People can choose to individualize a workout by adding or taking away these moves. List of exercises that target certain muscle groupsīelow are some examples of exercises that work major muscle groups. This would also vary depending on how many days per week the person plans to work out on.įor example, a 2-day workout could include the legs, back, and abdomen on day 1 and the chest, shoulders, and arms on day 2.įocusing on these groupings when creating a workout routine may help ensure that each group gets both work and rest throughout the week. In many cases, when first starting out, it may be best to simply aim for a couple of muscle groups each day and focus on a few simple exercises that target them. This includes both the types of workouts a person does and how long they perform them for. When first starting with a workout routine to build muscle, it may help to take it slow. The authors also suggest that people can choose a weekly workout frequency per muscle group based on personal preference. One 2019 systematic review found that the difference in muscle mass was modest for those who worked the same muscles more each week. The absĪ few strengthening exercises that target other areas of the body will also work out the abs, though some targeted exercises will also do so. Various workouts will target one or more muscles during the exercise, and a good workout will include exercises to train all areas of the leg. The legs tend to get their own day for targeted practice. This includes the quadriceps, the hamstrings, the glutes, and the calves. Various exercises, such as pull-downs, will engage these muscles together. Many workouts targeting these muscles work to pull resistance toward the body. Many exercises, such as the pushup or bench press, will target these muscles together. This is because many exercises that target these muscles involve pushing resistance away from the body. Some common muscle groupings may include: The chest, shoulders, and triceps Others may group muscles due to their location in the body, such as the many muscles in the legs or abs. For example, people may group muscles on whether they perform “push” or “pull” movements. Some muscle groups work together to perform certain movements. The above groups of muscles contain sets of individual muscles, which people may choose to further target. These six major muscle groups are:Īlthough some people may include the hips, it is not as common to train this muscle group. Regarding strength training, there are generally six muscle groups that people train and exercise. A person can work these groups one day, then move onto another muscle group the next day. These are generally muscles or muscle groups that work with each other. Some muscle groups make good pairs to work out together. When it comes to working out, finding ways to group and target major muscles may help make a workout plan simpler. There are more than 600 muscles in the body. Specifically, if a person knows that they will only be engaging one muscle group that day, they may be more likely to give it their all, knowing that they can rest that muscle group in the days to come. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommend exercising each muscle group twice per week, while also resting for a minimum of 2 days between workouts.Īnecdotally, this may also help with the mental factor of working out.

Working certain muscle groups together may also provide more time for proper rest, which is also important. So, if a workout targets one specific muscle group, the groups that work along with that muscle are also getting some work. Targeting one muscle may not fully engage these other supportive muscles, but they may be in use to some degree. Many targeted muscles work together with other muscles to function. However, there are also other muscles working in this motion, such as the triceps and the muscles in the shoulders.

For example, when doing a bench press, one of the target muscles is the chest.

The idea of strength training is to isolate and target a specific muscle. Share on Pinterest 147486773 Solskin/Getty Images

2 workouts a day plan