When it comes to building a muscular physique, most gym-goers instinctively reach for the classics: bench press, deadlifts, and squats.
But while these compound lifts are foundational, many lesser-known exercises can offer immense benefits for hypertrophy, symmetry, and strength. This article explores seven underrated exercises that can help you look more muscular — backed by science and practical application.
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1. Z-Press
The Z-Press, named after strongman Zydrunas Savickas, is a seated overhead press performed on the floor with legs extended. This posture eliminates lower body assistance and challenges core stability, shoulder mobility, and upper body strength. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that increased core activation improves overhead pressing mechanics and reduces injury risk (Saeterbakken et al., 2011).
By removing the leg drive, the Z-Press emphasizes pure shoulder and triceps engagement, encouraging greater muscle recruitment in the deltoids. Moreover, the increased core demand enhances neuromuscular coordination, an important factor for overall strength development. Integrating the Z-Press into your shoulder day can help develop more defined and powerful shoulders, especially in lifters with poor posture or limited shoulder stability.
2. Deficit Reverse Lunge
This lunge variation involves stepping backward off a platform, creating a greater range of motion that enhances glute and hamstring engagement. Unlike forward lunges, which often overload the quads, deficit reverse lunges shift more stress to the posterior chain. Research published in Clinical Biomechanics demonstrates that reverse lunges reduce anterior knee load while promoting hip extensor activation (Chiu & Burkhardt, 2011).
This is beneficial not just for aesthetics but also for injury prevention and athletic performance. The deeper range of motion increases stretch-mediated hypertrophy, a potent driver of muscle growth, particularly in the glutes and hamstrings. For those looking to sculpt thicker thighs and a more athletic silhouette, deficit reverse lunges offer a superior alternative to traditional lunges.
3. Chest-Supported Row
Often overshadowed by barbell and dumbbell rows, the chest-supported row isolates the upper back without allowing momentum to dominate the movement. By eliminating lower back strain, it provides focused activation of the rhomboids, traps, and posterior deltoids.
A comparative EMG study by Andersen et al. (2014) showed that chest-supported rows produced higher activation in upper back musculature compared to bent-over rows, especially when strict form was maintained. This makes them ideal for hypertrophy in the back, which contributes to a broader, more muscular V-taper.
Including this exercise helps lifters who may already overtrain their spinal erectors and need a way to build back thickness with lower injury risk. It’s especially effective during cutting phases, where precision and strict form are paramount.
4. Seated Hamstring Curl
While often relegated to accessory status, the seated hamstring curl is crucial for complete leg development. Unlike lying curls, seated curls place the hamstring in a stretched position, which research shows leads to more hypertrophy.
A landmark study by Evangelidis et al. (2019) in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports found that training muscles in a lengthened position leads to significantly more muscle growth than training them in shortened ranges. Since the seated hamstring curl provides this lengthened stretch throughout the eccentric phase, it results in superior hypertrophic outcomes. Hamstrings are often underdeveloped in comparison to quads, and building them up improves leg aesthetics and balance, reduces injury risk, and contributes to a more muscular appearance overall.
5. Incline Dumbbell Curl
Though barbell curls get the glory, the incline dumbbell curl is far more effective at stretching the biceps under load, promoting greater hypertrophy. By sitting on an incline bench, the arms are pulled behind the torso, placing the long head of the biceps under significant stretch. Schoenfeld et al. (2013) highlighted that mechanical tension, especially in a stretched position, is a primary driver of muscle growth.
The incline dumbbell curl fulfills this criterion perfectly, targeting the long head of the biceps — essential for creating the peaked look many aspire to. This movement also limits cheating via body sway, improving mind-muscle connection and creating consistent, isolated stress on the biceps. It’s one of the most effective tools for maximizing biceps size and should be a staple for those chasing arm development.
6. Close-Grip Dumbbell Press
Often overlooked in favor of the barbell bench, the close-grip dumbbell press allows for a greater range of motion and superior triceps activation. By keeping the elbows tucked and dumbbells close together, the emphasis shifts from chest to triceps and inner chest fibers. A study by Barnett et al. (1995) in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrated that narrower grip widths increase triceps brachii involvement during horizontal pressing movements.
Additionally, dumbbells enable a more natural wrist and shoulder path, reducing joint stress and increasing longevity in pressing volume. For lifters looking to build denser triceps — which comprise two-thirds of upper arm mass — this exercise is indispensable.
7. Cable Lateral Raise
The dumbbell lateral raise is ubiquitous, but the cable variant offers superior mechanical tension due to its constant resistance throughout the movement. This results in more effective stimulation of the lateral deltoid head — essential for shoulder width. Paoli et al. (2010) reported that cable raises provide greater deltoid activation than dumbbell equivalents, particularly when the movement is executed with strict form and minimal momentum. The consistent tension profile better targets the mid-delt without the “dead zone” at the bottom of the rep found in dumbbell raises.
For a capped shoulder look that enhances the illusion of a narrow waist and broader torso, the cable lateral raise is unmatched.
