What to Know About “I Ranked Weird Gym Exercises (One Is S-Tier!)”

In Jeff Nippard’s video “I Ranked Weird Gym Exercises (One Is S-Tier!),” the S-tier idea is best understood as a ranking within the video—not proof that one unusual movement is best for everyone. The available video description highlights an exercise that provides a deeper quad stretch, but doesn’t identify it in the accessible excerpt. The practical takeaway: judge unfamiliar exercises by fit, control and progression, rather than appearance alone. Watch the video.

What makes a “weird” exercise worth trying?

A movement may look unusual because it uses a less familiar body position, machine or range of motion. That alone does not make it better or worse. For a muscle-building exercise, useful questions include: Can you feel the intended muscles working? Can you move through a comfortable range without losing control? Can you add repetitions or load gradually? Does your gym have the equipment, and can you set it up safely?

A deeper stretch can be one reason to explore a variation, but it isn’t a guarantee of better results. Your comfort, technique and ability to train consistently matter too. If a movement causes sharp or worsening pain, stop and choose a more comfortable option; don’t force a position just because a video ranks it highly.

How to test a new exercise

For a generally healthy adult familiar with basic resistance training, try the new movement near the start of a session, when you’re not fatigued. Begin with a light load for 1–2 controlled sets of about 8–12 repetitions. This is a practical starting suggestion, not a research-established prescription for every exercise or person. Stop a set when your form starts to change, and note whether the movement feels stable and repeatable. If it works well, you can gradually build it into your training; if not, a familiar exercise can do the job.

Rest enough to repeat good-quality sets. In a study of 21 young, resistance-trained men, a program using 3-minute rests produced greater squat and bench-press strength gains than the same program using 1-minute rests over eight weeks; the results don’t establish the ideal rest for every lifter or exercise. Study abstract.

Keep the ranking in perspective

This is Actively’s own blog, and the suggestions here are practical guidance—not a claim that a particular exercise is objectively S-tier. A video ranking can spark ideas, but it cannot account for every viewer’s mobility, training history, equipment or preferences. You can compare notes with an activity-matched workout partner; Actively is designed to help adults find nearby workout partners and active friends through mutual matching and chat. A partner can offer company, but should not replace qualified instruction when you need help learning a complex or unfamiliar lift.