Mastering the Big Four: Beginner's Guide to Squats, Deadlifts, Presses and Rows

If you’re new to strength training, you’ve probably already heard people talk about “the big lifts”,

the Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press, and Row. These exercises show up in nearly every great program because they do something smaller movements can’t: they build full-body strength, train multiple muscles at once, and give you the highest return on your effort.

Learning these four movements is like learning the alphabet of strength training. Once you master them, every other exercise becomes easier to understand, more effective, and far safer to perform.

This guide breaks the big four down in simple, clear language so you can train with confidence, avoid common mistakes, and start building real, long-lasting strength.

Why the Big Four Matter

The Squat, Deadlift, Press, and Row are compound movements, multi-joint exercises that recruit several muscle groups simultaneously. These lifts:

• Build total-body strength

• Improve coordination and stability

• Increase muscle activation

• Strengthen bones and connective tissues

• Burn more calories than isolation lifts

• Carry over into everyday life

The big four aren’t just exercises. They’re movement patterns your body uses every single day:

• You squat to sit and stand

• You hinge (deadlift) every time you pick something up

• You push to open doors or lift objects overhead

• You pull to row, drag, or lift

When you improve these core patterns, you upgrade how your entire body functions.

1. The Squat

The Foundation of Lower-Body Strength

The squat is the king of leg exercises because it challenges your quads, glutes, hamstrings, core, and even your back muscles. A strong squat improves posture, athleticism, and daily movement.

What the Squat Trains

• Quads

• Glutes

• Hamstrings

• Core

• Lower back

• Upper back (stability)

Beginner Cues for Better Squats

• Keep your chest tall

• Sit “between” your legs, not forward

• Push your knees in the same direction your toes point

• Keep your feet rooted big toe, little toe, heel

• Brace your core as if preparing for a gentle punch

Common Squat Mistakes

• Knees collapsing inward

• Heels lifting off the ground

• Rounding the lower back

• Over-arching the spine

Beginner Progressions

Start all squats here:

• Bodyweight Squat

• Goblet Squat (dumbbell or kettlebell)

• Leg Press (for confidence & stability)

  Then move up to barbell variations or Bulgarian split squats.

2. The Deadlift

The Ultimate Strength Builder

The deadlift is a hinge movement — the pattern your body uses when picking something up from the ground. It strengthens the entire posterior chain (the muscles along the back of your body), making it one of the most powerful lifts you can learn.

What the Deadlift Trains

• Glutes

• Hamstrings

• Lower back

• Mid-back

• Forearms & grip

• Core

Beginner Cues for Better Deadlifts

• Keep your back flat, no rounding

• Hinge your hips back, don’t squat straight down

• Keep the weight close to your shins

• Drive your feet into the floor and push the ground away

• Stand tall and lock out your glutes not your lower back

Common Deadlift Mistakes

• Rounding the spine

• Bar too far from the body

• Pulling with the back instead of pushing with the legs

• Hyperextending at the top

Beginner Progressions

If you’re new, start here:

• Hip hinge drills with a dowel

• Dumbbell RDL

• Kettlebell deadlift

  Once stable, progress to Romanian deadlift, trap-bar deadlift, or full barbell deadlift.

3. The Press

Strength & Stability Through the Upper Body

Pressing movements, especially the bench press and overhead press, train the pushing muscles of your upper body. They build chest, shoulders, triceps, and upper-body power.

What Pressing Trains

• Chest (horizontal press)

• Shoulders (vertical press)

• Triceps

• Core (especially when pressing overhead)

Beginner Cues for Better Pressing

• Keep your shoulders pulled back and down (“proud chest”)

• Keep your elbows at a 30–45° angle from your torso

• Control the lowering phase, don’t drop the weight

• Plant your feet firmly for stability

• Press through your palms, not your wrists

Common Pressing Mistakes

• Elbows flaring too wide

• Shoulders shrugging up

• Arching the lower back excessively

• Pressing too fast with no control

Beginner Progressions

Start simple:

• Push-ups (wall → incline → floor)

• Dumbbell chest press

• Machine chest press

  Later, introduce the bench press or overhead dumbbell press.

4. The Row

The Antidote to Slouching & Shoulder Pain

Rowing movements strengthen the pulling muscles of the upper body. These muscles are often undertrained, especially in beginners, and balancing them with pressing creates strong posture, healthy shoulders, and better overall strength.

What Rows Train

• Lats

• Upper back

• Rear delts

• Rhomboids

• Biceps

• Core (stability)

Beginner Cues for Better Rows

• Pull from your elbows, not your hands

• Keep your shoulders down, not shrugged

• Squeeze your shoulder blades together

• Control the return (eccentric)

• Stay stable; avoid swinging your torso

Common Row Mistakes

• Using too much momentum

• Shrugging shoulders toward ears

• Over-pulling and losing alignment

Beginner Progressions

Start with:

• Seated cable row

• Chest-supported row

• Single-arm dumbbell row

  Advance later to barbell rows or inverted rows.

How the Big Four Work Together

These four movement patterns create balance:

• Squat + Deadlift → Stronger legs, hips, and core

• Press + Row → Upper-body symmetry and shoulder health

• Hinge + Squat → Complete lower-body development

• Push + Pull → Balanced posture and joint stability

Together, they give you complete strength, shape, and function.