Exercise selection can be a challenging task, whether you’re short on time or aiming for an optimal routine. On May 6, 2025, exercise scientist Dr. Mike Israetel broke down five common lifts you should replace to build more muscle.
Dr. Israetel has become a trusted resource in the fitness sector. He uses his understanding of scientific literature to craft effective workout routines. His YouTube channel, Renaissance Periodization, is home to 3.59 million subscribers, who depend on his insights and advice for bettering their physiques.
Exercise Scientist Breaks Down 5 Lifts to Replace With Better Alternatives for Muscle Growth
In a recent YouTube video, Dr. Israetel laid out why you should replace the following movements with his preferred lifts:
- Replace Deadlift with Deficit Deadlift
- Replace Tricep Pushdown With EZ Bar Behind-the-Neck Overhead Triceps Extensions
- Replace One-Arm Rows for Two-Arm Rows
- Replace Front Squats with Back Squats or Hack Squats
- Replace Dumbbell Front Raise With Super ROM Lateral Raise
Replace Deadlift with Deficit Deadlift
While deadlifts absolutely have merit in routines, Dr. Israetel argued deficit deadlifts are a more effective option for muscle growth. In addition, they provide a deeper range of motion and less fatigue.
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“Deadlifts aren’t terrible. It’s a great exercise,” he shared. “It’s a lot of fatigue. For muscle growth, which is what this whole video is about, range of motion matters. The deadlift is not a very high range of motion exercise.”
“The deficit deadlift is. It’s probably better to extend the range of motion, that means letting your back round for higher rep sets. If you want growth and you’ve been deadlifting a while and want to improve your results, the deficit deadlift checks a lot of boxes.”
Replace Tricep Pushdown With EZ Bar Behind-the-Neck Overhead Triceps Extensions
He believes the tricep pushdown has been popularized but is inferior to EZ bar behind-the-neck overhead triceps extensions.
“The pushdown occupies this cultural space in lifting as the triceps exercise. Some people are doing it just because of a lack of creativity or knowledge that other exercises exist.”
It provides a massive stretch and fully engages the long head of the tricep.
“The overhead triceps EZ extension is a great exercise. Another thing about it is it allows you to engage the long head of the triceps and get a massive stretch.
For a good EZ extension, keep your elbows pointed forward and in and touch the very back of your neck while your elbows jut out this way.”
Replace One-Arm Rows With Two-Arm Rows
He shared that the biggest advantage of two-arm rows over one-arm rows is that you can achieve the same amount of work in half the time.
“The biggest advantage for two-arm rows, you do functionally the same amount of work twice as fast,” he shared. “The two-arm dumbbell row, especially if you get a real deep stretch.”
“You arch so you can finish that range of motion. It gives you that deep stretch and a powerful contraction. As far as weight to use on the two-arm row, they are a little bit humbling.”
Replace Front Squats With Back Squats or Hack Squats
He believes it’s easier for the chest to cave in front squats, often resulting in lifters running out of air before they exhaust their quads.
“If your chest is caving, it prevents you from taking big breaths of air from your lungs and you run out of air before you run out of quad stuff,” he explains.
In its place, he advocates for back squats or hack squats, crediting both for helping with hypertrophy goals.
“It’s a great machine [hack squat] and it allows you to do that thing where you push your knees really far over your toes and stay very upright, I wouldn’t say completely upright, so mechanically it does what the front squat is supposed to do but better with basically no limiting factors.”
Replace Dumbbell Front Raise With Super ROM Lateral Raise
Lastly, Dr. Israetel recommended switching out the dumbbell front raise with super ROM lateral raises, to capitalize on time under tension and a deeper range of motion.
“We picked the Super ROM Lateral raise to be a real juxtaposition to this exercise. It does everything right that this thing [front raise] does wrong.”
Aside from offering detailed workout breakdowns, Dr. Israetel is known for critiquing and rating the training of top-level IFBB Pros. In his last venture, he assessed the lifting form and exercise mechanics of mass monster Nick Walker, who competes in the Men’s Open class.
While all of the exercises he mentioned have some merit, one way or another, Dr. Israetel believes that there are better options out there. He stands by these five replacement lifts being superior for overall muscle development.
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Watch the full video from the Renaissance Periodization YouTube channel below:
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