Muscle Groups: Our Resident PT Answers Your Questions
What is a muscle group?
A muscle group is a term used to define a grouping of muscles. When applied to fitness, body building in particular, this applies to muscles which will be trained in particular. One example of this would be Legs, which incorporates the quads, hamstrings, calf muscles and any other smaller ancillary muscles, tendons or ligaments contained with the leg.
What are the main muscle groups?
This is fairly simple, there are 6 main muscle, listed below:
- Legs (glutes/quads/hamstrings/calves)
- Back (lats/erectors/rhomboids)
- Shoulders (front and rear delts/traps)
- Chest (Pecs)
- Arms (Bicep/Tricep/Forearms)
- Core (Abdominal/Oblique)
These are a broad covering and can be broken up into even smaller muscles but for now, this will do. Most exercises can be segregated into one of these groups, this doesn’t mean they wont workout or effect another grouping of muscles. It just means this will be their primary function
Can I train different muscle groups together?
Training different muscle groups can be an easy way to hit all parts of your body, in a shorter period of time. For example, arms can be broken down into triceps, biceps and forearms and spread across other muscle groups. Biceps and forearms can easily be added to a back workout, as most back workouts have Biceps and forearms as a secondary function. Meaning by adding 1-2 exercises to target these muscles and the end of the workout can have a really good effect. This is similar with Triceps and Chest. Alternatively, a training week can be broken into push/ pull exercises, aiming to do exercises that complement each other effectively. This means training can be done on a 2-3 day rolling basis. As well as this, training can be done in antagonistic scenarios, for example training chest and back. You may even like to train both legs and arms at the same time.
There is no real set way to train, it all comes down to preference, time, goal and ability. Obviously, training in particular ways, will have different effects and rates of success. Why not check out our other articles on different routines and figure out what’s best for you? Like us on instagram @gymdwellingmammal and be sure to let us know your favourite way to train.
