A lot of people lift weights without knowing what they're doing
or why they're doing it. Don't be one of them! For every exercise
you do, there are five important questions you need to answer. And
you'd better get 'em right:
What's the name of the exercise?
What's the agonist in the exercise?
What are the synergists in the exercise?
What movements are occurring during the exercise?
What plane does the exercise take place in?
Okay, now relax. As it turns out, I'm a pretty nice guy, so I'm
going to give you the answers to these questions. Below is a
humongous list of practically every exercise worth doing, with the
top five need-to know facts about each one. Obviously, this will be
most useful for beginning and intermediate lifters, since you
advanced guys and ladies already know it all, right? In any case,
having this information at your fingertips should be beneficial for
everyone.
The first thing we need to know about an exercise is its proper name, so that we're all talking about the same thing.
Nothing brands you as a newb quite like calling an exercise by the
wrong name.
Don't call this exercise a "weighted deep knee bend," or
she'll kick your newb ass.
One does occasionally run into exercises that are known by
different names, so in the list I've used the most widely used and
descriptive name. I've explained the more confusing ones, but if
you're still unclear about any of the names I've chosen, drop me a
line and we'll try to straighten it out.
The agonist is the prime mover of the exercise. It's the
main muscle working during the exercise. Every exercise will have
an agonist, it's generally the reason why you're doing the
exercise. Some exercises will have two or more agonists. That means
two or more muscles are so important to the exercise that it's
difficult to separate out one muscle group over the other.
One thing to keep in mind is that the agonist of the exercise is
the agonist whether you "feel" it working or not. Not everyone
starts off with the neuromuscular coordination necessary to feel
their muscles working during the exercise. However, if you're doing
the movement properly then rest assured that the agonist is doing
its job. Over time your ability to tune into the muscles
contracting during an exercise will improve.
The synergist in an exercise is a muscle that's helping
the agonist. It may be helping the agonist at the same joint or it
may be causing another joint to produce (or resist) movement. The
most important thing to note about a synergist is that this muscle
is receiving a training stimulus from the exercise. That means if
you just did one exercise and that was it, a synergistic muscle
will respond to that exercise by getting bigger and stronger. It
may also be sore from the exercise for the next day or two.
When developing a routine, it's important to allow synergistic
muscles adequate time to recover from their training. Many muscles
contract during an exercise, but honestly that's not terribly
relevant to what's happening during the exercise, or how your
program should be structured. For example, your calves will
contract during a lateral raise or a biceps curl, but that really
makes no difference. If you just performed lateral raises or biceps
curls, will your calves get sore from that, and will they get
bigger and stronger from that one exercise? Of course not.
Don't confuse a muscle that contracts during an exercise
with a muscle that's a synergist during an exercise. Usually
a synergist is producing movement during the exercise, but
sometimes a stabilizing muscle has to work so hard during the
exercise that it will also receive a significant training effect
from the exercise, so we'll go ahead and call it a synergist as
well. Finally not all exercises will have a synergist; sometimes
just the agonist is working and that's it.
The movement produced during the exercise is describing
the action of the joints involved. How are those joints moving
during the exercise? There are six primary actions of the main
joints in the body and they are:
• Flexion: decreasing the angle at a joint often described as
bending or curling
• Extension: increasing the angle at a joint often
described as straightening or extending
• Abduction: moving away from anatomical position in a
vertical direction
• Adduction: moving toward anatomical position in a
vertical direction
• Horizontal Abduction: moving away from the midline
traveling parallel to the horizon
• Horizontal Adduction: moving toward the midline traveling
parallel to the horizon
In addition to those 6 main movements, there are a number of
special cases that the body can do. Not all joints are capable of
all 6 movements. The elbow, for example, can only do flexion and
extension. Actually, allof the joints trained in the gym can
do flexion and extension. Other joints, such as the shoulder and
the hip, arecapable of all six movements, unless you have
serious mobility issues.
A compound exercise is an exercise that involves 2 or more
joints working. If there are two joints working then there will be
two actions taking place: the most common scenarios are the
shoulder and the elbow or the hip and the knee. A compound exercise
will always have an agonist and a synergist. The primary joint is
the most proximal joint (shoulder or hip) and its action is listed
first. The agonist is the muscle that's moving the primary joint.
An isolation exercise is an exercise where just one joint is
moving, so it will just have one movement, although more than one
muscle may be involved.
Isolation exercises involve only one joint, but may recruit
many muscles.
When designing exercise programs, it's a good idea to try to
have some balance in the movements. For example, you would
generally not want to do six exercises that produced horizontal
adduction and only one that produced horizontal abduction. In most
cases you also don't want your programs to feature exercises that
are only flexion and extension, which are the most common in the
gym. When looking at an exercise, the movement listed is the
movement that takes place on the concentric part of the exercise
(when you're going against gravity).
Finally, we need to know the plane of the exercise. No,
not a Boeing 747, smartass. The plane of the exercise refers to one
of the three planes of motion the joints are moving
in.
The fifth thing to know about an exercise: "the plane, the
plane!"
Sagittal plane: divides the body into left and right sections,
it runs forever forwards and backwards. It's sometimes referred to
as the midline of the body. Movements in the sagittal plane will
run forward or backward and they are almost always flexion and
extension. A biceps curl is in the sagittal plane.
Frontal plane: divides the body into front and back sections. It
runs forever side to side in a vertical direction. Movements in the
frontal plane will run side to side, up and down and they are
almost always abduction and adduction. A jumping jack is in the
frontal plane.
Transverse plane: divides the body into top and bottom sections.
It runs forever side to side, parallel to the horizon. Movements in
the transverse plane will run side to side with no significant
vertical movement and they are almost always horizontal abduction
and horizontal adduction. A bench press in the transverse
plane.
The planes initially are based on anatomical position.
Anatomical position is when you're standing, facing forward, with
your palms forward. If your entire body moves then the planes will
move with you. So a bench press (facing up), a chest press machine
(facing forward), and a push-up (facing down) are all in the same
plane (transverse). If you're doing the same action, regardless of
what position you're facing, then the plane is the same.
Not all movements take place within one plane. Sometimes a
movement can be between planes. For example an incline bench isn't
perfectly in the transverse plane and it's not in the frontal
plane, so it's between planes. Other movements can take place in
more than one plane. They are referred to as multi-planar
movements. Complex activities like pitching a baseball or tackling
someone would be multi-planar. It's the primary joint moving that
generally determines which plane the exercise is in.
And now we come to the humongous list of exercises that we
advertised in the introduction. They are grouped by general muscle
groups such as chest, back, etc. This isn't meant to be an
exhaustive list of every exercise possible for that muscle group,
but rather a thoroughly representative list of the common exercises
often mentioned for those muscle groups. If after studying the list
you find that your favorite exercise has been omitted, feel free to
pencil it in somewhere.
When listing the synergistic muscles, I tried to list the main
muscles that would receive training stimulus from the exercises
that most people in the gym actually do. There may be some smaller
or deep muscles working that are not listed. Generally stabilizers
are not listed unless they are receiving a major training
stimulus.
| Exercise | Agonist | Synergists | Movement | Plane |
| Chest Press Machine | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, Triceps, Lats | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Hammer Strength Bench Press | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps, Lats | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Incline Press Machine | Clavicular pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps | H. Shoulder adduction* –Elbow extension | Transverse* |
| Hammer Strength Incline Press | Clavicular pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps | H. Shoulder adduction* –Elbow extension | Transverse* |
| Bench Press | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps, Lats** | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Incline Bench Press | Clavicular pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps | H. Shoulder adduction* –Elbow extension | Transverse* |
| Dumbbell Press | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps, Lats | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | Clavicular pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, Triceps | H. Shoulder adduction* –Elbow extension | Transverse* |
| Push-up | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps, Lats | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Smith Machine Push-up –Or Modified Push-up | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Smith Machine Bench Press | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps, Lats | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Pec Deck | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid | H. Shoulder adduction | Transverse |
| Chest Fly Machine | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Biceps | H. Shoulder adduction | Transverse |
| Decline Bench Press | Sternal pectoralis major | Triceps, –Anterior deltoid | H. Shoulder adduction* –Elbow extension | Transverse* |
| Decline Dumbbell Bench Press | Pectoralis major | Triceps, –Anterior deltoid | H. Shoulder adduction* –Elbow extension | Transverse* |
| Free Motion Fly | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Biceps | H. Shoulder adduction | Transverse |
| Free Motion Incline Fly | Clavicular pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Biceps | H. Shoulder adduction* | Transverse* |
| Cable Crossover | Sternal pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Biceps | Shoulder adduction | Frontal |
| Dumbbell Fly | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Biceps | H. Shoulder adduction | Transverse |
| Incline Dumbbell Fly | Clavicular pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Biceps | H. Shoulder adduction* | Transverse* |
| Ball Dumbbell Press | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Dips – leaning forward | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, –Triceps | Shoulder flexion –Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Power Dumbbell Fly | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, Biceps | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Ball Push-up –Toes on ball | Pectoralis major | Anterior deltoid, Triceps | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
*Note 1: All inclines and declines take place in between
planes, so their movements are the closest ones to that
exercise.
** Note 2: The lats work as a synergist in the beginning of a
bench press and other exercises similar to it.
Often the subscapularis is working with the pecs.
A smith machine push-up is simply doing a push-up on the smith
machine bar. It allows the user to maintain proper push-up form and
the bar can be raised or lowered depending on desired
difficulty.
The difference between a pec deck and a fly is that on a pec
deck the pads are up against the elbows so no biceps are involved,
whereas in a fly the weight or handle is held in the
hands.
A cable crossover is like a fly, but with your hands down in
front of your waist, close to your body, similar to making a most
muscular pose.
A power fly is when you allow your elbows to bend more than
normal to use more weight.
Cable crossover
| Exercise | Agonist | Synergists | Movement | Plane |
| Wide Grip Lat Pulldown | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, Brachioradialis, –Posterior deltoid, Mid/lower traps | Shoulder adduction –Elbow flexion | Frontal |
| Reverse Grip Lat –Pulldown | Latissimus dorsi | Biceps, Rhomboids, Posterior deltoid, Mid/lower | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| V-grip Cable Row | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, –Brachialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Hammer Strength Row –Neutral Grip | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, –Brachialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Wide Grip Cable Row | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, Posterior deltoid, Brachioradialis, Mid | H. Shoulder abduction –Elbow flexion | Transverse |
| Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown (supinated) | Latissimus dorsi | Biceps, Rhomboids, Posterior deltoid, Lower Traps | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| 90 Degree Pronated Bent Over Row | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, –Brachialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius | H. Shoulder abduction –Elbow flexion | Transverse |
| 45 Degree Supinated Bent Over Row | Latissimus dorsi | Biceps, Rhomboids, Posterior deltoid, Mid/upper | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Dumbbell Row | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, –Brachialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Pull-up (Bodyweight or Assisted) | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, Posterior deltoid, Brachioradialis, Mid/lower | Shoulder adduction –Elbow flexion | Frontal |
| Chin-up (Bodyweight or Assisted) | Latissimus dorsi | Biceps, Rhomboids, Posterior deltoid, Mid/lower | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Straight Arm Lat Pulldown | Latissimus dorsi | Triceps long head, Posterior deltoid, –Rectus abdominis | Shoulder extension | Sagittal |
| Pullover Machine | Latissimus dorsi | Triceps long head, Posterior deltoid, –Rectus abdominis | Shoulder extension | Sagittal |
| Wide Pronated Chest Supported –T-Bar Row | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, –Brachioradialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius | H. Shoulder abduction –Elbow flexion | Transverse |
| Narrow Neutral Grip Chest Supported T-Bar Row | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, –Brachialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Old School T-bar Row –V-grip | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, Brachialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius, | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| 2 Arm Dumbbell Row –Neutral grip | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, –Brachialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius, | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Standing V-grip Cable Row | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, –Brachialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius, | Shoulder extension –Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Reverse Push-up | Latissimus dorsi | Rhomboids, –Brachioradialis, Posterior deltoid, Mid trapezius | H. Shoulder abduction –Elbow flexion | Transverse |
| Ball Shoulder extension | Latissimus dorsi | Triceps long head, Posterior deltoid –Rectus abdominis | Shoulder extension | Sagittal |
*Note: the teres major always works with the lats; the elbow
flexor listed is the one most involved, all 3 are always working;
often the infraspinatus and teres minor are working with the
lats.
Old School T-bar row is when you stick a barbell into the corner
and do rows with it, often using a V-grip to hold the
bar.
A reverse push-up is when you hang from a bar (often on the
smith machine) and then pull yourself up to it, so it looks like a
push-up facing the ceiling.
A ball shoulder extension is similar to using an ab wheel: you
kneel down, place your hands on a physio ball, keep your arms
straight, and then roll the ball out until your arms are in line
with your body and then you roll back. Often this is used as an
abdominal exercise.
T-bar row
| Exercise | Agonist | Synergists | Movement | Plane |
| Hammer Strength Military Press | Anterior deltoid | Medial deltoid, Triceps | Shoulder abduction –Elbow extension | Frontal |
| Military Press Machine | Anterior deltoid | Medial deltoid, Triceps | Shoulder abduction –Elbow extension | Frontal |
| Dumbbell Military Press | Anterior deltoid | Medial deltoid, Triceps | Shoulder abduction –Elbow extension | Frontal |
| Arnold Press | Anterior deltoid | Medial deltoid, –Posterior deltoid, Triceps | Shoulder abduction –Elbow extension | Frontal (mainly) |
| Dumbbell Front Raise | Anterior deltoid | Clavicular pectoralis major | Shoulder flexion | Sagittal |
| Barbell Front Raise | Anterior deltoid | Clavicular pectoralis major | Shoulder flexion | Sagittal |
| Cable Front Raise | Anterior deltoid | Clavicular pectoralis major | Shoulder flexion | Sagittal |
| Barbell Military Press | Anterior deltoid | Medial deltoid, Triceps | Shoulder abduction –Elbow extension | Frontal |
| Push Press | Anterior deltoid | Medial deltoid, Triceps, Legs | Shoulder abduction –Elbow extension | Frontal |
| Handstand Push-up | Anterior deltoid | Medial deltoid, Triceps, Core | Shoulder abduction –Elbow extension | Frontal |
| Cable Lateral Raise | Medial deltoid | Supraspinatus* | Shoulder abduction | Frontal |
| Lateral Raise Machine | Medial deltoid | Supraspinatus* | Shoulder abduction | Frontal |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | Medial deltoid | Supraspinatus* | Shoulder abduction | Frontal |
| Dumbbell Leaning Lateral Raise | Medial deltoid | Supraspinatus* | Shoulder abduction | Frontal |
| Dumbbell Power Lateral Raise | Medial deltoid | Supraspinatus* | Shoulder abduction | Frontal |
| Lateral Hold | Medial deltoid | Supraspinatus* | Shoulder abduction –(Isometric) | Frontal |
| Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise | Posterior deltoid | Mid trapezius | H. Shoulder abduction | Transverse |
| Rear Delt Machine | Posterior deltoid | Mid trapezius, –Latissimus dorsi | H. Shoulder abduction | Transverse |
| Cable Rear Delt Raise | Posterior deltoid | Mid trapezius | H. Shoulder abduction | Transverse |
| Dumbbell Power Rear Delt Raise | Posterior deltoid | Mid trapezius, Lats, Biceps, Erectors | H. Shoulder abduction | Transverse |
| Rope Face Pull | Posterior deltoid | Middle Deltoid, –Biceps, Mid trapezius | H. Shoulder abduction –Elbow flexion | Transverse |
*Note: on lateral raises, the traps may also work; forearm
extensors are also receiving some load as
stabilizers.
The infraspinatus and teres minor often work with the posterior
deltoid.
Power raises are when you bend your elbows 90 degrees and do the
exercise: it's used to lift more weight.
A leaning lateral raise is when you hold onto something stable,
put your feet near the base of what you're holding, lean away from
it and then do the lateral raise: this makes it
easier.
Leaning lateral raise
| Exercise | Agonist | Synergist* | Movement | Plane |
| Machine Biceps Curl Supinated | Biceps brachii | Brachialis, –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| EZ Bar Cable Curl | Biceps brachii | Brachialis, –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Cable Curl Supinated | Biceps brachii | Brachialis, –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| EZ Bar Curl Narrow Grip | Biceps long head | Biceps short head, –Brachialis, –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| EZ Bar Curl Wide Grip | Biceps short head | Biceps long head, –Brachialis, –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Dumbbell Curl | Biceps brachii | Brachialis, –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | Brachialis | Brachioradialis, –Biceps brachii | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| EZ Bar Preacher Curl | Biceps brachii | Brachialis –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Dumbbell Preacher Curl | Biceps brachii | Brachialis –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Dumbbell Concentration Curl | Biceps brachii | Brachialis –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| High Pulley Curl or –Hercules Curl | Biceps short head | Biceps long head, –Brachialis, –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Frontal |
| Spider Curl | Biceps brachii | Brachialis –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| EZ Bar Reverse Curl | Brachioradialis | Brachialis –Biceps brachii | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| EZ Bar Reverse Cable Curl | Brachioradialis | Brachialis –Biceps brachii | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Parallel Bar Curl | Brachialis | Brachioradialis –Biceps brachii | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | Biceps long head | Biceps short head, Brachialis, –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Standing Dumbbell Incline Curl | Biceps brachii | Brachialis –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| 21's | Biceps brachii | Brachialis –Brachioradialis | Elbow flexion | Sagittal |
| Barbell Hold | Biceps brachii | Brachialis –Brachioradialis, Anterior deltoid, Erectors | Elbow flexion –(Isometric) | Sagittal |
*Note: The anterior deltoid will be a synergist if you allow
significant shoulder flexion during the biceps
curl.
A spider curl is when you put your chest on the preacher bench
facing the wrong way, allow your arms to full extend at the bottom
(instead of stopping short) and then curl up. It's similar to a
concentration curl. You may need to remove the seat on the preacher
bench.
A parallel bar is the bar that has handles in a parallel
(neutral or hammer) position usually about a foot apart, surrounded
by a circle.
This guy should have done a few more spider
curls.
Triceps Exercises
| Exercise | Agonist* | Synergists | Movement | Plane |
| Machine Overhead Triceps Extension | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| V-grip Triceps Pushdown | Triceps lateral head | Triceps long and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Straight Bar Triceps Pushdown Narrow Grip | Triceps lateral head | Triceps long and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Straight Bar Triceps Pushdown Wide Grip | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Rope Triceps Pushdown | Triceps medial head | Triceps lateral head and long heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Skull Crusher or Lying Triceps Extension | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Dumbbell Triceps Extension | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Dumbbell Triceps Kickback | Triceps long head Triceps medial head | Triceps lateral head | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Reverse Grip Triceps Pulldown | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Closegrip Bench Press | Pectoralis major, Triceps long and lateral heads | Anterior deltoid, Triceps medial head | Shoulder flexion –Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Bench Dips | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads, Anterior | Shoulder flexion –Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Overhead Rope Triceps Extension | Triceps long and medial heads | Triceps lateral head | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Decline Skull Crusher | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Dips – body upright | Pectoralis major –Triceps | Anterior deltoid | Shoulder flexion –Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Cable Skull Crusher | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Reverse Grip Bench Press | Pectoralis major –Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads, Anterior | Shoulder flexion –Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Rack or Board Press | Pectoralis major | Triceps, Anterior deltoid | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Ball Dumbbell Triceps Extension 1 arm | Triceps long and lateral head | Triceps medial head | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
| Dumbbell T Extension or Tate Press | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Triceps long head | Elbow extension | Transverse |
| Ball Push-up –Hands on Ball | Pectoralis major, –Triceps long and lateral head | Triceps medial head, Anterior deltoid | H. Shoulder adduction –Elbow extension | Transverse |
| JM Press | Triceps long head | Triceps lateral and medial heads | Elbow extension | Sagittal |
*Note: There's some debate among fitness experts as to the
relative involvement of the heads of the triceps in different
exercises.
A dumbbell T extension or a Tate press is when you put the
dumbbells on your chest facing the ceiling, knuckles facing each
other. Keeping the bottom of the dumbbells 'connected' you extend
your arms and rotate the dumbbells so they make a T shape on the
way up. You can see a video if this at Elite Fitness.
The JM Press was invented by JM Blakley from Westside Barbell
Club. It's kind of like a skull crusher to the chin and back
up.
Tate press with 125-pound dumbbells.
Leg Exercises
| Exercise | Agonist | Synergists* | Movement | Plane |
| Leg Press | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Horizontal Leg Press | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Bridge | Gluteus maximus | Hamstrings | Hip extension | Sagittal |
| Hack Squat | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Smith Machine Squat | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Wall Squat | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension –(Isometric) | Sagittal |
| Barbell Back Squat | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings, –Erector spinae | Hip extension –Knee extension –Trunk extension | Sagittal |
| Lunges | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Sissy Squat | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Step-Ups | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Butt Blaster | Gluteus maximus | Quadriceps, –Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Front Squat | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings, Erector spinae | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Pistol | Gluteus maximus, Quadriceps | Hamstrings | Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Leg Extension | Quadriceps | Knee extension | Sagittal |
*Note: The adductors often act as synergist with hip extension,
particularly with a wider stance and/or the deeper you
go.
Leg press
Hamstring Exercises
| Exercise | Agonist | Synergists | Movement | Plane |
| Prone Leg Curl | Hamstrings | Gastrocnemius | Knee flexion | Sagittal |
| Seated Leg Curl | Hamstrings | Gastrocnemius | Knee flexion | Sagittal |
| Single Leg –Leg Curl | Hamstrings | Gastrocnemius | Knee flexion | Sagittal |
| Ball Leg Curl | Hamstrings, –Gluteus maximus | Gastrocnemius | Hip extension, –Knee flexion | Sagittal |
| Glute/Ham Raise | Hamstrings | Glute Maximus, Gastrocnemius, Erectors | Knee flexion –Hip extension (Isometric) | Sagittal |
| See Lower Back Exercises |
Lower Back Exercises
| Exercise | Agonist | Synergists* | Movement | Plane |
| Lower Back Machine | Erector spinae | Quadratus lumborum | Trunk extension | Sagittal |
| Conventional Deadlift | Erector spinae | Gluteus maximus, Hamstrings, Trapezius, Quadriceps, | Trunk extension –Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Sumo Deadlift | Gluteus maximus, –Erector spinae | Adductors, Quadriceps, Trapezius, –Hamstrings, Grip | Trunk extension –Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Hyperextensions | Erector spinae –Hamstrings | Gluteus maximus | Trunk extension | Sagittal |
| Stiff Legged Deadlift | Hamstrings, –Erector spinae | Trapezius, Grip, Gluteus maximus | Trunk extension –Hip extension (slight) | Sagittal |
| Romanian Deadlift | Hamstrings –Erector spinae | Gluteus maximus –Trapezius, Grip | Trunk extension –Hip extension –Knee extension (slight) | Sagittal |
| Rack Pull | Erector spinae | Gluteus maximus, Hamstrings, Trapezius, Quadriceps, | Trunk extension –Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Deadlift off a step –(Deficit Deads) | Erector spinae, Hamstrings | Gluteus maximus, Trapezius, Quadriceps, Grip | Trunk extension –Hip extension –Knee extension | Sagittal |
| Good Morning | Erector spinae, Hamstrings | Gluteus maximus | Trunk extension –Hip extension –Knee extension (slight) | Sagittal |
*Note: the quadratus lumborum is always working with the erector
spinae.
Franco and another big dog, deadlifting.
Trapezius Exercises
| Exercise | Agonist | Synergists | Movement | Plane |
| Dumbbell Shrug | Upper trapezius | Grip | Scapula elevation | Frontal |
| Barbell Shrug | Upper trapezius | Grip | Scapula elevation | Frontal |
| Smith Machine Shrug | Upper trapezius | Grip | Scapula elevation | Frontal |
| Hammer Strength Shrug | Upper trapezius | Grip | Scapula elevation | Frontal |
| Trap Bar Shrug | Upper trapezius | Grip | Scapula elevation | Frontal |
| Protractions* | Serratus anterior | Pectoralis minor | Scapula protraction | Transverse |
| Retractions | Mid trapezius | Rhomboids | Scapula retraction | Transverse |
| Depressions | Lower trapezius | Scapula depression | Frontal |
*Note: Protractions do NOT work the traps.
Dumbbell shrug
Calf Exercises
| Exercise | Agonist | Synergists | Movement | Plane |
| Seated Calf Machine | Soleus | Gastrocnemius | Ankle plantar flexion | Sagittal |
| Standing Calf Machine | Gastrocnemius | Soleus | Ankle plantar flexion | Sagittal |
| Rotary Calf Machine | Gastrocnemius | Soleus | Ankle plantar flexion | Sagittal |
| 45 Degree Calf Machine | Gastrocnemius | Soleus | Ankle plantar flexion | Sagittal |
| Standing Barbell Calf Raise | Gastrocnemius | Soleus | Ankle plantar flexion | Sagittal |
| Leg Press Calf Raise | Gastrocnemius | Soleus | Ankle plantar flexion | Sagittal |
| Donkey Calf Raise | Gastrocnemius | Soleus | Ankle plantar flexion | Sagittal |
| Smith Machine Calf Raise | Gastrocnemius | Soleus | Ankle plantar flexion | Sagittal |
And with that, we bring our humongous list of exercises to a
close. I hope you find this information useful when you're planning
out your workouts or discussing exercises. Obviously, I don't
expect you to do all of the exercises listed for any given
muscle group. Pick the exercises you like and go at them, add some
of your own, and if you absolutely hate some of the exercises on
this list, then you have my permission to ignore them.
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