Table Of Contents

How I Ranked The 14 Easiest And Hardest Muscles To Build

The 7 Easiest Muscles To Build.
1) Trapezius.
2) Quadriceps.
3) Latissimus Dorsi.
4) Triceps.
5) Rhomboids.
6) Spinal Erectors.
7) Gluteus Maximus.
The 7 Hardest Muscles To Build.
1) Abdominals.
2) Calves.
3) Forearms.
4) Biceps.
5) Deltoids.
6) Hamstrings.
7) Pectorals.
Conclusion

How I Ranked The 14 Easiest And Hardest

Muscles To Build
First, I tracked down 8 Quora and Reddit polls which asked:

What’s the easiest muscle group to build?

What muscle grows the fastest?

Which muscles are the easiest to get large?

What muscle was easiest for you personally to develop?

What is your hardest muscle to train? And what is the easiest?

Which is the hardest muscle to grow in the gym, in your opinion?

What is the hardest muscle to work out?

What has been your hardest muscle group to grow and how did you overcome it?

Next, I tallied the 646 user-opinions for the easiest and the hardest muscles to build.
Each muscle was then given an upvote if it was stated as being the easiest to build, and a downvote for
being stated as the hardest muscle to build.

Note: in cases where an entire muscle group was stated, I gave each of the constituent muscles a vote. For
example- the back would give trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, and spinal erectors each an individual vote.

Finally, I ranked each muscle from the easiest to the hardest muscle to build.

Here are the results:

Next, I’ll explore each muscle’s function.

I’ll also analyse why each muscle is easy or hard to develop, and explain how to train them effectively.

The 7 Easiest Muscles To Build.

Here are the 7 easiest muscles to build in descending order (easiest to hardest):

1) Trapezius.

This large muscle is by far one of the easiest quoted muscles to build.

The trapezius (“traps”) function is to rotate and stabilize the shoulder blade to move your upper arm.

Furthermore, many people stated that they did not need dedicated exercises to train the trapezius.

Instead, their traps grew as a result of performing other compound movements.

When you develop big traps, the coveted “neck flare” will emerge. This is the muscle that connects your
shoulders to your neck.

Why the trapezius is easy to build:

Many of the common compound lifts, including the deadlift and row, directly activate the trapezius.

Additionally, other compound exercises such as the bench press and shoulder press also engage the traps
as a stabilizer muscle

The widespread use of the traps in many different exercises may explain why it’s one of the easiest muscles
to build!

How to build the trapezius:

Deadlift

Bent-over row.

One-arm row.

Upright row.

Face-pull.

Dumbbell shrug.

Incline reverse fly.

If your training programme is well-balanced, trapezius training is not essential. Most of your upper body
exercises will hit the traps on the side.

But at least you now know what exercises to perform to get traps like a King Cobra!

2) Quadriceps.
The quadriceps consist of 4 smaller muscles.

These four muscles work together to flex your hips upwards and extend your knees outwards.

The “quads” as they are sometimes called, are one of the biggest muscles in your body.

As well as being responsible for moving the hips and knees, they also stabilize your standing.

When you develop thick quads, you’ll be able to see all the distinct muscle which make up the quadriceps.
And this contributes to building powerful-looking legs.

Why the quadriceps are easy to build:

The quads drive the majority of lower body exercises, since these exercises almost always involve leg
pushing movements.

This makes the quadriceps one of the most heavily activated muscles in the lower body.

They are also engaged to stabilise upper body exercises which require you to stand (for example the
standing shoulder press and lateral raise).

Finally, the quadriceps can be easily isolated through exercises such as the leg extension machine.

How to build the quadriceps:

High-bar back squat.

 Hack squat.

Front squat.

Leg press machine.

Dumbbell goblet squat.

Knee extension machine.

The best way to build your quads is through compound squatting.

The front squat is particularly effective since the weight is concentrated directly above the quadriceps. But
all squats in general are great for the quadriceps.

Knee extensions are also a popular exercise.

But I would prioritise the squats, and then use knee extensions as an accessory exercise (to be done after
squats).

Check out my other article to find out how much weight you should squat!

3) Latissimus Dorsi.

The latissimus dorsi, or “lats” are a large thin muscle which spans the entire lower back.

When they contract, they produce arm adduction, pulling your arms down and back towards your torso.
Many of the most popular exercises will engage the lats as a secondary stabilizer.

But to get big lats, you’ll need to work on specific exercises.

When the latissimus dorsi becomes trained, they will flare out (when viewed from the front). And this
contributes to the highly sought V-shaped body.

Why the latissimus dorsi is easy to build:

Although you need to make a conscious effort to include the lats in your training programme, they are one
of the largest and most powerful back muscles.

When you choose the right exercises, they can be one of the most receptive muscles for hypertrophy
(muscle growth).

Additionally, the best lat exercises are often very popular and many people enjoy performing them.

How to build the latissimus dorsi:

Wide-grip pull-up.

Wide-grip chin-up.

Bent-over row (pulling towards the belly button).

Seated upright row machine.

Lat pull-down machine.

The lats are difficult to isolate by themselves. But they can be targeted by performing the compound
exercises above.

These are all upper body pulling exercises, and will also engage other muscles (especially the biceps).

This makes it important to account for your total weekly sets. You should avoid performing more than 15
heavy sets per muscle group per week.

Read my other article to learn how to do a pull-up!

4) Triceps.
The triceps are the largest muscle in your arms. In fact, they occupy around two thirds of your upper arm!

This makes training the triceps essential. But many beginners often neglect this muscle, which is also a
highly receptive muscle for hypertrophy.

The good news is that the triceps are one of the easiest arm muscles to train.

When you build your triceps, they will give a well-defined “cut” look in your upper arms. And many people
find this visually more appealing than the classic “bicep bulge”!

Why the triceps are easy to build:

Not only are the triceps the largest arm muscle, but they are also invariably recruited in all the upper body
pressing and pushing movements (which are some of the most popular exercises).

Think of the bench press, shoulder press, and chest dip.

These are exercises every guy includes in their training programme. And these exercises, as well as their
variations, recruit the triceps as a primary mover.

However, to get those awesome cut triceps, you should also include tricep isolation exercises.

How to build the triceps:

Bench press.
 Close-grip bench press.

Shoulder press.

Skull crusher.

Overhead tricep extension.

Tricep kickback.

Be wary not to overtrain your triceps, since you’ll most likely be including other pressing exercises in your
weekly routine as well.

I would suggest beginners limit themselves to 3-5 tricep isolation sets per week (skull crusher, extensions,
and/or kickbacks). This will ensure you don’t hit the triceps with too many sets.

Read my other article to learn how to get bigger arms!

5) Rhomboids.

The rhomboids are two muscles located next to your trapezius, in the middle of your upper back.

They are responsible for pulling your shoulder blades together.

When you develop your rhomboids, you’ll also build a thick-looking back.
That’s because they lie in the centre of your back (unlike the lats which are responsible for widening your
back).

This means they will help to push your back muscles outwards.

Why the rhomboids are easy to build:

Although the rhomboids themselves can be difficult to isolate due to their location, many of the popular
back exercises will engage the rhomboids.

This means you don’t need to worry about including dedicated rhomboid exercises in your training
programme.

Just make sure you perform a variety of compound back exercises with good form, and you’ll hit the
rhomboids at the same time!

How to build the rhomboids:

Bent-over row.

Reverse fly.

Pull-up.

Face-pull.

Seated upright row.

Form is the most important aspect of successfully engaging your rhomboids. Each of the exercises above
will work your rhomboids.

But to ensure maximal rhomboid activation, you should fully retract your shoulder blades at the top of
each movement.

This will often mean sacrificing weight for form, which is never a bad idea!

6) Spinal Erectors.
 the spinal erector muscles are easily developed through deadlifting

The spinal erectors are a group of muscles lying deep in your back.

They are mostly involved in extending your back and maintaining a good posture. But they are also
important for stabilising all the back exercises.

Although well developed spinal erectors won’t do much for aesthetics, they WILL help you to lift heavier
weights on your back exercises.

And this will give you an overall benefit in developing the other back muscles.

Why the spinal erectors are easy to build:

If you’re including a good variety of back exercises, you don’t require dedicated exercises for the spinal
erectors. They will develop alongside your other back muscles.

The deadlift is an excellent way to train the spinal erectors, as your back extends across the entire range of
motion.

But most back exercises in general require spinal erector activity to maintain a straight back and stabilise
the movement.

How to build the spinal erectors:

Deadlift.

Romanian deadlift
 Good morning.

Bent-over row.

Bird dog.

Superman.

As long as you’re performing the big compound back exercises (rows and deadlifts), you don’t need smaller
exercises such as the bird dog or superman.

However, you can include these exercises, should you wish, to do postural-work or use them as a warm-up.

Check out my other article to find out how much weight you should be deadlifting.

7) Gluteus Maximus.

The gluteus maximus is located where your buttocks are.

It’s also the largest muscle in your body, and responsible for pushing your hips outwards as well as bringing
your leg backward.

Developing the “glutes” will not only give aesthetic benefits, but also functional advantages.

That’s because every lower body exercise will invariably require glute activity.
Likewise, most lower body exercises work the gluteus maximus as either the prime mover or secondary
stabilizer.

Why the gluteus maximus is easy to build:

The gluteus maximus is one of the primary drivers for two of the most popular exercises- the deadlift and
squat.

Most people will already have these exercises in their train programs. And this alone is sufficient to
promote hypertrophy in the gluteus maximus (just make sure you’re lifting heavy).

This makes it easy to train the glutes without having to dedicate specific exercises.

How to build the gluteus maximus:

Deadlift.

Sumo deadlift

Low-bar back squat.

Lunge.

Hip thrust.

If you are already performing 10-15 weekly sets of heavy deadlifts, squats, or lunges, then there’s good
news- your glutes are getting a good workout already!

But if you want to add more sets to specifically the glutes, then the hip thrust a great exercise.

Unlike the other exercises, the hip thrust exclusively targets the gluteus maximus (although the hamstrings
are also engaged to a degree).

The 7 Hardest Muscles To Build.

Here are the 7 hardest muscles to build in descending order (hardest to easiest):

1) Abdominals.
The abdominals are a group of muscles located in your core, aka the six-pack muscles.

These muscles are mainly comprised of the rectus abdominis and obliques.

They work together to flex your back (bringing your head towards the knees) as well as rotating the torso.

According to the poll, the abs are one of the hardest muscles to build (and also the most coveted!).

But aesthetics-aside, a strong core will provide functional benefits to all your big lifts, allowing you to lift
heavier weights.

Why the spinal abdominals are hard to build:

The muscles themselves are not hard to isolate, and there are many exercises to target both the rectus
abdominis and obliques.

However, what many people struggle with is revealing the abdominal definition, since the torso is also the
first place where fat is stored.

This essentially covers any definition from the abs.

How to build the abdominals:

Weighted crunch (upper abs).

Wood chopper abs and obliques).

 Side-bend (obliques)

Leg raise (lower abs).

Russian twist (obliques).

All compound exercises.

To train the abs most effectively, you need variety. In fact, out of all the muscle groups, variation is
especially important to build a powerful core.

That’s because each section of your abdominals perform distinct roles.

So choose a selection of exercises that work the upper abs, lower abs, and obliques!

And don’t forget about nutrition!

Check out my other article to learn how to keep your abs on a bulk!

2) Calves.

The gastrocnemius makes up the bulk of the calf muscle.

The muscle itself is responsible for flexing the foot downwards (onto your tiptoes), as well as flexing your
lower leg towards your thighs.
You will want to develop this muscle as it’s the main muscle in the lower leg and thus contributes to
powerful-looking legs.

Why the calves are hard to build:

The calves are regarded to be one of the most difficult muscles to build for two reasons.

Firstly, they are constantly engaged through daily activities such as walking and running. As a result, most
people already have a degree of calf development, and this makes it harder to drive further development.

Secondly, the calves are constantly used throughout the day. And this means the calves need a level of
endurance.

As such, they have a high proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibres (50% to be exact).

These fibres are responsible for long and sustained movements, and are harder to grow compared to fast
twitch fibres.

How to build the calves:

Squats.

Deadlift.

Dumbbell calf raise.

Barbell calf raise.

Standing calf-raise machine.

Seated calf-raise machine.

Deadlifting and squatting provides a lot of stimulation for the calf muscle.

But that’s rarely enough if you want to get big calves.

Instead, you should also incorporate calf-raises in your training program.

These can be performed with free weights or machines. But If possible, go for the machines.

Unlike free weights, which require a lot of balancing, machines make it easier to control the muscle and get
a good mind-muscle contraction.

Read my other article to find out how often you should perform leg days!

3) Forearms.
The forearms are mainly made up of the brachioradialis, wrist flexors, and forearm flexors.

These work together to flex your wrists towards the forearm, as well as rotating the wrists.

The most important function of the forearm is to provide grip strength. And without a strong grip strength,
you’re limited in the amount of weight you can lift in all exercises.

This makes it very important to train your forearms.

Why the forearms are hard to build:

Your forearms are used consistently in every workout. So why are they one of the hardest muscles to build?

Just like the calves, the forearms contain a lot of slow-twitch fibres. And these are mostly used for aerobic
endurance activities.

As a result, it can be difficult to develop strength and mass in the forearm muscles.

How to build the forearms:

Underhand wrist-curl.

Overhand wrist-curl.

Hammer curl.

Reverse curl
 Compound exercises such as pull-ups and deadlift.

Only after you’ve performed all your main compound lifts, should you begin forearm work. In fact, forearm
training should be done at the end of the workout.

This allows you to preserve your wrist strength for the bigger lifts.

If you decide to do forearm training, I would also recommend you to alternate between underhand and
overhand wrist-curls to maintain variety.

Read my other article to find out why you should lift heavy weights first!

4) Biceps.

The biceps are actually comprised of two smaller muscles- the biceps brachii and brachiallis.

The biceps brachii are also further made up of a long and short-head.

Together, these muscles work to flex the forearm towards your upper arm.

Many people spend a lot of time training the biceps, with very little results to show.

In fact, the biceps are one of the hardest muscles for beginners to build.

Why the biceps are hard to build:

Many people are unaware that the biceps muscles are responsible for different movements.

Therefore you need to perform a range of bicep curl variations to hit all your biceps muscles.

These variations need to include different grip-widths and grip-styles in order to maximise bicep
hypertrophy.

Another reason the biceps are hard to build is due to overtraining.

All the upper body pulling exercises also engage the biceps to some degree.

As such, you should limit the number of bicep curl sets to avoid exceeding the recommended training
volume for bicep growth.

How to build the biceps:

Underhand bicep curl.

Reverse curl.

Hammer curl.

Concentration curl.

Preacher curl.

Compound pulling exercises such as pull-ups, chin-ups, and rows.

The majority of your bicep work should come from your compound pulling exercises.

These can then be supplemented with bicep accessory exercises such as the underhand curl, reverse curl,
and preacher curl.

Tip: to get a maximal bicep contraction, rotate your wrist upwards as you curl.

Additionally, you should also stick to around 3-6 sets of accessory exercises per week if you are performing
a lot of compound pulling exercises.

This will decrease the likelihood of overtraining.

Check out my other article to find out your ideal bicep curling weight!

5) Deltoids.
The deltoids are comprised of the anterior (front), medial (side), and posterior (back) deltoids.

Combined, this triplet of muscles move the arm away from the body, whether that be forward, sideways, or
backwards.

When the deltoids are developed, they will widen your frame and are a major contributor to the v-shaped
physique.

As such, you should find ways to effectively promote deltoid growth!

Why the deltoids are hard to build:

There are 3 main reasons why many people find the deltoids to be one of the more difficult muscles to
build.

The first reason is not doing enough sets. Many people don’t prioritise the shoulders enough.

Instead, they treat the shoulders as a secondary muscle (with the chest, back, and legs being given the
most attention).

Secondly is using too much weight. This compromises form and results in sub-optimal deltoid activation.

The classic example of this is loading too much on the shoulder press and arching your back due to the
weight being too heavy.
This effectively turns the movement into an incline bench press, which is not great for big shoulders!

The third reason is not doing enough work on the medial deltoids.

The shoulder press is good for anterior deltoid activation. But the lateral raise is best for activating the
medial deltoids. And that’s what widens your shoulders!

How to build the deltoids:

Dumbbell hammer press.

Barbell shoulder press.

Lateral raise.

Incline reverse fly.

High pull.

You should use a lighter weight to maintain good form.

This is especially important for shoulder exercises because bad form can easily cause you to
unintentionally turn the exercise into a different exercise (See shoulder press example above).

The individual deltoids are not big muscles. So you don’t need to overload them with heavy weights.

Instead use moderate to light weights and perform around 12-15 reps per set with good form.

Read my other article to find out how much weight to shoulder press!

6) Hamstrings.
The hamstrings are located on the rear of your leg and serve to bring the leg backwards.

Although the “hammies” are relatively non-visible compared to the quads, they serve an important
function.

Along with the glutes, the hamstrings are the most powerful muscles in your lower body.

As such, they help you to lift heavy on leg days.

Additionally, highly trained hamstrings will visually thicken your legs when viewed from the rear and sides!

Why the hamstrings are hard to build:

Like the deltoids, many people simply ignore the hamstrings. Or they don’t give the hamstrings enough
attention.

All lower body exercises will engage the hamstrings, either as the primary mover or secondary stabilising
muscle.

But the hamstrings are a large muscle. And this means they need to be hit hard and with lots of sets.

Another reason is poor form.

You need to remember the hamstring doesn’t just flex the knee joint, but also the hip joint.
As such, exercises such as the leg curl require you to consciously curl from the hip as well as from the
knees. This will maximize hamstring activation.

How to build the hamstrings:

Deadlift.

Romanian deadlift.

Low-bar back squat.

Lunge.

Leg curl.

Nordic ham curl.

Hamstring training should revolve around heavy compound lower body lifts (deadlifts, squats, and lunges).

These should also be supplemented with smaller accessory exercises such as the leg curl and ham curl.

With the accessory exercises, you should vary the weights.

In other words do low reps with heavy weights as well as high reps with light weights.

That’s because the hamstrings have an even distribution of slow and fast-twitch fibers. And you’ll want to
train both of them for maximal results.

7) Pectorals.
The pectorals comprise the pectoralis major and minor.

The pec major spans the entire breadth of the chest, whilst the pec minor sits underneath the pec major.

They both perform the same task- to bring the arms towards the torso midline.

These are probably one of the more famous upper body muscles. You probably already know what big
pecs look like! And you probably want them for yourself.

Why the pecs are hard to build:

Many people struggle to build bigger pecs for two reasons.

The first reason is bad form.

When you bench press, you should make a conscious effort to widen your grip and squeeze the pecs as
you press the bar.

Otherwise what happens is your triceps and anterior deltoids take the brunt of the work.

As a result, the pecs aren’t stimulated as much as you think they are.

The second reason is a lack of variety.

Although the pectoralis major counts as one muscle, it spans a great deal of surface area.
In fact, the pec major is further classified into the upper, mid, and low pecs.

And these should be targeted with different exercises, respectively.

How to build the pecs:

Flat bench press (mid pecs).

Incline bench press (upper pecs).

Decline bench press (lower pecs).

Chest fly.

Dumbbell pull over.

Cable flyes at different angles.

Bench presses should be performed at heavy weights with 8 to 12 reps per set.

Really concentrate on using your pectorals to press the bar upwards. Arching your back upwards will help
with this.

In contrast, chest flyes should be performed with lighter weights at 12 to 15 reps per set.

Regardless of exercise choice, you should maintain good form and really feel your chest contract!

Check out my other article to find out why your pecs aren’t growing!

Conclusion
Today, I’ve researched, ranked, and shared with you the easiest and hardest muscles to build.

There seems to be a correlation between muscle size and the perceived difficulty to build it.

More specifically, the larger muscles are easier to build, whilst the smaller muscles are harder to build.

My list gives you an idea for how difficult/easy it’ll be to work on your own muscles.

But remember that everyone is different.

How difficult/easy you find it to build a particular muscle will depend on your own personal factors (largely
your genetics and how much you enjoy training a specific muscle).

Which muscles do you find easiest and hardest to build?

Let me know in the comments below!

Alternatively, download the FREE Kalibre Muscle Blueprint to find out EXACTLY how I transformed
my skinny body as a hardgainer!

Thanks for reading guys!

Peace Out,

Kal

(Biochemistry BSc, Biomedical Sciences MSc, Ex-Skinny Guy)

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