Jacked Notes #5 - Every Exercise That Got Me Jacked

Words of the week:​
Walking helps you live longer.
Lifting helps you live better.
Do both.

Jacked Notes #5

In this week’s issue, I wanted to give you a full list of the exercises I’ve actually used to build my physique.

I’ve tested just about everything over the years, and these are the ones that have worked best for me to achieve the “jacked” look and build aesthetics.

No specific order. I picked each for 3 reasons:

• I enjoy them and they match my structure (most important)

• They build the look I’m going for (aesthetics)

• They’re easy to progressively overload (🗝️ for growth)

If your goal is to get jacked—not just stronger—these are the ones I’d personally focus on.

Do I currently do all of these? No. Do I rotate exercises periodically to avoid overuse injuries as well as to make my training more enjoyable? Yes.

Arms​
Incline DB Curl
Barbell Curl (No EZ bar)
Cable Curl
Cable Overhead Tricep Extension
Cable V-Bar Pushdowns

Chest​
Incline DB Press
Barbell Bench Press
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Incline Chest Fly (Machine or DB)
Standing Chest Press Machine
Low-to-High Cable Fly

Back​
Barbell Deadlift
Barbell Row
Trap Bar Deadlift
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
Underhand grip Pull down
Wide-Grip Weighted Pull-Ups
Chest-Supported T-Bar Row
Seated Cable Row

Shoulders​
Barbell Overhead Press
DB Lateral Raises
Machine Lateral Raise
Rear Delt Fly Machine
Rear Delt Cable Fly
Cable Lateral Raises
Face Pulls

Legs​
Barbell Squat
Pendulum Squat
Barbell Split Squat
Romanian Deadlifts
Dumbbell Split Squat
Leg Extension
Seated Leg Curl
Lying Leg Curl
Nordic Curls
Seated Calf Raise
Standing Calf Raise

Abs + Calves ​
Hanging Leg Raise
Cable Crunch

Now that I’m 10+ years into training, I enjoy refining and trying new things, so I’m sure I’ll update this list again after further experimentation.

If one of your favorite exercises isn’t on here, it doesn’t mean it’s useless or that it doesn’t work.

The most important factor I look at is:

Do you enjoy your training?

We’re not training for a specific sport or some bodybuilding trophy.

We’re training for everyday life, to look good and be strong.

So pick the exercises you enjoy. The ones that will keep you coming back week after week.

If you don’t like Barbell squats, find a close alternative.
If you don’t like DB incline press, use a machine.

Your body doesn’t know the difference when it comes to building muscle. It only knows the stress you’re applying to it.

It couldn’t care less if the stress is from free weights, a band, or a machine.

Now this doesn't mean to be reckless and pick useless exercises.

If your goal is to get jacked there are some guidelines you need to follow..

If you want to see exactly how I program these exercises inside a routine, check out the A2J course. It shows you how to get jacked step-by-step no matter your starting point. You’ll also get access to the private community.

I’m also now sharing behind-the-scenes of every workout, literally uploading every set and every rep. If you're already in the community, you can find my training journal under the "classroom" tab.

Also working on a full exercise/tutorial library so you’ll know the correct form for every movement listed.

Thanks for reading Jacked Notes.

Have an awesome weekend,
—Eric