--- # System prepended metadata title: Exercise Tier Lists (Jeff Nippard) tags: [exercise selection] --- ### **[Jeff Nippard - The Best Exercises For Every Muscle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFpT41748hM)** * Smith Machine Squat * Seated Hamstring Curl * Incline Press * Seated Cable Flye * Chest Supported Row * Pulldowns * Cable Lateral Raise * Reverse Pec Deck * Bayesian Cable Curls * Overhead Cable Tricep Extension * Tricep Kickback ### **[Jeff Nippard - The Best And Worst Shoulder Exercises](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgyUoY0IZ7A)** **S:** * Cable lat raise (No 1 Exercise for Side delts (Lateral)) * Cable 'Y' Raise * Behind the back cuffed cable lat raise * Reverse Pec Deck * Reverse cable crossover (No 1 Exercise for rear delts (Posterior)) **A+:** * Machine Shoulder Press (No1 Exercise for front delts (Anterior)) * Atlantis standing machine Lat Raise **A:** * Lean-in DB Lat Raises * Rope face pulls * Seated DB Overhead Press * 'Arnold Style' Side lying DB raises **B+:** * Standing BB overhead press **B:** * Standing DB lat raise * Bent over reverse DB Flye * Seated machine lat raise * Lean-away DB Lat Raise * Super ROM DB lat raise * Seated BB overhead press * Upright rows **C:** * Banded Lat raise **D:** * Front raises (of any kind) ### **[Jeff Nippard - The Best & Worst QUAD Exercises (Ranked Using Science)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIXcoivzGf8)** **S+ Tier:** * Hack Squat **S Tier:** * Barbell Back Squat * Pendulum Squat * Smith Machine Squat * Bulgarian Split Squat **A Tier:** * Barbell Front Squat * Low-Bar Squat * 45 Degree Leg Press * Leg Extension * Reverse Nordic **B Tier:** * Lunge * Goblet Squat * Sissy Squat **C Tier:** * Horizontal Leg Press * Deadlift * Step Ups * Pistol Squat **D Tier:** **F Tier:** * Combo Squat Exercises * Jump Squat **F- Tier:** * Bosu Ball Squat ### **[Jeff Nippard - The Best And Worst Chest Exercises (Ranked By Science)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGm-ef-4PVk)** **S+ Tier:** * Machine Chest Press **S Tier:** * Seated Cable Pec Flye **A Tier:** * Bench Press * Incline Bench Press * Flat Dumbbell Press * Incline Dumbbell Press * Dips * Deficit Pushups * Dumbbell Guillotine Press * Smith Machine Bench Press * Incline Smith Machine Bench Press * Cable Crossovers * Pec Deck * Dumbbell Flye * Cable Press-around **B Tier:** * Decline Bench Press * Decline Dumbbell Press * Banded Pushups **C Tier:** * Pushups * Floor Press **D Tier:** * Dumbbell Pullover * Plyometric Pushups **F Tier:** * Hex Press * Guillotine Press * 1-Arm Dumbbell Press * Cross-body Standing Dumbbell Flye **F- Tier:** * Plate Press ### **[Jeff Nippard - The Best And Worst Back Exercises (Ranked By Science)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLvqKgW-_G8)** **S:** * Widegrip lat pull down * Neutral grip lat pull down * One arm lat pull down * Meadows row * Chest supported rows * Cable rows * Wide grip cable row **A:** * Wide grip pull ups * Neutral grip pull ups * Cross body one arm lat pull down * Deficit pendlay row * One arm db row * Kroc row * Cable lat prayers * DB pullovers **B:** * Chin ups * BB row * Pendlay row * Rope face pull **C:** * Deadlift * Yates row * Inverted row * Free standing t bar row **D:** * Above the knee rack pull **F:** * Renegade rows * DB row curl * DB row press * DB row kickback ### **[Jeff Nippard - The Best & Worst TRICEPS Exercises (Ranked Using Science)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpRMRhr0Ycc)** **S+ Tier:** * Overhead Cable Triceps Extension (Bar) **S Tier:** * Barbell Skullcrusher **A Tier:** * Triceps Pressdown (Bar) * Overhead Cable Triceps Extension (Rope) * Katana Cable Triceps Extension * 1 Arm Dumbbell Overhead Extension * Dumbbell Skullcrusher * Smith Machine JM Press * Cable Triceps Kickback * Close-Grip Bench Press **B Tier:** * Triceps Pressdown (Rope) * Dumbbell French Press * JM Press * Close-Grip Dips * Machine Dips * Diamond Pushups **C Tier:** * Reverse Grip Triceps Pressdown (Bar) * Bench Dips * Close-Grip Pushups **C- Tier:** * Dumbbell Triceps Kickback ### **[Jeff Nippard - The Best And Worst Biceps Exercises](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNO4OtYoCYk)** **S+ Tier:** * Face Away Bayesian Curl **S Tier:** * Dumbbell Preacher Curl * Machine Preacher Curl * Preacher Hammer Curl **A Tier:** * EZ Bar Curl * Standing Dumbbell Curl * Incline Curl * Lying Dumbbell Curl * Modified 21s * Standing Cable Curl * Bayesian Cable Curl Variation * Cheat Curl * Strict Curl * Hammer Curl * Inverse Zottman Curl **B Tier:** * Barbell Curl * Flat Bench Curl * Chin-Ups **C Tier:** * Scott Curl * Drag Curl * Spider Curl * 21s ### **[The Best & Worst Glute Exercises](https://youtu.be/3ryh7PNhz3E?si=rK2B3FPjHqaqFdtl)** * **S-Tier:** * **Walking Lunges:** (Jeff's #1 Overall) Hits entire glute, great stretch, emphasizes lower glute with long strides and forward lean. * **Machine Hip Abduction:** (#1 for Upper Glutes) Isolates glute medius/minimus, good for progressive overload. * **45-Degree Back Extension:** Hits entire glute in lengthened and shortened positions, good for adding reps or weight. * **Smith Machine Lunge (Front Foot Elevated)**: Provides an even better stretch than the standard smith machine lunge. * **A-Tier:** * **Machine Hip Thrust:** (#1 for Middle Glutes) Comfortable, stable, great for progressive overload. * **Single-Leg Dumbbell Hip Thrust:** Hits entire glute, emphasizes upper glutes due to stabilization. * **Barbell Back Squat:** Underrated glute builder, hits entire glute, especially middle. Deep squats are better. * **Smith Machine Squat:** Similar to barbell squat, more glute dominant with feet forward. * **Bulgarian Split Squat:** Deeper stretch than squats, emphasizes upper glutes, can be glute-focused with forward lean. * **Kickbacks:** Good for upper glutes, especially with diagonal kick. * **Step Ups:** Target upper glutes, deep stretch, better with higher box (at or above knee level). * **Smith Machine Lunge:** Same benefits of the walking lunge, but more stationary. * **Romanian Deadlift:** (#1 for lower glutes) Better than conventional for glute hypertrophy. * **B-Tier:** * **Barbell Hip Thrust:** Effective, but can be uncomfortable and awkward to set up. * **Glute Bridge:** Easier setup than hip thrust, good for beginners, less range of motion. * **Cable Hip Abduction:** Similar to machine abduction, but less stable and harder to overload. * **Curtsy Lunge:** Good for upper glutes, but harder to overload than standard lunges. * **Deadlift (Conventional):** Good glute builder, but fatiguing. * **Sumo Deadlift:** Similar to conventional, may hit glute medius more. * **Cable Pull Through:** Great for beginners, but awkward at heavy weight. * **C-Tier:** * **Frog Pumps:** Hard to load, doesn't stretch glutes well. * **Lateral Banded Walk:** Minimal tension in stretch, good for warm-up only. * **D-Tier (Worst):** * **Donkey Kicks:** Hard to overload, little tension in stretch. * **Fire Hydrants:** Similar issues to donkey kicks. * **Kettlebell Swing:** Not enough tension for hypertrophy.