Muscle Groups

Roxana Lorente Fonseca

There are more than 600 muscles in the
human body. About 40% of your body
weight is made up of muscle tissues.
You must focus on
● It prevents injuries
● Improves posture

each muscle group ●

●
Prevents muscle imbalances
Refrain from aches and pains

and here are a few ●

●
Get stronger and faster performance
Builds muscle faster
reasons why
The Chest Muscle
The Chest Muscle

Pectorals

The pectorals or pecs are the large chest

muscles. The chest is divided into two
parts, pectoralis major, and pectoralis
minor. They provide support when you
hold objects in front of your body and they
are activated when you reach across your
body.
The Back Muscles
The back is the most complex major
muscular structure in the entire body.
The Back Muscles
○ Latissimus Dorsi- It is a large, flat
muscle on the back that stretches to
the sides, behind the arm, and is partly
covered by the trapezius on the back
near the midline. The lats facilitate the
body in pulling movements and
compliment the arms in pursuing
various physical activities like pulling
something into your body, or when you
take something down from a shelf
above your head.
○ Rhomboid- The rhomboids
relocated in the upper back. They
are underneath the trap muscles
and not visible from the outside.
They originate from the spinal
cord and merge into the scapular
bone. These muscles can’t be
seen but they play a vital role in
strengthening the scapulae and all
the back movement.
The Back Muscles
○ Trapezius- Located between the
shoulders and the back. The traps can
further be classified into three divisions-
the upper traps, middle traps, and the
lower traps, with the lower traps
extending as low as the lower back. The
traps control the scapulae or the
shoulder blades and play an important
role in shrugging and neck movements.
They are used to tilt and turn the head
and neck and shrug the shoulders.
○ Teres Muscle- This muscle lies
underneath the ‘lats’. It works
with the lats as well as the
rotator cuffs. Exercises like
single-arm lat pulldowns and
pullovers target this muscle
directly. Compound exercises
like deadlifts, shoulder presses,
and rows also target this
muscle.
The Back Muscles

○ Erector Spinae- This set of

muscles is in charge of
straightening and rotating the
back. They are actually deep
muscles that help extend the
spine and are key in posture.
They are also important when
bending forward, and sideways.
The Arm and Shoulder
Muscles
There are essentially three muscle
groups present
The Arm and Shoulder Muscles
○ Biceps- This muscle is found in
the front of the upper arm. The
biceps help control the motion
of both the shoulder and elbow
joints. At the elbow, the biceps
are essential in lifting, and the
shoulder helps with moving the
arms sideways, forward, and
upwards. Basically, this muscle
helps bend or curl the arm
toward your body.
○ Deltoids- Known as the shoulder
muscles. This muscles group is
used on all sides of body lifting
motions. They provide support
when you carry things and help
keep carried items away from
the motion path of the thighs.
The deltoid muscle consists of
3 parts: anterior deltoid, medial
deltoid, and posterior deltoid.
The Arm and Shoulder Muscles

○ Triceps- Muscles in the back of

the upper arm. These muscles
help stabilize the shoulder joint
and allow the elbow joint to be
straightened. The triceps are
utilized in passing and shooting
a basketball, and help with finite
movements such as in writing,
drawing or even push and pull.
The Abdominal Muscles
The abdominals assist in the breathing
process and protect inner organs. They
are key in twisting motions, such as golf
swing or looking behind yourself. They
also play a key part in bending over
motions, and in maintaining good
posture.
The Abdominal Muscles
● Obliques: The muscle group on the
sides of the abdominals are the
obliques. The movement of these
muscles may result in several
actions, but they are best known for
their lateral flexion and rotation of
the trunk known as a side bend.
○ Gluteus medius- One of the
three gluteal muscles, the
gluteus medius connects the
ilium to the top of the femur. It
controls the level of the hips
and allows the thighs to rotate.
The Abdominal Muscles

○ Gluteus maximus- The largest ○ Serratus anterior- A group of

and outermost muscle of the muscles connected to the rib
buttock, the gluteus maximus cage, which help stabilize the
attaches to several places in the shoulder.
pelvis and thigh. It allows you to
extend your upper leg, spread it,
and turn it outward.
The Abdominal Muscles

○ Psoas major- These muscles

connect the lower part of the
spine to the ilium and the femur
and aid in flexing the hips.
The Legs and Buttocks
Muscles
There are essentially four muscle
groups present:
The Legs and Buttocks Muscles
○ Hamstrings-The huge muscle
group in the upper back part of
your thighs. Its main function is
to bend your knees and help
propel your body forward in
such activities as walking,
running, or jumping. They are
also used during squats and
deadlifts
○ Gluteals- The glutes are
muscles of your buttocks and
the largest muscle in your body.
They are key muscles in the
movement of the legs backward
and sideways. The glutes also
help you maintain balance in
walking or running.
The Legs and Buttocks Muscles
○ Quadriceps- The 4 huge muscles that
comprise the front of your thigh is the
muscle group called the quadriceps or
‘quads’. The quadriceps is the
second-largest major muscular
structure in the human body after the
back. It is located in the upper front part
of the leg. The four muscles are namely
rectus femoris, vastus lateral, vastus
intermedius, and vastus medialis.
○ Gastrocnemius- Commonly
called the calf muscles. The
calves are located in the lower
back part of the legs. They are
key muscles when you lift your
heels up, such as when you
walk, run, and go upstairs. They
are also important for explosive
moves such as sprinting,
jumping, and climbing.
The Legs and Buttocks Muscles
Muscle Group Diagram