Exercise library

How to do 91 exercises properly

Every exercise in the Top 1% Fit programme, with the form cues that matter and the mistakes people actually make. Written for gym, dumbbell-only and bodyweight training.

Squat (Quads)

6 exercises

Barbell Back Squat

Gym · Quads, Glutes, Core · also called Back squat

How to do it

  • Rest the bar across your upper traps, never on your neck
  • Feet shoulder-width, toes turned out 20–30°
  • Breathe in, brace your abs, then descend
  • Track your knees over your toes — do not let them cave in
  • Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor

Common mistakes

  • Heels lifting — drive through the whole foot
  • Lower back rounding at the bottom; reduce depth until mobility improves
  • Loading too heavy and cutting the range of motion short

Goblet Squat

Dumbbell · Quads, Glutes, Core · also called Dumbbell front squat

How to do it

  • Hold one dumbbell against your chest with both hands
  • Let your elbows travel inside your knees at the bottom
  • Chest up, spine neutral throughout

Common mistakes

  • Leaning forward as the weight gets heavy
  • Rushing the ascent — take 2 seconds down, 1 second up

Bodyweight Squat

Bodyweight · Quads, Glutes · also called Air squat

How to do it

  • Extend your arms forward for balance
  • Sit down and back as if reaching for a chair
  • Use full depth with controlled tempo

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing through reps instead of controlling the descent

Leg Press

Gym · Quads, Glutes

How to do it

  • Feet mid-platform, roughly shoulder-width
  • Lower until your knees reach about 90°, keeping your lower back flat on the pad
  • Stop just short of locking your knees

Common mistakes

  • Bringing the knees to the chest — this lifts the pelvis off the pad
  • Snapping the knees into lockout

Hack Squat

Gym · Quads, Glutes

How to do it

  • Keep your back flat against the pad throughout
  • Place your feet slightly forward to bias the quads

Common mistakes

  • Letting the heels rise off the platform

Wall Sit

Bodyweight · Quads · also called Isometric squat hold

How to do it

  • Back flat against the wall, knees at 90°
  • Hold for time rather than counting reps

Common mistakes

  • Resting your hands on your thighs — that removes the load

Hip Hinge (Hamstrings / Glutes)

6 exercises

Barbell Deadlift

Gym · Hamstrings, Glutes, Back, Traps · also called Conventional deadlift

How to do it

  • Bar over mid-foot, almost touching your shins
  • Hips back, chest up, spine completely neutral
  • Do not think about lifting the bar — think about pushing the floor away
  • At lockout squeeze your glutes; do not lean back

Common mistakes

  • Rounding the lower back — the single most common cause of injury here
  • Letting the bar drift away from your body
  • Loading beyond what your technique can hold

Romanian Deadlift

Gym · Hamstrings, Glutes · also called RDL

How to do it

  • Keep a soft, fixed bend in your knees
  • Push your hips back and let the bar graze your legs on the way down
  • Stop when you feel a strong hamstring stretch

Common mistakes

  • Turning it into a squat — this is a hip hinge
  • Rounding the lower back to chase extra depth

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Dumbbell · Hamstrings, Glutes · also called Dumbbell RDL

How to do it

  • Keep the dumbbells close to your legs on the descent
  • Hips back, chest up

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees too much and losing the hamstring stretch

Good Morning

Gym · Hamstrings, Lower Back

How to do it

  • Start far lighter than you think you need
  • Hinge at the hips with a rigid, neutral spine

Common mistakes

  • Going heavy — the leverage here is unforgiving

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

Bodyweight · Hamstrings, Glutes, Balance · also called Single-leg RDL

How to do it

  • Stand on one leg, extend the other straight behind you
  • Hips back, torso forward — body and rear leg form one line
  • Feel the stretch in the standing leg hamstring
  • Hold a bag or bottle to add resistance

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips rotate open — keep both hip bones facing the floor
  • Bending the standing knee too much

Band Good Morning

Bodyweight · Hamstrings, Glutes

How to do it

  • Stand on the band, loop it over your shoulders
  • Hinge at the hips with a completely flat back

Common mistakes

  • Squatting instead of hinging

Glutes

2 exercises

Barbell Hip Thrust

Dumbbell · Glutes, Hamstrings

How to do it

  • Upper back on a bench, chin slightly tucked
  • Squeeze the glutes hard for a full second at the top
  • Drive with the glutes, not the lower back

Common mistakes

  • Over-arching the lower back at lockout

Glute Bridge

Bodyweight · Glutes · also called Floor bridge

How to do it

  • Push through your heels and squeeze at the top
  • Keep your abs braced

Common mistakes

  • Lifting with the lower back instead of the glutes

Hamstring Isolation

3 exercises

Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Bodyweight · Hamstrings, Glutes

How to do it

  • One leg raised, drive through the heel of the other
  • Keep your hips level — do not let one side drop

Common mistakes

  • Arching the lower back to gain height

Lying Leg Curl

Gym · Hamstrings · also called Hamstring curl

How to do it

  • Keep your hips pressed into the pad
  • Lower over 3 seconds — the negative is where the growth is

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the hips to move more weight

Nordic Hamstring Curl

Bodyweight · Hamstrings

How to do it

  • Anchor your heels under something solid
  • Lower yourself as slowly as possible, catch with your hands

Common mistakes

  • Bending at the hips instead of staying rigid

Lunge / Single Leg

4 exercises

Dumbbell Walking Lunge

Dumbbell · Quads, Glutes · also called Walking lunge

How to do it

  • Take a long step; both knees should reach about 90°
  • Keep your torso upright

Common mistakes

  • Slamming the rear knee into the floor

Bulgarian Split Squat

Dumbbell · Quads, Glutes · also called Rear-foot elevated split squat

How to do it

  • Rear foot on a bench behind you
  • Place the front foot far enough forward that the knee stays over the mid-foot
  • This one is uncomfortable by design — that is why it works

Common mistakes

  • Too short a stance, which turns it into a knee-dominant grind

Bodyweight Lunge

Bodyweight · Quads, Glutes · also called Reverse lunge

How to do it

  • Lower under control, drive up through the front heel

Common mistakes

  • Losing balance — hold a wall for support while you learn

Step Up

Dumbbell · Quads, Glutes · also called Box step-up

How to do it

  • Use a box around knee height
  • Drive with the top leg, not by pushing off the bottom foot

Common mistakes

  • Hopping off the trailing leg

Quad Isolation

3 exercises

Tempo Split Squat

Bodyweight · Quads, Glutes · also called Slow split squat

How to do it

  • 3 seconds down, 1 second pause, 1 second up
  • Tempo alone makes this hard without any weight

Common mistakes

  • Rushing the reps and losing the whole effect

Assisted Sissy Squat

Bodyweight · Quads

How to do it

  • Knees travel forward while the hips stay extended
  • Hold a doorframe or post for balance
  • Body leans back as one straight line

Common mistakes

  • Bending at the hips, which turns it back into a squat

Leg Extension

Gym · Quads

How to do it

  • Squeeze for one second at full extension
  • Control the descent

Common mistakes

  • Jerking the weight up

Horizontal Push (Chest)

6 exercises

Barbell Bench Press

Gym · Chest, Triceps, Front Delts · also called Flat bench press

How to do it

  • Pull your shoulder blades back and down, chest proud
  • Touch the bar to your mid-chest, around nipple line
  • Keep elbows at roughly 45–60° from your torso, not flared to 90°
  • Plant your feet firmly on the floor

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing the bar off your chest
  • Flaring the elbows straight out — a reliable path to shoulder pain
  • Stopping short of the chest

Dumbbell Bench Press

Dumbbell · Chest, Triceps

How to do it

  • Lower until you feel a full stretch across the chest
  • Do not clash the dumbbells at the top

Common mistakes

  • Going too heavy and losing control at the bottom

Incline Dumbbell Press

Dumbbell · Upper Chest, Front Delts

How to do it

  • Set the bench to about 30° — steeper turns it into a shoulder press
  • The most effective builder for the upper chest

Common mistakes

  • Setting the bench too steep

Push-Up

Bodyweight · Chest, Triceps, Core

How to do it

  • Body forms one straight line from head to heels
  • Elbows at about 45° from your torso
  • Lower until your chest is just off the floor

Common mistakes

  • Hips sagging or piking up
  • Cutting the range of motion short

Feet-Elevated Push-Up

Bodyweight · Upper Chest, Shoulders · also called Decline push-up

How to do it

  • Feet on a bed, chair or box
  • A harder variation that biases the upper chest

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back sag

Chest Dips

Bodyweight · Chest, Triceps · also called Parallel bar dips

How to do it

  • Lean forward slightly to shift the load onto the chest
  • Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears

Common mistakes

  • Descending too deep and straining the shoulder capsule

Chest Isolation

5 exercises

Tempo Push-Up

Bodyweight · Chest · also called Slow push-up

How to do it

  • Hands slightly wider than shoulders
  • 3 seconds down, 1 second up
  • Not true isolation, but it maximises chest tension

Common mistakes

  • Fast reps — the tempo is the entire point

Dumbbell Fly

Dumbbell · Chest

How to do it

  • Keep a soft, fixed bend in the elbows
  • Think of the motion as wrapping your arms around a barrel
  • Chase the stretch, not the weight

Common mistakes

  • Turning it into a press
  • Going heavy and straining the elbow joint

Cable Crossover

Gym · Chest

How to do it

  • Cables keep tension constant through the whole range
  • Cross your hands slightly at the finish

Common mistakes

  • Using body english to swing the handles

Machine Chest Fly

Gym · Chest · also called Pec deck

How to do it

  • Back flat against the pad, slow tempo

Common mistakes

  • Over-stretching at the back of the movement

Band Chest Fly

Bodyweight · Chest

How to do it

  • Run the band behind your back, bring your hands together in front
  • Soft, fixed elbow bend
  • Hold the squeeze for one second

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows and turning it into a press

Vertical Push (Shoulders)

4 exercises

Standing Overhead Press

Gym · Shoulders, Triceps, Core · also called Military press

How to do it

  • Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs so the lower back stays neutral
  • Move your head back slightly so the bar travels straight up
  • At lockout the bar should sit over your ears

Common mistakes

  • Driving with the legs and lower back on a strict press
  • Pressing the bar around your head instead of over it

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Dumbbell · Shoulders, Triceps

How to do it

  • Keep your elbows slightly in front of your body
  • Press to full lockout

Common mistakes

  • Arching the lower back to finish the rep

Pike Push-Up

Bodyweight · Shoulders, Triceps

How to do it

  • Hips high in an inverted V, head travels toward the floor
  • This is the bodyweight equivalent of a shoulder press

Common mistakes

  • Letting it collapse into a regular push-up

Arnold Press

Dumbbell · Shoulders

How to do it

  • Start with palms facing you, rotate outward as you press
  • Keep the rotation slow and deliberate

Common mistakes

  • Going too heavy and losing the rotation

Vertical Pull (Back Width)

4 exercises

Pull-Up

Bodyweight · Lats, Biceps, Upper Back

How to do it

  • Grip slightly wider than shoulder-width
  • Depress your shoulder blades first, then drive the elbows down
  • Chin clears the bar

Common mistakes

  • Kipping or swinging for momentum
  • Partial reps — start from a full dead hang

Lat Pulldown

Gym · Lats, Biceps

How to do it

  • Chest up with a slight backward lean
  • Pull the bar to your collarbone, never behind your neck
  • Think about driving your elbows toward your back pockets

Common mistakes

  • Leaning far back and using momentum
  • Behind-the-neck pulldowns — an unnecessary shoulder risk

Band-Assisted Pull-Up

Bodyweight · Lats, Biceps

How to do it

  • Loop the band under your feet or knees
  • Move to a thinner band every couple of weeks

Common mistakes

  • Relying on a band so thick it does the work for you

Chin-Up

Bodyweight · Lats, Biceps

How to do it

  • Palms facing you — noticeably more biceps involvement

Common mistakes

  • Partial range of motion

Horizontal Pull (Back Thickness)

7 exercises

Barbell Bent-Over Row

Gym · Back, Rear Delts, Biceps · also called Barbell row

How to do it

  • Torso at about 45° or lower
  • Pull the bar toward your stomach, not your chest
  • Flat back, neutral neck

Common mistakes

  • Standing up between reps to cheat the weight up
  • Rounding the lower back

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

Dumbbell · Lats, Back · also called One-arm row

How to do it

  • One knee on the bench for support
  • Pull the elbow past your ribs, keeping it close to your body
  • Squeeze for a full second at the top

Common mistakes

  • Rotating the torso to move more weight

Seated Cable Row

Gym · Back, Rear Delts

How to do it

  • Chest up, shoulders back at the finish
  • Allow a full lat stretch at the front of each rep

Common mistakes

  • Rocking back and forth from the lower back

Inverted Row

Bodyweight · Back, Biceps · also called Body row

How to do it

  • Lie under a sturdy bar or table and pull your chest to it
  • Keep your body in a straight line

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips sag

Seated Band Row

Bodyweight · Back, Biceps

How to do it

  • Sit with the band looped around your feet
  • Pull your elbows past your ribs
  • Hold the squeeze for one second

Common mistakes

  • Rounding the back
  • Pulling with the arms instead of the back

Towel Door Row

Bodyweight · Back

How to do it

  • Loop a towel around a sturdy door handle
  • Lean back until your arms are straight, then pull
  • The further forward your feet, the harder it gets

Common mistakes

  • Using a door that is not solidly anchored — check it first

T-Bar Row

Gym · Back

How to do it

  • Use a chest-supported version if available
  • Full stretch at the bottom, full squeeze at the top

Common mistakes

  • Loading more than your back can control

Side Delt Isolation

4 exercises

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Dumbbell · Side Delts · also called Side raise

How to do it

  • Go light — 5–10 kg is plenty for most people
  • Lead with the elbow, slightly above hand height
  • Raise to shoulder height, no higher
  • Lower over 3 seconds

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the weight up with the whole body — the most common error on this lift
  • Choosing a weight that forces momentum

Cable Lateral Raise

Gym · Side Delts

How to do it

  • Constant tension throughout — more effective than dumbbells here

Common mistakes

  • Using momentum

Band Lateral Raise

Bodyweight · Side Delts

How to do it

  • Stand on the band, raise your arms out to the sides
  • Stop at shoulder height
  • Tension peaks at the top, which is exactly where you want it

Common mistakes

  • Using a band so heavy your form breaks down

Front Raise

Bodyweight · Front Delts · also called Plate or bottle raise

How to do it

  • Use a plate, or a filled water bottle at home
  • Raise straight in front to shoulder height

Common mistakes

  • Swinging from the lower back

Upper Back / Rear Delt

4 exercises

Rear Delt Fly

Dumbbell · Rear Delts, Upper Back · also called Bent-over reverse fly

How to do it

  • Hinge forward to about 45°
  • Drive your elbows back rather than lifting the weights
  • One of the best exercises for posture

Common mistakes

  • Letting it become a row

Cable Face Pull

Gym · Rear Delts, Traps

How to do it

  • Pull the rope toward your face with elbows high
  • The single best corrective for rounded-shoulder posture
  • Worth 2–3 sets in most sessions

Common mistakes

  • Going too heavy and losing the high-elbow position

Band Pull-Apart

Bodyweight · Rear Delts, Upper Back

How to do it

  • Band at chest height, arms straight
  • Squeeze the shoulder blades together

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows

Dumbbell Shrug

Dumbbell · Traps

How to do it

  • Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears
  • No rolling

Common mistakes

  • Circular shoulder rolls, which add risk without benefit

Biceps

7 exercises

Barbell Curl

Gym · Biceps

How to do it

  • Elbows pinned to your sides
  • No swinging from the lower back
  • Full squeeze at the top, full stretch at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows drift forward
  • Using the whole body to move the bar

Dumbbell Curl

Dumbbell · Biceps

How to do it

  • Alternate arms or curl both together
  • Supinate — rotate your palm up — at the top

Common mistakes

  • Swinging

Hammer Curl

Dumbbell · Biceps, Forearms

How to do it

  • Palms facing each other throughout
  • The best builder for overall arm thickness

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows travel

Incline Dumbbell Curl

Dumbbell · Biceps

How to do it

  • Bench at 45–60°, let your arms hang behind you
  • Maximum stretch means maximum growth stimulus

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the elbows forward and losing the stretch

Preacher Curl

Gym · Biceps

How to do it

  • Keep your elbows planted on the pad
  • Stop just short of full extension at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Snapping into a fully locked elbow under load

Band Biceps Curl

Bodyweight · Biceps

How to do it

  • Stand on the band, elbows pinned to your sides
  • Pause for one second at the top
  • Lower over 3 seconds — band tension is highest here

Common mistakes

  • Rushing the reps
  • Letting the elbows drift forward

Backpack Curl

Bodyweight · Biceps · also called Bag curl

How to do it

  • Load a backpack with books or water bottles
  • Same mechanics as a standard curl — elbows fixed

Common mistakes

  • Using too little load to create a real stimulus

Triceps

5 exercises

Cable Triceps Pushdown

Gym · Triceps

How to do it

  • Elbows locked against your sides
  • Extend to a full lockout, not just partway

Common mistakes

  • Driving the weight down with your shoulders

Skullcrusher

Dumbbell · Triceps · also called Lying triceps extension

How to do it

  • Elbows fixed — only the forearms move
  • Lower to just behind your forehead

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows flare outward

Overhead Triceps Extension

Dumbbell · Triceps

How to do it

  • Best exercise for the long head — the stretch is the point
  • Keep your elbows close to your ears

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows out

Bench Dip

Bodyweight · Triceps

How to do it

  • Hands on a bench behind you, hips dropping straight down
  • Elbows travel backward

Common mistakes

  • Dropping too low and stressing the shoulder

Diamond Push-Up

Bodyweight · Triceps, Chest · also called Close-grip push-up

How to do it

  • Hands close together forming a diamond
  • Elbows stay close to the body

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows

Calves

2 exercises

Standing Calf Raise

Bodyweight · Calves

How to do it

  • Full stretch at the bottom, full contraction at the top
  • Pause 2 seconds at the top
  • Calves respond to higher reps — aim for 15–20

Common mistakes

  • Short, bouncy reps

Seated Calf Raise

Gym · Calves (Soleus)

How to do it

  • The bent knee shifts the work to the soleus

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing out of the bottom

Core / Abs

8 exercises

Plank

Bodyweight · Core · also called Front plank

How to do it

  • Elbows directly under your shoulders
  • Squeeze both your glutes and abs
  • Hips neither sagging nor piking

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips rise
  • Holding your breath

Hanging Leg Raise

Bodyweight · Lower Abs

How to do it

  • Curl your pelvis up rather than only lifting the legs
  • No swinging

Common mistakes

  • Using momentum

Cable Crunch

Gym · Abs

How to do it

  • Curl your spine down; keep your hips fixed
  • You can and should add weight — abs are muscle like any other

Common mistakes

  • Hinging at the hips instead of flexing the spine

Dead Bug

Bodyweight · Core

How to do it

  • Keep your lower back pressed into the floor
  • Extend opposite arm and leg together

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back arch off the floor

Russian Twist

Bodyweight · Obliques

How to do it

  • Rotate through the torso, not just the arms
  • Chest up

Common mistakes

  • Rounding the back

Ab Wheel Rollout

Dumbbell · Core

How to do it

  • Lower back stays completely flat
  • Start with a very short range and extend over weeks

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back sag — a genuine injury risk

Side Plank

Bodyweight · Obliques

How to do it

  • Body in one straight line
  • Equal time on both sides

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hip drop

Mountain Climber

Bodyweight · Core, Cardio

How to do it

  • Keep your hips low
  • Fast but controlled

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing the hips upward

Cardio / Conditioning

6 exercises

Incline Treadmill Walk

Gym · Cardio

How to do it

  • Around 5–6 km/h at 10–12% incline
  • Do not hold the handrails
  • The most effective low-impact cardio for fat loss

Common mistakes

  • Gripping the rails and leaning back, which cuts the energy cost sharply

Brisk Walk

Bodyweight · Cardio · also called Outdoor walk

How to do it

  • Fast enough that holding a conversation takes effort
  • Target 8,000–10,000 steps daily

Common mistakes

  • Strolling — pace matters

Jump Rope

Bodyweight · Cardio, Calves · also called Skipping

How to do it

  • Turn the rope from the wrists, not the arms
  • 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, 10 rounds

Common mistakes

  • Jumping far higher than necessary

Burpee

Bodyweight · Full Body, Cardio

How to do it

  • Squat, plank, push-up, jump
  • Hold a steady, repeatable pace

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back sag in the plank position

Stationary Cycling

Gym · Cardio, Quads

How to do it

  • Keep meaningful resistance on the flywheel

Common mistakes

  • Pedalling fast against no resistance

HIIT Sprints

Bodyweight · Cardio · also called Interval sprints

How to do it

  • 20 seconds hard, 60 seconds walking, 8 rounds
  • Warm up thoroughly first

Common mistakes

  • Sprinting cold — a reliable way to pull a hamstring

Mobility / Stretching

5 exercises

Cat-Cow

Bodyweight · Spine

How to do it

  • Flex and extend the spine in time with your breath

Common mistakes

  • Rushing through it

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Bodyweight · Hip Flexors

How to do it

  • Squeezing the glute deepens the stretch considerably
  • Essential if you sit for most of the day

Common mistakes

  • Arching the lower back

Thoracic Rotation

Bodyweight · Upper Back

How to do it

  • 8 reps per side

Common mistakes

  • Rotating from the lower back

Hamstring Stretch

Bodyweight · Hamstrings

How to do it

  • Hold 30–45 seconds
  • No bouncing

Common mistakes

  • Rounding the back to reach further

Band Shoulder Pass-Through

Bodyweight · Shoulders

How to do it

  • Start with a wide grip and narrow it over time
  • Move slowly

Common mistakes

  • Starting with too narrow a grip

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