Ranking The Worst & Best Exercises for Muscle Building (ft. Dr Mike Israetel)

Key wellness, self-care, and productivity takeaways (from the exercise ranking discussion)

Training principles / “how to choose exercises”

• Choose exercises where the target muscle becomes the limiting factor—not overall fatigue, awkward mechanics, or systemic “burn.”
• Prefer exercises that load the muscle effectively in the lengthened/stretch position, since that tends to support hypertrophy.
• Match the exercise to the lifter. Even “A/S” moves may not fit everyone due to anatomy, joint comfort, and technique.
• Use exercise specificity:
  • Overhead pressing patterns often emphasize front delts & triceps more than lateral delts.
  • Some “arm” or “chest” movements may hit different muscles unless technique is dialed in.

Warm-up / injury risk management

• Warm up and control reps.
  • Example noted: bench press setup—wrong setup can increase risk.
  • Sets around ~3 reps in the 5–10 and especially 10–15+ rep ranges were cited as helpful.
• Avoid poor mechanics.
  • Shoulder/elbow/wrist pain during curls was attributed partly to discomfort and form/implementation.

Practical technique upgrades (often repeatedly emphasized)

Chest

• Bench press — A
  • Praised for strain at the maximally stretched position, free bar path adjustability, grip-based variability, and relative safety.
• Incline barbell press — A
  • Especially good for emphasizing upper chest.
  • Technique cues: proper arch + scapular set.
• Deficit push-ups — S
  • Minimal equipment, large amplitude, deep stretch at the bottom.
  • Emphasis increases as the movement becomes more perpendicular to gravity.
• Cable crossover — C
  • Not worth it compared to better options; “crossover” emphasis may steal energy from the lengthening stimulus.
• Parallel bar dips / push-up variant — typically C
  • Usually limited by triceps fatigue before chest limitation.
  • Can improve if positioning forces chest to be the limiter (hand placement, lean angle, legs/stance).

Arms

• Barbell curls — C
  • Hardest at the top rather than bottom.
  • EZ-bar may be more joint-friendly; availability can also matter.
• Triceps rope pushdowns / overhead rope extensions — generally discouraged
  • Rated “S-level” rope extensions were called “fiction” by the speaker.
• Overhead triceps extension on a block — A/S
  • Key technique: keep elbows tight, linger at the bottom.
  • Noted for superset convenience with narrow-grip push-ups.
• Cable overhead / front triceps extensions — criticized
  • Rope attachment can waste effort straightening arms and spreading ends at the top, reducing the growth stimulus.

Shoulders

• Standing barbell overhead press — D
  • Criticized as a “shoulder exercise” in the usual sense (more front delts/triceps & full-body fatigue).
• Recommendation
  • If pressing for shoulders, do it seated to reduce systemic fatigue and axial stress.
• Machine rear-delt extensions — B
  • Caveat: good back work may already develop rear delts sufficiently; better options may exist.
• Arnold/front-barbell lift (direct grip, emphasis for middle delts) — B
  • Not ideal due to limited stretched-position tension and potential technique issues.

Back

• Incline barbell pull / incline row-style deadlift — A-tier
  • Strong “whole back” feel, especially with advanced deep-stretch emphasis.
  • Not fully S because resistance/stress may not optimize lengthening vs contraction.
• Pull-ups — top-tier
  • Praised as very effective for lat development with low axial load and consistent tension across directions.
• Machine row (Prime/lever-style simulator)
  • Excellent control, minimal friction, and good ability to tune stretch/tension.
• Dumbbell pullover — S-level
  • Works when technique/mental focus targets lats and long-head triceps (not “just chest”).
  • Block/“prayer”/mobility-friendly variations also recommended.

“Best/worst” exercise judgments used as guidance

• Deadlift — D
  • Very high fatigue: axial/systemic/psychological.
  • Target isolation is unclear; better for general strength base than hypertrophy-focused stimulus.
• Hip thrust — B
  • Strong glute isolation and potential for technical perfection.
  • Loses points because it’s hardest at the top and offers less glute stretch than alternatives.
• Leg extension (typical use) — usually C
  • Many machines limit quad stretching and only provide partial range.
  • Upgrade path to make it worth it: lean back, push knees forward, maximize deep stretch—then it can become S-level (with refinement).
• Seated toe raises — D/E/F/Z range
  • Labeled as “worst” because they mostly bias soleus in a way that may not build the desired “stage calf diamond,” and are inefficient vs alternatives.

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Bullet-point “what to do next” (actionable rules implied by the ranking)

• Pick at least 1–2 exercises per muscle that create strong tension in the lengthened/stretch position, not only peak contraction.
• Prefer movements where your target muscle is the limiter, rather than whole-body fatigue or joint discomfort.
• Use technique to shift emphasis:
  • Front vs lateral vs rear delts based on pressing mechanics and body positioning.
  • Lats in pullover/pull variations via cueing and mental muscle connection.
  • Quad growth on leg extension only if you can achieve deep hip/knee stretch.
• Don’t chase “high effort” if it’s misallocated (e.g., deadlifts for hypertrophy vs isolation-focused work).
• Choose joint-friendly variations when needed (EZ-bar vs straight bar; seated presses to reduce systemic fatigue).

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Presenters / sources

• Dr. Mike Israetel
• Mentions/appears associated with Jared (name not fully given in the subtitles)
• RP Strength (YouTube channel mentioned as where to find Dr. Mike)