Exercises
Muscle group workouts
A breakdown by individual muscle head, not just broad groups, so you know exactly what you're training. Combine these into a training split and pair it with a nutrition target to keep you progressing.
Gray's Anatomy / Wikimedia Commons
Chest
Upper chest
- Incline barbell press
- Incline dumbbell press
3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Mid chest
- Flat bench press
- Machine chest press
3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Lower chest
- Decline press
- Dips (chest lean)
3 sets × 8–12 reps
After Testut's Anatomy / Wikimedia Commons
Back
Lats
- Pull-up
- Lat pulldown
- Straight-arm pulldown
3–4 sets × 8–12 reps
Traps
- Barbell shrug
- Farmer's carry
3 sets × 10–15 reps
Rhomboids / mid-back
- Seated cable row
- Chest-supported row
3–4 sets × 8–12 reps
Lower back (erectors)
- Deadlift
- Back extension
3 sets × 5–10 reps
Wikimedia Commons
Shoulders
Front delts
- Overhead press
- Front raise
3 sets × 8–12 reps
Side delts
- Lateral raise
- Cable lateral raise
3–4 sets × 12–15 reps
Rear delts
- Face pull
- Reverse pec deck
3 sets × 12–15 reps
OpenStax / Wikimedia Commons
Arms
Biceps
- Barbell curl
- Incline dumbbell curl
3 sets × 8–12 reps
Triceps
- Triceps pushdown
- Skull crusher
- Close-grip bench press
3 sets × 8–12 reps
Forearms
- Wrist curl
- Farmer's carry
2–3 sets × 15–20 reps
Wikimedia Commons
Legs
Quads
- Squat
- Leg press
- Leg extension
3–4 sets × 6–12 reps
Hamstrings
- Romanian deadlift
- Leg curl
3 sets × 8–12 reps
Glutes
- Hip thrust
- Glute bridge
3 sets × 8–15 reps
Calves
- Standing calf raise
- Seated calf raise
3–4 sets × 12–20 reps
Wikimedia Commons
Core
Upper abs
- Cable crunch
- Sit-up
3 sets × 12–15 reps
Lower abs
- Hanging leg raise
- Reverse crunch
3 sets × 10–15 reps
Obliques
- Russian twist
- Side plank
3 sets × 15–20 reps (or 30–45 sec hold)