In my previous article, I spoke about movement patterns and compound exercises. Here, I'll talk about specific muscle groups and how to target each of them. The major muscle groups can be classified as Legs Hamstrings Quadriceps Calves Glutes Back Latissimus Dorsi Rhomboids Trapezius Erector Spinae Chest Pectoral major Pectoral minor Shoulders Anterior deltoid Posterior deltoid Lateral deltoid Arms Biceps Triceps Forearms Abdominals Rectus abdominis (The top blocky layer visible to us) Transverse abdominus (Beneath the rectus abdominus) Obliques (Side abs) Compound exercises usually work 3+ muscle groups. For example, a standing shoulder press mainly works the anterior and lateral deltoids, triceps, traps and a little bit of the pectoral major. The latissimus dorsi and glutes act as a stabilizer. A barbell row mainly works the rhomboids, latissimus
Credits: T-Nation Now that you've decided to embark on the journey of getting fitter and stronger, it's time to learn about what types of exercises to perform. Just doing 100 push-ups, 100 crunches, 100 squats and running 10 kilometres everyday isn't going to get you significantly stronger or looking like a Greek god. One Punch Man lied to you. In this article, rather than talking about exercises to target specific muscle groups, I'll talk about compound exercises and functional movements. In my next article, I'll talk about isolation exercises for every major muscle. Compound exercises are multi-joint exercises that use multiple muscles/muscle groups. It is possible to use significantly higher loads for these exercises due to the fact that larger and more muscle groups are involved in moving the weight. Isolation exercises are those that target a specific muscle. They are usually lighter and are done in order to further stimulate muscle growth in