The Groom's Blog
Jeff
Exercises All Fit Grooms Must Do
Posted: January 24, 2017
Guys, do you want to look amazing for your wedding? Of course you do! You got the tux and you got the shoes — now it’s time to focus on your body.
Getting lean and building muscle will help you feel super confident and look awesome (during the ceremony AND on the honeymoon). And if you want to become a “fit groom” and impress the love of your life, add these seven essential exercises to your exercise routine.
My job is to help grooms look amazing for their wedding. (I'm not even joking: check out GroomBuilder.) So today, I’m going to show you the must-do exercises that will help you burn fat, build muscle, and feel awesome for the big day.
Dumbbell Bench Press
Every guy wants a big chest. (Your spouse will enjoy it as well.) The dumbbell bench press is one of the best chest exercises because you can push a lot of weight and gain a lot of muscle. It’s also a little easier on your shoulders compared to a traditional barbell bench press.
How to do it:
Lie on a bench with your chest up, shoulders squeezed together, and feet flat on the ground. Drive the dumbbells upward, keeping your shoulders back. Drive through your heels, as well, keeping your glutes on the bench.
Goblet Squat
If you want to look great for the big day, you can’t skip “leg day.” Training your legs will build muscle, slash fat, and help you transform your body fast. But instead of doing the leg press machine, add goblet squats to your routine — they’re extremely simple, easy on your back and knees, work your core (which is always a “plus”), and get results.
How to do it:
Grab the end of one dumbbell in both hands and hold it by your chest with your elbows underneath. Stand shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly out. Start the movement by sitting backwards and spreading your knees apart. Descend below parallel while keeping your lower back flat. At the bottom, drive through your heels and keep your knees apart.
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
The next leg exercise to build a solid body for your wedding is the deadlift. Although traditional deadlifts are great, they can be tough on the body if you don’t do them correctly. Instead, use a single-leg Romanian deadlift: they’re easier on your joints, simple to do, and they add muscle in all the right places.
How to do it:
With dumbbells in your hand, slowly bend forward and pull one leg behind. Once the weights are below your knees, drive back up and squeeze with your glute. Don’t twist your hips to the side – keep them square and faced forward.
Push Press
Want to look tall and confident in your tux? Build a strong frame. And the best way to build a powerful frame is to have strong and wide shoulders. Push presses are a great way to add definition to your shoulders and burn a lot of calories.
How to do it:
Hold two dumbbells by your shoulders. Lower yourself into a very partial squat and explode upward with your legs while driving your arms overhead. At the top, make sure your biceps are next to your ears and your wrists are flat, not bent backward. Carefully lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders and repeat.
Pullup
Every fit groom needs to do pullups. They build great posture and great arms. (Not a bad combination, huh?)
How to do it:
Grab a pullup bar with your palms facing away and start by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Pull yourself up and lead with your chest.
Stir-The-Pot
Ahh, abs. Every groom wants them. But instead of doing an endless amount of sit-ups, crunches, or planks, crank up the intensity of your core training with stir-the-pots. It strengthens your midsection the correct way and helps you look great on the wedding day (and in the honeymoon suite).
How to do it:
Get into a plank position with your forearms on a stability ball. While keeping your torso still, move your forearms in a circle. Then, switch directions. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and don’t let your lower back sage.
TRX Inverted Row
Walk down the aisle with a confident, tall posture that makes you look like a boss in your tux by adding muscle to your upper back. That’s where the inverted row comes in — it’s a safe and effective bodyweight exercise that gets results. If you want to make it harder, move your feet closer to the anchor point; if you want to make it harder, move your feet away.
How to do it:
Grab TRX straps from underneath with your feet closer to the anchor point. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull yourself up while keeping your body straight like a plank.
Now you have the exercises you need! Want to learn how to put it all together and build an ironclad routine that helps you look awesome for the big day? Visit GroomBuilder and sign up for the FREE 5-day e-course that teaches you how to get in shape for your wedding. Our team has appeared in GQ, Men’s Health, and Muscle&Fitness.