Question: Muscles Worked during Strength Training

SparkPoints: (13,407)
Fitness Minutes: (15,461)
Posts: 496
2/2/13 4:04 P

Oh I know! I don't WANT to hit all muscles individually! I don't have the time or energy for that. The question was how to tell what the compound exercises were and how to tell ALL of the muscles each ones work and how much. Like with push-ups- the site says it is just one target muscle but I know it is compound and actually works a lot more, so in my plans, what would I knock off of the muscle list when I include that? :P

Thank you very much for the links.

Body Fat %: 21.0

22 20.75 19.5 18.25

17

Posts: 5,334
2/2/13 3:41 P

agreed that compound workouts are the way to go. why go through all that work if you don't have to. If you really want to build muscle it would take forever one muscle at a time.

current weight: 117.0

136 130.75 125.5 120.25

115

SparkPoints: (30,079)
Fitness Minutes: (12,611)
Posts: 3,872
2/2/13 12:31 P

Agree with ZORBS. You have it backwards. You want to focus on compound movements that are easily loaded (squats, deads, benches, presses, etc). You only have so much gas in the tank, so working these first is the better approach. Isolation movements can be incorporated for two reasons 1) to fix "stuck" compound movements and 2) aesthetics. But always save the isolation moves for last.

So to answer your question, I think you're looking to see what degree a muscle is activated for a movement. Assuming that is the measurement for "best". I've come across various studies in pubmed, but someone I follow has something a bit more comprehensive.

Chest
suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/07/suppversi
ty-emg-series-musculus.html

Biceps
suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/07/suppversi
ty-emg-series-biceps-brachii.html

Back
suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/07/suppversi
ty-emg-series-latissimus.html

Legs
suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/08/suppversi
ty-emg-series-gluteaus-maximus.html

Triceps
suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/08/suppversi
ty-emg-series-m-triceps.html

Shoulders
suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/08/suppversi
ty-emg-series-m-deltoideus-m.html

Abs
suppversity.blogspot.com/2011/07/suppversi
ty-emg-series-rectus-abdominis.html

I know these are still "groups" to a certain extent. I'm not sure that someone has focused on the best exercises for the wrist, obliques, etc.

current weight: 5.0  over

10 5 0 -5

-10

SparkPoints: (13,407)
Fitness Minutes: (15,461)
Posts: 496
2/2/13 12:18 P

Thank you!

Body Fat %: 21.0

22 20.75 19.5 18.25

17

SparkPoints: (71,662)
Fitness Minutes: (73,823)
Posts: 11,804
2/2/13 5:52 A

there is no need to work every single muscle individually, because 1) it would take forever and 2) your body doesn't work like that.

" how can I tell which exercises actually target more than one muscle? " since you're using exrx, this is easy. with each large muscle group, the most basic compound exercises are listed in bold. Those are a better choice than the non-bold ones.

sportsmedicine.about.com/od/strengthtraini
ng/a/compound_ex.htm movemofitness.com/2011/10/the-7-basic-huma
n-movements/

10 Days until:  Niagara Falls Women''s HM

50 37 25 12

0

SparkPoints: (13,407)
Fitness Minutes: (15,461)
Posts: 496
2/2/13 2:23 A

I've decided I wanted to pay attention to each specific muscle, instead of just "muscle group" when I plan out my strength training program. I'm using a site called exrx.net to do this. On each exercise, they show the "target muscle" but then they have a bunch of other ones listed, too, under "synergists" and "stabilizers."

I know to go for the large muscles (eg, lats, biceps, traps, quads) first and then- only if they aren't fatigued yet- go for the small muscles (eg, wrist flexors/extensors, forearm pronators and supinators)- but my question is, how can I tell which exercises actually target more than one muscle? Will the muscles listed under "synergists" also be worked to the point that I don't necessarily NEED to add in exercises for all of them? For example, this is what they say for pushups

Target

Pectoralis Major, Sternal

Synergists

Pectoralis Major, Clavicular
Deltoid, Anterior
Triceps Brachii

Dynamic Stabilizers

Biceps Brachii, Short Head

Stabilizers

Rectus Abdominis
Obliques
Quadriceps

Antagonist Stabilizers

Erector Spinae

I m thinking here that the first two groups are the muscle groups that are most worked, so if I include pushups and I am short on time, I can skip doing exercises specifically targets for anterior deltoids and triceps?

I understand that ideally I would work each muscle to fatigue with only good form, but if I don't have time to do something that specifically targets each individual muscle, what do I do? I still want to work all muscles a little bit.

Body Fat %: 21.0

22 20.75 19.5 18.25

17