461 think its a great exercise if u manage to not die :D
Superb video
I did standing overhead presses for ~10 years after following the Starting Strength crowd. Took me the whole decade to try something new and when I substituted them with seated OHP, I had much better front delt SFR. Standing presses are bullshit. Have fun with your low back and everything else limiting you
I will.
I would like to add one thing on the rear deal discussion. Doing rear deal work as a entry-level intermediate lifter has really helped my shoulder joints. I think my shoulders were kind of out of whack from years of sitting in a chair and bad posture, so that may be a factor.
Yea, rear delt work is great if you are working on posture/imbalance issues. A good rear delt exercise forces your rear delt to do all the work and activate properly. Whereas just general pulling lets you compensate in another way.
I do rear deals too behind mcdonalds five dollar
I appreciate your insights, Milo. That's why I subscribed to your channel. That's also why I was disappointed you didn't offer any insights in this video. Mike puts out a ton of content - I know which exercises he likes and which he doesn't. I would have preferred more point-counterpoint btn you.
You recently did a bicep video where you weren't to high on Mike's lying bicep curl (though I think you did it incorrectly). A discussion btn you and Mike on that would be great!
I personally wouldn't take this guy too seriously if he started debating Mike, given he's one quarter of the size.
Ty for bringing Darth Mike The Stretch Lord.
One of my new S tier exercises I learned from Dr Mike a month or so ago, the elevated smith machine reverse lunge. It makes me really tired so I end my workout with them, but the glute stimulus is absolutely insane and I don’t really feel them anywhere else other than a bit in my spinal erectors, but I need to use such little weight that it doesn’t really cause any fatigue accumulation but I swear I can feel my glutes actively growing.
It is the godtier glut exercise
I understand Mike's logic, but I still can't justify deadlifts as a D. He throws out all the different muscles it hits as a negative, and I understand what he's saying, but that can also be a positive for a lot of people, in that it gives you a lot of bang for your buck even in terms of hypertrophy. But besides that, I feel like strength training, and increasing strength is a great tool for hypertrophy training. Hitting heavy deadlifts is probably gonna help you increase the load on a number of different "S/A tier" exercises, and that's a really good thing!
Darth Isreatel is actually so fitting
Dr Mike Darth Vader Arc
fr fr
Mike is Palpatine, Jared is Anakin/Vader
Loved this video! You guys should do this again!
In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you're under arrest, Chancellor
I have learned as much on hypertrophy has I did on metaphors on going out with girls, and for that, I am thankful!
Dr Mike is the man! Great job guys!
Dr.Mike looking like a sith Lord here. Love it
Pretty cool video! You should do this with all major or most most famous/classic exercises.
Damn Dr Mike is baked once again🌱
As always
Contrary to popular belief, big Mike was sober here
@@WolfCoaching exactly what a baked doctor would say
Just baked from the sun
False, he is air fried
So nice to see varg vikernes interviewing Mike
That dudes incline bench press form was absurd
indeed
Alien 'bout to pop out of his chest
Felt so validated at the tri kickback conversation
18:17 was wild
Love the Imperator ranking gym exercises 😊
The Tren is strong with this Sith
Agree, agree, agree, but. I’ll fight him about the over overhead press conversation😂😂
100% on deficit push-ups. Best, most stimulating chest exercise I’ve ever done. The stretch is phenomenal, and if you do flat dumbbell bench press, you get another amazing stretch and ROM. Slow eccentric, pause at the bottom for max stretch, then explode up. Excellent for superior chest growth.
They lack the overload factor. Putting them above incline for chest is really weird
@@billagap3213they don't lack that. Use a belt or a backpack. You're already lifting like 70% of your body Weight at the stretched position
@@marketlider2811 he mentioned easiness of setting up the exercises. Putting a belt or weights on top of me doesn't check that box then. Generally there is no need for this exercise if you do incline you are covered for your whole chest.
@billagap3213 you're doing them wrong. Easy to set up and overload
@@drumline17 how am i doing wrong the deficit push ups man?? 😂😂 I'm not saying it's a bad exercise but incline is definitely better for overall chest development.
Exercise ranking marathon with Dr Mike live would be amazing
Dr Mike is SSS tier
Good thing you didn’t say SS 😂
"we'll get you in the funnel somehow" 😂 excellent video from Dr Mike as always!
ITS NOT ABOUT YOU, JEFF!!
Damn kickback always gave me best stimulus to start with so I always loved them as starting warmup😢.
Guess I could start trying alternatives.
how is a bb curl the hardest at the top? it's the hardest in the middle cause of the lever arm.. i've never seen someone fail the curl at the top
Yeah, a lot of the things Dr Mike says doesn't add up. He lists "no axial loading" as a benefit for pullups, then he goes on to say that a con is that they don't include spinal erectors... literally all movements involving the spinal erectors have axial loading. He says that pullups would be better if they were harder at the bottom when the bottom is the least hypertrophic part according to studies and actual biomechanics since the lats aren't as active. He puts overhead press in f tier but later says that he doesn't do front raises because he used to do a lot of overhead pressing which built his front delts... a lot of his opinions and advice don't add up.
I think he meant the top half of the curl
Mike does a great job explaining why he ranks the exercises where he ranks them, but certain people based on their anthropometry seem to make tremendous games out of whatever barbell lift they can load the heaviest and still do in the range of motion that is intended for the lift. Also my arms are rather long I think I have pretty good insertion points or origination points whatever it is on my humerus with my pectorals and they have a barrel-shaped chest and as a result of barbell bench press the barbell decline press and the barbell incline press all worked the best for me in terms of hypertrophy because of the way I can load them. Now do I know this for certain? No I don't know this for certain because I never relied on the other lifts in my early training days when I made all my math games so I guess it's almost impossible to rape these exercises in a way that is superior to the way Mike ranks them without having metadata on people who have similar anthropometry and have performed certain lifts as their primary lifts early on because it seems like most people rely on barbell presses for the majority of their pet growth early on
That dip form tore my rotator cuff
Ring dips! I will never go back to standard dips because they kinda suck for my shoulders too. The locked position of a dip station is just not for everyone especially when you start to add weight with a belt. With rings, you can turn them inward, outward and easily adjust the width of the whole setup. If you lean forward your arms/wrists/shoulders will propably ´want´ to be in a different position vs a more vertical position. Also; ring excersizes are more fun, a step up in challenge and more of an actual skill. This applies to ring pullups too.
Skill issue for sure.
7:50 I like that you keep the struggle part of the video demonstration of the exercise.
You picked the worst exercises. No dumbbell variations whatsoever
because they dont deserve to be up there. Plus a dumbell exercise has been ranked s tier anyway.
Yeah some of these I’ve never seen anyonrbdo
Did they seriously leave barbell squats off the list completely?
@@jeredpecoraro1668 Yes, I think it's because we can all agree a good barbell squat will always be fantastic for hypertrophy and this list has some more specific hypertrophic exercises here.
Dumbells and Barbells are fine verity is key barbells allow you to load up the movement and dumbellels allow more rom
Thanks for this Dr Mike you're the best. I would have appreciated getting the best replacement exercise for the worst one in the same section or at all in the video 😅
I can't do any form of push ups because it just destroys my wrists (in regards to the deficit pushup being S tier). Barbell, dumbbells and machines are no problems though.
Try using a pair of parallettes, I had the same issue with my wrists and they really made a night and day difference
@@DjDolHaus86 I've tried using the rotating "perfect push up" kind of accessories, it does take away some of the pain, but its still enough for me to avoid wanting to do them.
I appreciate the suggestion though!
I have that problem with my left elbow. Anything overhead or skullcrushy and Pain comes along. Gonna try jm press
@@JT-yx7vf yeah that's fair enough although I will say that I found the non rotating versions better as they felt more stable. If it's not for you then it's not for you, find something that works better for your body 👍 I can't do skullcrushers as they tear my elbows to pieces but I get by fine with push downs and overhead extensions
Develop your for arms and use pushup bars
He's so right with the cable machines. It's always hard to have it for yourself😢
Barbell frontraise in B and ohp in D is diabolical
Came here to comment about the OHP too lmao in my experience the idea that it doesn’t hit side delts hard simply isn’t true and extra front delt stimulus still matters because you’re eventually plateau if you rely on just horizontal presses and lateral raises. Even with incline pressing in the mix eventually need that overhead position which is why some people even do the anterior delt/alpha destiny press where it’s pressing from a 90 degree angle to make it even more front delt biased
@@KurokamiNajimi real
Saying OHP has too much axial loading is crazy. What’s the most people typically OHP 225? Meanwhile squatting over 315 and deadlifting over 405!
Very interesting I wish there would be more exercices! Do a part 2
What is the benefit of extreme arching on the incline barbell bench press? Then you're essentially doing a flat bench press. 04:25
You pre-stretch the pecs is the argument Dr Mike makes. If you do that in both flat and incline, you're still more inclined in the incline bench, no?
@@clockywork You're right that pre-stretching the pecs can be beneficial, but with extreme arching during the incline bench press, you lose the specific angle that's meant to target the upper chest muscles. While pre-stretching activates more muscle fibers, the unique benefit of the incline bench press is diminished if it starts to resemble a flat bench press too much. A slight arch can help, but extreme arching can reduce the effectiveness for that specific muscle group.
What I've always thought. And then increasing the angle just gets the front delts super involved.. Never found my way with the incline bench
love DB pullovers, he’s right about the tricep activation too, mine are always fried the next day
what sort of reps do you do on them bro?
Damn, I didn't expect Dr Mike to put Barbell Hip Thrust and Standing OHP in S-Tier
@Maiwa-wk9yh just takes to much fatigue and ttime to do it nothing else and that you can program your spplit just so you dont need it mybe
@Maiwa-wk9yhcause its mid
@Maiwa-wk9yhHe’s stated before that he doesn’t like the hip thrust because it’s hardest on the glutes and hamstrings in the contracted position rather than the stretched position, making it a bad exercise for hypertrophy. Basically, it’s a good strength exercise but not a great muscle builder. If you want something to build your glutes, Dr Mike recommends a split squat of some kind.
He did an entire video on why he hates the barbell hip thrust. His points mainly being it's most difficult in the contraction and annoying to set up. Then he offered absolutely fucking zero alternative options that work for people with knee problems.
@@kinginthenorth1437 fix your knees.
would be nice to have a very quick visual example before each excerise slots into it's rank
I've neve seen anyone dip that low, there is no way that could be good for your shoulders long term.
even short term lol
It really depends on the person. Some people are just way more flexible than others just by the way their bodies grew. Still not recommended for most lol
If a big ass guy like Dr Mike can do it, then that’s pretty good evidence that it can be done safely. But you have to trained your shoulder stability and mobility in order to do so
@@josemesa2934 Can and should are not the same thing
@@TinyLegs15243 they definitely aren’t. Which is why I never said they were. 🤔 you never specified that we were talking about whether you can or should.
I disagree with him on deadlifts - but switch out the Hex Bar for the straight bar for hypertrophy and the legs and traps and back grows a ton.
I can't wait for sticky Ricky to review this.
That's definitely the name of a Batman villain
First thing that came to mind…. BUT ERIIIC!!!?!
Darth Mike is very knowledgeable in lifting and using the dark side of it.
I totally understand everything he said about the standing overhead bb press but I still plan to do them tomorrow
the list isnt actually a representative of what you should do. overhead bb press is one of the best movements you can do. just from the perspective of side delt hypertrophy it isnt that good.
@@jerppazz4525 I know. But at my age I do mostly prioritize hypertrophy in my weights at this point. The military press is just one last one I keep for the sake of making sure I can still do it
Fantastic comment and Im right there with you. This is the second "hypertrophy" expert Uve seen this week, pooping on the OHP, when both gentlemen will freely admit that they built their shoulders with the movement. If youre not a hardcore bodybuilder, its still the way because you get alot of bang for your buck, especially if your not axially loading your spine with deadlifting.
@@JMo-uh5cdwhere has Mike said he built his shoulders/side delts with OHP?
@@jerppazz4525 it's not even close to one of the best movements you can do. People tend to hyperextend their low back when the reps get hard, your core will limit you (compare seated vs standing pressing). Again: one of the most ass movements you can do.
This is an S tier video.
Commenting to demand S-tier justice for pull ups
Great video btw
he gave his reasons bro
I'm confused about the temperature of this room. Mike is in shorts but a warm thick hoodie even covering his head, whilst Milo is in trousers but rocking just a t-shirt.
Dr Mike said in a recent video about steroids that he has a bunch of negative effects from what he takes. He listed anxiety and said how bad it was while he was filming. So I imagine he's shaking, and I've known friends to wear hoodies to help hide that. I assume he'd be in his regular shirt otherwise
@@shannonhepp3328 also when youre on tons of gear and have seen yourself pumped to the max you never wanna see yourself regular again 🤣
I actually do the "cross over" portion as a separate exercise from the flies, typically immediately after the flies... for the same reason Dr. Mike points out here about it distracting from the form and energy of the fly movement.
s tier bulge during the hip thrusts
Science nerd packing
Dumbbell pullover is a life changing exercise for me.
No squats? I want to hear where he would rank squats.
S no question
@@DroneCorpse Don't be so sure when deadlifts got ranked D lol
7:59 No cap?
Appreciate starting with the chest, I was waiting for the incline barbell bench.
I always feel gaslit when people tell me OHP doesn't hit shoulders, my side delts always come out with 3liters of blood in each one and burning like a motherfucker
Because there's no convincing evidence currently to link the amount of pump or soreness to hypertrophy. They probably do something, and might even work well for you (although unlikely that well given the usual relationship of stretch with tension) but there is no scientific/evidenced basis for them to say it's any good for side delt hypertrophy.
I get a pump when I do bicep Curls in the top half and squeeze at the top but it's pretty clear that it's not as good as doing the bottom half even tho I feel it less
One of my favourite side delt exercises is Klokov-style snatch grip behind the neck overhead press for moderate to high reps. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend them as a primary side delt exercise for everyone because they don’t really get you into a super deep stretch and on top of that it can just be a difficult/uncomfortable/awkward/painful position to get into, but I love doing them and I’ve found that they skull fuck the brains out of my side delts.
Here’s my two cents: if the OHP is an exercise that excites you, keep doing it. If you watch this channel, then you’re probably not a beginner, and if the OHP helps you get in the gym and knock it out of the park, do it- its not like all the effort is a complete waste-atleast, even if marginally, you’ll grow your front delts more.
@@cole4832 Thats not the same at all. Side delts are still very stimulated during OHP, even more so if you flare your elbows and use a wider grip.
For me, Ring Pushups - S tier. Turn palms up at the top and tap the rings together (TRX doesn't work as well, but is still good) Crazy chest pump. I'll play with with deficit pushup, but I think Rings are just a better version. Only downside is you don't want to fail at the bottom of them. Maybe you could switch to deficit push ups at the end of the set.
Squats?
They don't know squats.
High bar squats (preferably with elevated heels) are like the best leg exercise you could do, along with RDLs. Those two are really all you need for legs (plus calves), but of course there are lots of benefits to exercise variety too.
The head of the quad mentioned in the leg extension study is not targeted particularly well without something like a reverse nordic curl, but broadly yes those will do a very good job for most
Great vid! btw where'd you get the shirt with Atlas holding the universe? looks awesome
Mike might be the only person in history that thinks that rear delts are overdeveloped on most lifters and that they shouldn't be trained in isolation. This is soooooo backwards. Rear delts are clearly one of the most underdeveloped muscles on the vast majority of lifters. It absolutely kills me everytime I hear him say this.
Mike has only experience with enhanced people, that is why
Mike is a clown. So many bad takes lately. Even contradicted himself twice in this video alone.
yeah, very strange. id argue no front delt is fine but rear delt is as important as sides. thats how you get the bowling balls
Yeah, shoulder impingement is one of the most common chronic injuries I see as a trainer for this exact reason. Rest delts are almost always underdeveloped, and everybody does way too much front delt work
I was about to mention this. Most don’t train their rear delts and it needs special attention. That is back to front.
That was wonderful.
Don't skip the shoulder press. Shoulder press is a major movement also, definitely train your rear delts.
Shoulder press is an awesome movement that gets hate just cuz it’s not side delt focused, wah wah wah. It’s a powerful movement that works your shoulders, traps, triceps, and core. Lifting heavy stuff overhead just feels like natural strength
@@KevinsKontentKorner did you even listen to the argument? front delts are sufficiently covered in other pressing movements. Dr Mike's overhead pressed 300+lbs for reps so I think he'd know.
What a lazy post. Dr Mike went into detail on his views on them and you've come here and gone 'nah do them cos they're good'. Fuck off.
@@clockywork but I LIKE the shoulder press and do it every push day and even I still do r have cannon shoulders. Shoulder press works more than just your overdeveloped delt, it works all 3 heads, and I just like lifting stuff high
I want another video ranking exercise for sheer athletic power for like wrestling and mma
Putting Ohp in D tier is criminal.
And fronraise in B
Cope harder
@@MisikeMegbaszomAnyadatnah they’re right, that’s a criminal take.
Ohp is d tier if you're already doing bench/incline bench and we already know you are. Everyone is doing those, ohp is redundant
@@drumline17 worst opinion ive ever heard. Ohp would be the LEAST redundant. Deficit pushups is redundant, which are S tirr
Dr. Wolf, I'm confused about the overhead cable triceps extension having high tension in the stretch, wouldn't there be minimal tension in the lengthened position at the start if you point your elbows up to the ceiling as high as possible (as is typically recommended) since your arm is pretty much in line with the cable pulley below and behind you?
And the beginning of the motion will have your hand move further back behind you as it arcs up, but there's no force trying to pull your hands forward, only downward, so tension will be minimal and gradually increase until it's maximized when the elbow reaches 90° and now the cable force is perpendicular but at this point only the long head may be slightly stretched due to the elbows being overhead and that means there's minimal tension in the stretch during the initial motion for most of the triceps.
To increase tension at the start for all 3 heads wouldn't you need either your elbows to come forward and down keeping your hands by your ears or some weird cable/machine that is trying to pull your hands forward in front of your body at the start, so the force is perpendicular to the initial motion?
But at that point you're not stretching the triceps long head as much since your elbows are no longer overhead or need some special equipment which I haven't seen before.
Just putting your elbi therir puts tension on the trizep without any weight pulling
This guy talks with so much arrogance its crazy that Mike even considered him
I dig Dr. Mike playing the sith lord in this one. Wait. Did you ask him to cover his head so the spot lights don't cause a massive reflection from his bald head?
The fun thing about overhead barbell press is that I had never ever felt those muscles in the upper back work that were active in overhead press. And in a way it started helping some of the odd stuff going on with my back and shoulders and arms due to learning to keep tension and pushing in a stable manner. Like the exercise just doesn't allow your scapulae to do whatever they want. They will keep tight and glide on the ribcage like they were supposed to. But for side delts snatch pulls were awesome. Doesn't make much sense to me why they were the ones that made a huge difference, but it was a nice side effect. And judo off-balancing is a lot of pulling from the sleeve and lapel to face level, elbows up, secret exercises. Do like 100 reps of those every session and surprise your delts grow. Honestly just doing it for some minutes is killing the shoulders.
31:39 Dr. Wolf packing 😳
That Arabian trouser snake
great mike, never did a crossover and never will