@Nurpur India,
Published on November 22, 2025,
By Pawan,
Bodybuilding coach Eugene Teo reveals his top 10 overlooked exercises, focusing on high cable rows and unique movements to give your chest and back muscles a better stretch, improved leverage, and greater growth potential. Transform your workouts with these expert-approved tips.
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| 3 Underrated Exercises Eugene Teo Swears Will Transform Your Chest and Back Workout |
Highlight Key Points
- The high cable row offers a unique diagonal pull that stretches chest muscles better and activates them more effectively.
- Underhand grip bench press improves chest leverage and muscle engagement by narrowing the elbow path.
- Eugene Teo's list of 10 underrated exercises includes movements targeting often neglected muscles like adductors and serratus anterior.
- Incorporating these exercises can enhance muscle growth, joint health, and workout variety.
- Proper technique and progressive overload are critical for realizing the benefits of these lesser-known movements.
Unlock Hidden Gains: 3 Underrated Exercises Eugene Teo Swears Will Transform Your Chest and Back Workout
3 Underrated Exercises Eugene Teo Swears Will Transform Your Chest and Back Workout.Discover bodybuilding coach Eugene Teo’s top underrated exercises that maximize muscle stretch, strength, and growth.
Learn why the high cable row gives your chest better activation and which lesser-known movements you should try next for superior results.
Introduction
When it comes to bodybuilding and strength training, the popular exercises often steal all the glory. But hidden gems in the fitness world can offer unique benefits that conventional moves just can’t match.
Eugene Teo, a respected bodybuilding coach, recently shared his list of the most underrated exercises—some forgotten classics and some innovative variations—that deserve a prime spot in your training routine.
Among these, the high cable row stands out as a prime example of targeting muscles differently for better stretch and activation. Teo’s insights into biomechanics and muscle leverage reveal why these lesser-known moves can supercharge your chest and back workouts.
This guide will explore Teo’s top recommendations, explain the science behind them, and help you add these powerful exercises to your regimen for better performance and muscle gains.
What Makes the High Cable Row Unique?
Eugene Teo highlights the high cable row for its diagonal pulling motion, which most gym-goers overlook in favor of vertical or horizontal pulls. This movement aligns your back muscles differently, specifically targeting muscle fibers in a beneficial way.
“What this means is your chest muscles can get a better stretch and work more effectively,” Teo explains. Unlike traditional rows, the diagonal pull engages muscles from a unique angle, encouraging a full-range contraction and improved muscle activation while minimizing joint stress.
This exercise not only enhances muscle fiber recruitment but also balances strength between the back and chest, contributing to improved posture and upper body strength.menshealth+1
The Science Behind Better Chest Muscle Stretch
The core reason these exercises are underrated is often related to the subtle differences in joint angles and muscle leverage. For instance, the underhand grip bench press, another one of Teo’s favorites,
creates a narrower elbow path, which is anatomically superior for chest leverage, allowing a deeper stretch and effective contraction.
This deeper stretch is crucial because muscle hypertrophy (growth) is maximized when muscles undergo a full range of motion with sufficient tension.
Research supports that exercises allowing a greater stretch during the eccentric phase stimulate more muscle fiber recruitment and metabolic stress, both essential for hypertrophy.menshealth+1
Also Read : Unlock Explosive Fitness: Why Plyometrics and Strength Training Are Your Secret to Peak Health,
Eugene Teo’s Top 10 Most Underrated Exercises
Here’s a summary of some of the unique exercises Eugene Teo recommends trying:
- Underhand Grip Bench Press: Enhances chest muscle leverage and stretch for better activation.
- High Cable Row: Offers a diagonal pulling pattern for superior back and chest engagement.
- Copenhagen Plank: Targets often-neglected adductor muscles, supporting deadlifts and lower body strength.
- Rope Pulldown: Customizable grip with outwards force to enhance arm and upper back coordination.
- Leg Press: Provides a powerful alternative to squats for lower body strength gains.
- Hyperextension: Effectively targets the posterior chain with a deadlift-like movement.
- Prone Y Raise: Strengthens the upper back and shoulder muscles in a fully shortened position.
- Pushup: Superior for engaging the serratus anterior, crucial for shoulder functionality.
- Dead Hang: Helps with shoulder mobility and grip strength.
- Dumbbell Pullovers: Stretches the lats and thoracic spine, expanding the chest cage.menshealth+1
Why These Exercises Matter in Modern Training
Many of these exercises are overlooked because they are less glamorous than the staple gym lifts like barbell squats, bench presses, and cable pulldowns.
However, they fill critical gaps in workout programs by targeting overlooked muscles or offering unique leverage advantages, resulting in better muscle stimulation and preventing imbalances.
Teo stresses incorporating these into your routine can lead to not only bigger muscles but also improved joint health, function, and longevity in training without risking injury.menshealth+1
How to Integrate These Underrated Exercises Into Your Workout
- Begin with Form Mastery: Many underrated exercises require precise form for maximum benefit and safety, so start with light weights or bodyweight.
- Progressive Overload: Gradually increase resistance or reps as you grow comfortable to ensure continued muscle adaptation.
- Balanced Programming: Combine these with foundational lifts to create well-rounded workouts targeting all major muscle groups.
- Frequency: Integrate these 1–3 times a week depending on your training split and goals.
- Listen to Your Body: Some variants, like the high cable row, might feel unfamiliar but offer unique benefits if performed correctly.menshealth+1
Summary
Eugene Teo’s insights shine a light on valuable, often ignored exercises that can seriously elevate your training. The high cable row, with its diagonal pull and chest-stretching advantage, illustrates how small biomechanical tweaks can produce impressive results.
Combined with other underrated exercises like the underhand grip bench press and Copenhagen plank, these moves form a powerful toolkit for building strength, muscle, and resilience efficiently.
Integrate these exercises intelligently in your training regimen to unlock hidden gains and optimize your workout effectiveness beyond the typical gym routine. Following this expert advice places you a step ahead in the quest for muscle growth and functional fitness.
Tags:#UnderratedExercises #EugeneTeo #HighCableRow #ChestWorkout #MuscleGrowth #BodybuildingTips #FitnessCoach #StrengthTraining #WorkoutRoutine #GymHacks
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