When it comes to training, it’s easy to get caught up in the noise. New programs, trendy exercises, complicated routines—sometimes it feels like you need a degree in biomechanics just to know what to do at the gym. But here’s the truth: building size and strength doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, there are only four exercises you truly need.
I’ll walk you through each movement, why I chose it, and then explain how to program them for real results.
The Goal: Balanced, Real-World Strength
My aim here isn’t to make you great at one single lift. I want you to build total body strength that’s balanced, transferable, and actually builds muscle. Skill-specific lifts like the snatch or clean and jerk are fantastic—but they’re mostly about technique. If you’re just after size and strength, it’s smarter to keep things simple and focus on the fundamentals.
That’s why I’ve chosen these four movement patterns:
- Push
- Hinge
- Squat
- Pull
Together, they cover the entire body and create a base of strength that carries over to everything else.
Exercise 1: Incline Bench Press (Push)
Forget flat bench for now—the incline bench press is the king when it comes to building both size and strength. Here’s why:
- Greater range of motion compared to flat bench
- Strength that translates to both overhead and horizontal pressing
- Works chest, triceps, and shoulders in a way that’s harder to “cheat”
Unlike flat bench where arching and grip tricks can limit muscle growth, incline bench keeps the movement honest and effective.
Exercise 2: Rack Pull (Hinge)
Deadlift variations are unbeatable for total-body strength, but for most lifters, the rack pull is a smarter option.
It trains everything in your posterior chain—hamstrings, glutes, spinal erectors, lats, traps—without the same wear and tear on your low back. And because the range of motion is shorter, you can handle heavier loads with shorter rest periods, triggering a powerful hormonal response that boosts both strength and muscle growth.
Exercise 3: Close-Stance, Low-Foot Leg Press (Squat)
This one might surprise you, but the leg press (done properly) is a better tool for building size and strength than traditional squats for most people.
Here’s the setup:
- Feet close together
- Placed low on the platform
This emphasizes your quads and glutes while keeping spinal loading to a minimum. Squats are great, but often they turn into a test of core and back strength rather than pure leg development. With the leg press, you take that limitation away and can focus directly on the target muscles.
Exercise 4: Chin-Ups (Pull)
Yes, a bodyweight movement makes the list. Chin-ups are superior to lat pulldowns for size and strength because:
- They activate both lats and biceps
- They’re harder to cheat
- They have a clear start and finish point
If you can get strong at chin-ups—adding weight as you progress—you’ll build a wide back and strong arms at the same time.
Programming: How to Train These 4 Movements
Here’s how I recommend you structure your training:
- Sets & Reps: 3 sets of 5–8 reps (to failure or very close)
- Rest Times: Less than 2 minutes
- Frequency: Train each movement twice per week (split or full body, either works)
- Progression: Increase weights 2–5% each week
- Deloads: Every 5 weeks, cut your sets in half and reduce loads to 75% before starting your next block
This approach keeps you progressing without burning out your nervous system.
Variation for Long-Term Progress
You don’t need to overhaul your training constantly—but you should introduce small changes to keep progressing:
- Incline bench → Incline dumbbell press
- Rack pull → Adjust the bar height slightly
- Leg press → Change stance width or foot placement
- Chin-up → Switch to pull-ups or (occasionally) lat pulldowns
These tweaks provide enough variety to challenge your body without resetting your progress.
Keep It Simple, Stay Consistent
At the end of the day, building size and strength isn’t about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things consistently. These four movements, programmed intelligently, will cover every major muscle group and push you forward week after week.
If you want to follow a full plan built on these principles, check out my Powerbuilding 2.0 program here: 👉 Power Building2.0
Lift heavy. Be kind. Stay consistent.
—Mitchell Hooper