Learn the three basic exercises: Squat, Deadlift, Press

There are almost endless ways to train, challenge and strengthen the body. But what constitutes true strength? And what makes it functional? Anyone who reads our articles knows that we are all about functional fitness. This includes strength, which has a positive effect in sports and in everyday life in a wide variety of situations. We are not only concerned about building strength and muscles, but also about preventing injuries.

Squats, deadlifts and shoulder presses are rightly three timeless classics. You will hardly find other exercises that embody strength as purely and unadulteratedly as these three exercises. Since the earliest days of strength sports, they have been a central foundation of training. From professional strongman athletes to athletes who lift weights for balance, no one can get past these three basic exercises. So it's high time we got you excited about giving these time-tested classics more time and attention.

The squat is rightly considered the "king of exercises". Hardly any other exercise stresses the entire body in the same way. Legs, hip and gluteal muscles, torso, stabilisation in the upper back and shoulder area - there is hardly a region of the body that is not challenged. However, the squat is a technically demanding exercise in terms of correct execution. Many beginners find it difficult to perform the exercise correctly, even with their own body weight.

However, if you have the patience to master this exercise, we guarantee that you will quickly notice the difference. There is hardly any exercise that stimulates strength building as much as deep, heavy squats. However, the correct technique must never be forgotten - improper technique with heavy weights can lead to pain or even injury. That's why we're giving you detailed instructions here:

1. position your body in the squat rack under the barbell, with your feet about shoulder distance apart or a little wider. 2.

Take a deep breath, tighten your abdominal muscles and press your upper shoulder area "from below" into the barbell. The barbell should now be stable on your shoulders. The hands can hold the barbell for more stability, the grip should be wide. However, the weight should rest solely on your shoulders. If you feel pressure on your arms, put the barbell down and try again. You should feel tension throughout your body but not in your arms. 3.

Take another deep breath and tense the whole body. Now begin the squat itself. Imagine that you are sitting on a low chair and keep your back straight and stable. The knees should not swing inwards or outwards - everything must remain stable. 4.

The end point is usually with the thighs parallel to the floor or lower. This is a matter of practice and mobility. To start, only go as low as you can go with clean technique. With time you will notice that you can go deeper and deeper. To compensate, we recommend stretching and mobilising exercises for the hips, buttocks and lower back. 5.

To return to the starting position, tense the whole body and push upwards from the legs. You should feel this especially in the hip, buttock and leg muscles.

Few exercises are as strongly associated with strength as the deadlift. However, it is not only an impressive performance showpiece for strength athletes, but also a highly functional exercise that has a positive impact on everyday activities. Lugging heavy furniture when moving house? Check! Lifting water boxes off the floor? Check! The deadlift is basically just that: lifting a heavy object off the floor. No more, no less.

However, the deadlift also has its pitfalls, especially when the weights get heavier. To prevent back injuries, proper execution is of central importance. In the following we provide detailed instructions so that you can fully enjoy all the benefits of this phenomenally effective basic exercise:

1. the barbell is on the floor in front of you. Assume a central position with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 2.

Lean forward from the hips and grasp the barbell with both hands. The grip should be about shoulder width. However, there is individual leeway here as long as you ensure that you do not grip the barbell too wide. 3.

Bend backwards from the hips and forward with the upper body. You should feel the stretch in the hamstrings and buttocks. Keep the back straight, the chest forward and the gaze straight ahead. 4.

Tense the whole body and lift the weight from the hips until you are standing upright. Important stabilisers, such as the upper back muscles and the chest muscles, remain tense. The torso should also be stable. If you feel the exercise strongly in your lower back, something is going wrong. This is because the majority of the work should be done by the hamstrings and glutes. The lower back, on the other hand, has a primarily stabilising function.

To return to the starting position, lower the weight in a controlled manner. To protect the back, we recommend that you do not lower the weight too slowly. At the same time, it is important that you do not drop the weight abruptly to prevent injury. As a rule of thumb we suggest: Lower the weight a little faster than you lifted it.

The press (shoulder press) is an exercise as old as humanity itself. Pressing heavy objects overhead has been a timeless, objective expression of brute strength in many cultures around the world for centuries or even millennia. And for good reason! Because the ability to push heavy objects overhead is also highly functional. Just look at the work routines of construction workers. Or of farmers when they stack hay with a pitchfork. This is physically hard work that requires a strong shoulder girdle. The shoulder press in its different variations teaches your body to build this practical "farmer strength". What's more, this exercise feels wonderfully "stone-age" - in the best sense!

There are several variations of this exercise. Here we show you how to perform a classic Military Press. It serves as a solid foundation for all variations.

1. we recommend performing the exercise in a squat rack. Heave the weight out of the squat rack and position it above your chest. It should rest comfortably on your upper pecs. Your arms should be about shoulder-width around the barbell. Your legs should be about hip-width and your torso should be tight and stable. 2.

Take a deep breath, tense the body and press the weight overhead. You should feel it in all the shoulder muscles, the upper chest muscles and to some extent even in the latissimus (broad back muscle). Exhale sharply as you press the weight. 3.

Lower the weight to the starting position in a controlled manner and inhale at the same time to prepare for the next repetition.

With these three highly effective whole-body exercises, nothing stands in the way of building strength. And these exercises are also effective for preventing sports and everyday injuries, as they prepare the body perfectly for stressful situations in everyday life. What's more, these three basic exercises are essential for building muscle, and the great thing is that you can build and strengthen your entire body musculature with just a few targeted exercises, without wasting your valuable time on endless bicep curls and other isolation exercises. Strength training based on the heavy basic exercises is therefore also easily compatible with a busy schedule. With this in mind: Have fun and success with the heavy iron!

If you would like to learn more about effective training, please contact us or make an appointment for a trial session.