There is an endless array of exercises out there. And it seems as though each expert has a different opinion as to which exercise is best for the desired result you are looking for.

If you don’t have a PhD in kinesiology, you just might end up with a mental hernia.

Thus, today I would like to shed some light on the best exercises for changing how your body is shaped.

Here are some of the best exercises for the following effects:

1. A Bigger chest: Most people will recommend the standard bench press as the king of chest development. Some solid research, however, has shown that benching with dumbbells instead of barbells is better for overall chest growth. This happens because with dumbbells you activate less shoulder muscle.

2. A wider back: I’m sure you have seen someone in your gym doing lat pull downs to the back of their head. Not only is this dangerous, but it’s also not as effective as lat pull downs to the front. And for maximum stimulation for a wider back, use an ultra wide grip.

3. Wider deltoid (shoulder) muscles: Most people do lateral raises or dumbbell raises. And while these are good exercises, nothing beats overhead dumbbell presses. These will do a great job at making your shoulders wider which creates the image of a smaller waist.

4. Bigger quadriceps muscles: Most people looking for bigger quads will do regular back squats. The problem with this, however, is that regular back squats target the hamstrings and glutes. If you want to increase the size or definition of your quads, front squats are the way to go.

One key thing to avoid: getting paralyzed by all the different information. Lots of people fall victim here because they try to absorb everything all at once.

Instead, just start incorporating these exercises into your current routines and pay attention to which ones are working for you. And taking action is critical here, or else you will forget what you have learned!