List of Exercises for Each Muscle Group With Pictures

Lest anyone ever suggest that muscle building involves little more than mindlessly lifting the heaviest weight manageable for a few sets of low repetitions using your limbs… continue reading.

Bodybuilding not only produces some of the best physiques but recruits some of the most inquisitive minds. Today, anyone engaged in a strength training program can take advantage of thoroughly scientific investigative methods which explore exactly what the best muscle building exercises are.

Amateur and professional athletes alike may find themselves calling into doubt what they previously considered their “ideal” routine as they discover that what is truly ideal is whatever is most appropriate for them at the present moment.

Here’s our linked list of exercises that best target each muscle group.

Chest Muscle Group Exercises

Shoulder Muscle Group Exercises

Back Muscle Group Exercises

Arms Muscle Exercise List

Legs Muscle Exercise List

Abs Exercises

EMG Studies on Muscle Groups

When muscle-building exercises are selected, the choices made are dependent upon the physiological response induced by a particular movement. Though science has classified resistance training exercises in many ways, one of the most credible and complete classifications involves the use of EMG – Electromyography.

EMG is a technique which records and evaluates the electrical activity produced within specific groups of skeletal muscles. Any movement causes electrical activity, and EMG allows researchers to determine which exercises produce the most activity. In knowing this, an objective measurement can be obtained. When scientific research is applied, any routine’s effectiveness and appeal will be increased.

In Serious Strength Training by Dr Tudor Bompa, Professor Emeritus, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, results were obtained from applying EMG to different muscle groups, and the published findings are summarized below. Exercises are listed from top to bottom, beginning with the highest levels of stimulation to the lowest for each muscle group.

Chest EMG Results

Pectoralis Major	iEMG Max Percentage
Decline Dumbell Bench Press	93
Decline Barbell Press	89
Pushups Between Benches	88
Flat Dumbell Press	87
Flat Barbell Press	85
Flat Dumbbell Fly	84

Pectoralis Minor	iEMG Max Percentage
Incline Dumbbell Press	91
Incline Barbell Press	85
Incline Dumbbell Fly	83
Incline Smith Machine Press	81

Shoulder EMG List Results

Medial Deltoids	iEMG Max Percentage
Incline Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise	66
Standing Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise	63
Seated Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise	62
Cable Side Lateral Raise	47

Posterior Deltoids	iEMG Max Percentage
Bent-Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise	85
Seated Dumbbell Side Raises	83
Standing Cable Bent Lateral Raise	77

Anterior Deltoids	iEMG Max Percentage
Seated Front Dumbbell Press	79
Standing Front Dumbbell Raise	73
Seated Front Barbell Press	61

Back EMG Results

Latissimus Doris	iEMG Max Percentage
Bent Over Barbell Rows	93
One-Arm Dumbbell Rows	91
T-Bar Rows	89
Lat Pulldowns	86
Seated Pulley Rows	83

EMG Biceps

Biceps Brachii (long head)	iEMG Max Percentage
Barbell Preacher Curls	90
Incline Seated Dumbbell Curls	88
Standing Barbell Curls (narrow grip)	86
Standing Dumbbell Curls	84
Dumbbell Concentration Curl	80
Barbell Curls (wide grip)	63
Standing EZ Bar Curls (wide grip)	61

Triceps

Triceps Brachii	iEMG Max Percentage
Decline Triceps Extension (Olympic Bar)	92
Cable Press Down (Angled Bar Attachment)	90
Dips Between Benches	87
Single Arm Extensions (Reverse grip)	85
Overhead Rope Extensions	84
Seated Single Arms Dumbell Extensions	82
Close-grip bench press (Olympic Bar)	72

Legs

Rectus Femoris (Quadricep)	iEMG Max Percentage
Safety Squats (Shoulder-Width Stance)	88
Seated leg Extensions	86
Hack Squat	78
Leg Press	76
Smith Machine Squat	60

Hamstrings	iEMG Max Percentage
Standing Leg Curls	82
Lying Leg Curls	71
Seated leg Curls	58
Modified Hamstring deadlift	56

The figures above show variance in the ability of different exercises to induce motor unit activation. Some exercises differ by only small amounts – others considerably more. Though some individuals may find these differences inconsequential on paper, other athletes may see that by applying these findings to their regime, their muscle building progresses more than they thought possible.