Ultimate Guide to Exercises for Every Muscle Group

Achieving a great workout routine is focused on exercising all muscles. Starting with the neck through to the calf muscles, every muscle group contributes to movement, posture, and overall strength. In this blog post, we have used a selection of 500 exercises to help you differentiate between areas you'll want to target. Whether you are looking to improve your biceps, provide strength for core stability, or enhance your flexibility, this guide has it all covered.

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Neck Exercises

Why Train Your Neck?
A well-developed neck improves posture, reduces injury potential, and generally enhances all athletic performance.

1.       Lying Face Down Plate Neck Resistance

2.       Lying Face Up Plate Neck Resistance

 

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Shoulders (Deltoids)

Why Train Your Shoulders?
Strong shoulders enhance upper body strength and functional movements.

1.       Single-Arm Linear Jammer

2.       Side Laterals to Front Raise

3.       Standing Palm-In One-Arm Dumbbell Press

4.       Clean and Press

5.       Push Press

6.       Clean and Jerk

7.       Standing Palms-In Dumbbell Press

8.       Standing Military Press

9.       One-Arm Kettlebell Push Press

10.   Seated Barbell Military Press

11.   One-Arm Side Laterals

12.   Seated Dumbbell Press

13.   Reverse Flyes

14.   Standing Dumbbell Press

15.   Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise

16.   Front Dumbbell Raise

17.   Alternating Deltoid Raise

18.   Dumbbell Shoulder Press

19.   Car Drivers

20.   Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press

21.   Snatch-Grip Behind-The-Neck Overhead Press

22.   Smith Machine Overhead Shoulder Press

23.   Arnold Dumbbell Press

24.   Leverage Shoulder Press

25.   Front Plate Raise

26.   Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press

27.   Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

28.   Front Cable Raise

29.   External Rotation with Cable

30.   Front Incline Dumbbell Raise

31.   Barbell Shoulder Press

32.   Two-Arm Kettlebell Military Press

33.   Standing Bradford Press

34.   Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Squat style)

35.   Cable Internal Rotation

36.   Side Lateral Raise

37.   Alternating Kettlebell Press

38.   One-Arm Kettlebell Snatch

39.   Kettlebell Thruster

40.   Battling Ropes

41.   Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral

42.   Barbell Rear Delt Row

43.   Seated Cable Shoulder Press

44.   One-Arm Incline Lateral Raise

45.   Dumbbell Raise

46.   Face Pull

47.   Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise

48.   One-Arm Kettlebell Clean and Jerk

49.   Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raise

50.   Upright Barbell Row

51.   Seated Side Lateral Raise

52.   Cable Rear Delt Fly

53.   Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

54.   Barbell Front Raise

 

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Biceps

Why Train Your Biceps?
Strong biceps improve the ability to pull or lift arms against resistance. In other words, they will make everyday jobs easier.

1.       Incline Hammer Curls

2.       Wide-Grip Standing Barbell Curl

3.       Spider Curl

4.       EZ-Bar Curl

5.       Hammer Curls

6.       Zottman Curl

7.       Concentration Curls

8.       Barbell Curl

9.       Overhead Cable Curl

10.   Flexor Incline Dumbbell Curls

11.   Machine Bicep Curl

12.   Dumbbell Bicep Curl

13.   Cross Body Hammer Curl

14.   Close-Grip EZ Bar Curl

15.   Barbell Curls Lying Against An Incline

16.   Reverse Barbell Preacher Curls

17.   Preacher Curl

18.   Standing One-Arm Cable Curl

19.   Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl

20.   Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

21.   One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

22.   Reverse Cable Curl

23.   Standing Concentration Curl

24.   Incline Dumbbell Curl

25.   Close-Grip Standing Barbell Curl

26.   Preacher Hammer Dumbbell Curl

27.   Alternate Hammer Curl

28.   Seated Dumbbell Curl

29.   Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Curl Over Incline Bench

30.   Standing Biceps Cable Curl

31.   Drag Curl

32.   Machine Preacher Curls

33.   Lying Supine Dumbbell Curl

34.   Two-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

35.   Lying Cable Curl

36.   Cable Hammer Curls - Rope Attachment

37.   Reverse Barbell Curl

38.   Standing Dumbbell Reverse Curl

39.   Incline Inner Biceps Curl

40.   Close-Grip EZ-Bar Curl with Band

41.   Dumbbell Prone Incline Curl

42.   Cable Preacher Curl

43.   Standing Inner-Biceps Curl

44.   Seated Dumbbell Inner Biceps Curl

45.   Reverse Plate Curls

46.   Suspended Curl

 

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Chest (Pectorals)

Why Train Your Chest?
A strong chest will enhance pushing power and aesthetics for your upper body.

1.       Dumbbell Bench Press

2.       Pushups

3.       Dumbbell Flyes

4.       Incline Dumbbell Press

5.       Low Cable Crossover

6.       Decline Dumbbell Flyes

7.       Dips - Chest Version

8.       Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

9.       Bodyweight Flyes

10.   Incline Cable Flye

11.   Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press

12.   Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press

13.   Decline Barbell Bench Press

14.   Incline Push-Up

15.   Incline Dumbbell Flyes

16.   Cable Crossover

17.   Neck Press

18.   Barbell Incline Bench Press Medium-Grip

19.   Incline Cable Chest Press

20.   Cable Chest Press

21.   Dumbbell Bench Press with Neutral Grip

22.   Leverage Incline Chest Press

23.   Single-Arm Cable Crossover

24.   Decline Push-Up

25.   Hammer Grip Incline DB Bench Press

26.   Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions)

27.   Decline Dumbbell Bench Press

28.   Butterfly

29.   One Arm Dumbbell Bench Press

30.   Leverage Chest Press

31.   Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover

32.   Incline Dumbbell Bench With Palms Facing In

33.   Decline Smith Press

34.   Cable Iron Cross

35.   Incline Dumbbell Flyes - With A Twist

36.   Leverage Decline Chest Press

37.   Smith Machine Bench Press

38.   Front Raise And Pullover

39.   Standing Cable Chest Press

40.   Machine Bench Press

41.   Smith Machine Incline Bench Press

42.   Plyo Kettlebell Pushups

43.   Around The Worlds

44.   Plyo Push-up

45.   Flat Bench Cable Flyes

46.   Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Pullover

47.   Smith Machine Decline Press

48.   Push Up to Side Plank

49.   Barbell Guillotine Bench Press

50.   One-Arm Flat Bench Dumbbell Flye

51.   Extended Range One-Arm Kettlebell Floor Press

52.   Alternating Floor Press

53.   Dynamic Chest Stretch

 

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Core (Abdominals and Obliques)

Why Train Your Core?
A strong core improves balance, stability, and overall athletic performance.

1.       Landmine 180's

2.       Plank

3.       Bottoms Up

4.       Spell Caster

5.       One-Arm High-Pulley Cable Side Bends

6.       Cocoons

7.       Plate Twist

8.       Gorilla Chin/Crunch

9.       Decline Crunch

10.   Hanging Pike

11.   Oblique Cable Crunch

12.   Exercise Ball Pull-In

13.   Cable Crunch

14.   Barbell Ab Rollout

15.   Hanging Leg Raise

16.   Ab Roller

17.   Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees

18.   Reverse Crunch

19.   Air Bike

20.   3/4 Sit-Up

21.   Otis-Up

22.   Crunches

23.   Dumbbell Side Bend

24.   Rope Crunch

25.   Standing Rope Crunch

26.   Dead Bug

27.   Crunch - Hands Overhead

28.   Knee/Hip Raise On Parallel Bars

29.   Jackknife Sit-Up

30.   Decline Oblique Crunch

31.   Tuck Crunch

32.   Pallof Press

33.   Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

34.   Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull-In

35.   Exercise Ball Crunch

36.   Oblique Crunches

37.   Barbell Rollout from Bench

38.   Cable Reverse Crunch

39.   Standing Cable Wood Chop

40.   Bent-Knee Hip Raise

41.   Smith Machine Hip Raise

42.   Alternate Heel Touchers

43.   Pallof Press With Rotation

44.   Flat Bench Leg Pull-In

45.   Cable Seated Crunch

46.   Frog Sit-Ups

47.   Kettlebell Windmill

48.   Kettlebell Figure 8

49.   Sit-Up

50.   Side Bridge

51.   Crunch - Legs On Exercise Ball

52.   Side Jackknife

53.   Barbell Side Bend

54.   Toe Touchers

55.   Torso Rotation

56.   Seated Barbell Twist

57.   Hip Crossover

58.   Plank with Twist

59.   Sledgehammer Swings

60.   Suspended Crunch

 

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Legs (Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves)

Why Train Your Legs?
Strong legs support overall mobility, endurance, and functional strength.

1.       Smith Machine Calf Raise

2.       Standing Calf Raises

3.       Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise

4.       Seated Calf Raise

5.       Calf Press On The Leg Press Machine

6.       Barbell Seated Calf Raise

7.       Smith Machine Reverse Calf Raises

8.       Dumbbell Seated One-Leg Calf Raise

9.       Ankle Circles

10.   Peroneals-SMR

11.   Calves-SMR

12.   Calf Raises - With Bands

13.   Romanian Deadlift With Dumbbells

14.   Ball Leg Curl

15.   Band Good Morning (Pull Through)

16.   Barbell Deadlift

17.   Clean Deadlift

18.   Glute Ham Raise

19.   Good Morning

20.   Hang Snatch

21.   Kettlebell One-Legged Deadlift

22.   Lunge Pass Through

23.   Lying Leg Curls

24.   Natural Glute Ham Raise

25.   One-Arm Kettlebell Clean

26.   Dumbbell Clean

27.   Power Snatch

28.   Romanian Deadlift from Deficit

29.   Single Leg Deadlift

30.   Snatch Deadlift

31.   Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift

32.   Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift

33.   Sumo Deadlift

34.   Wide Stance Stiff Legs

35.   Power Clean

36.   Seated Leg Curl

37.   One-Arm Kettlebell Swings

38.   Romanian Deadlift

39.   Single-Leg Press

40.   Clean from Blocks

41.   Barbell Full Squat

42.   Tyre Flip

43.   Snatch

44.   Hang Clean

45.   Box Squat

46.   Rope Jumping

47.   Barbell Walking Lunge

48.   Olympic Squat

49.   Step Mill

50.   Narrow Stance Squats

51.   Bodyweight Lunge

52.   Box Squat with Bands

53.   Weighted Jump Squat

54.   Front Barbell Squat

55.   Barbell Squat

56.   Dumbbell Squat

57.   Dumbbell Goblet Squat

58.   Dumbbell Lunges

59.   Leg Press

60.   Narrow Stance Hack Squats

61.   Narrow Stance Leg Press

62.   Elliptical Trainer

63.   Burpee

64.   Barbell Lunge

65.   Mountain Climbers

66.   Bodyweight Squat

67.   Trap Bar Deadlift

68.   Dumbbell Rear Lunge

69.   Barbell Step Ups

70.   Smith Machine Squat

71.   Split Squat with Dumbbells

72.   One Leg Barbell Squat

73.   Scissors Jump

74.   Leg Extensions

75.   Barbell Hack Squat

76.   Hang Clean - Below the Knees

77.   Hack Squat

78.   Running, Treadmill

79.   Plie Dumbbell Squat

80.   Split Jerk

81.   Dumbbell Seated Box Jump

82.   Barbell Thruster

83.   Bicycling, Stationary

84.   Jogging-Treadmill

85.   Bodyweight Reverse Lunge

86.   Cable Hip Adduction

87.   Recumbent Bike

88.   Walking, Treadmill

89.   Backward Drag

90.   Barbell Side Split Squat

91.   Dumbbell Step Ups

92.   Power Jerk

93.   Zercher Squats

94.   Jefferson Squats

95.   Jerk Dip Squat

96.   Yoke Walk

97.   Smith Machine Leg Press

98.   Bodyweight Walking Lunge

99.   Overhead Squat

100.                        Single-Leg Leg Extension

101.                        Walking High Knees

102.                        Smith Single-Leg Split Squat

103.                        Seated Leg Press

104.                        Frankenstein Squat

105.                        Cable Deadlifts

106.                        Jump Squat

107.                        Dumbbell Walking Lunge

108.                        Clean Pull

109.                        Dumbbell Squat To A Bench

110.                        One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats

111.                        Smith Machine Pistol Squat

112.                        Bench Sprint

113.                        Wide-Stance Leg Press

114.                        Sled Push

115.                        Front Barbell Squat To A Bench

116.                        Side Lunge

117.                        Front Squat (Clean Grip)

118.                        Barbell Reverse Lunge

119.                        Dumbbell Front Squat

 

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Back (Lats, Traps, Erector Spinae)

Why Train Your Back?
A strong back improves posture, reduces injury risk, and supports overall strength.

1.       Weighted Pull Ups

2.       Pullups

3.       Chin-Up

4.       V-Bar Pulldown

5.       Shotgun Row

6.       Wide-Grip Pull-Up

7.       V-Bar Pullup

8.       Rope Straight-Arm Pulldown

9.       Rope Climb

10.   Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

11.   Underhand Cable Pulldowns

12.   Gironda Sternum Chins

13.   Leverage Iso Row

14.   Straight-Arm Pulldown

15.   Elevated Cable Rows

16.   Kneeling Single-Arm High Pulley Row

17.   Neutral-Grip Pull Ups

18.   Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover

19.   Kneeling High Pulley Row

20.   Band Assisted Pull-Up

21.   One Arm Lat Pulldown

22.   Cable Incline Pushdown

23.   Wide-Grip Pulldown Behind The Neck

24.   Dynamic Back Stretch

25.   Latissimus Dorsi-SMR

26.   One Handed Hang

27.   Deficit Deadlift

28.   Axle Deadlift

29.   Hyperextensions (Back Extensions)

30.   Deadlift with Bands

31.   Deadlift with Chains

32.   Rack Pulls

33.   Weighted Ball Hyperextension

34.   Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning

35.   Seated Good Mornings

36.   T-Bar Row with Handle

37.   Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows

38.   One-Arm Long Bar Row

39.   One-Arm Dumbbell Row

40.   Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row

41.   T-Bar Row

42.   Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row

43.   Dumbbell Incline Row

44.   Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms In

45.   Seated Cable Rows

46.   Bent Over Barbell Row

47.   Alternating Renegade Row

48.   Seated One-arm Cable Pulley Rows

49.   Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row

50.   Middle Back Shrug

51.   Yates Row Reverse Grip

52.   One-Arm Kettlebell Row

53.   Inverted Row

54.   Pendlay Rown

55.   Smith Machine Bent Over Row

56.   Alternating Kettlebell Row

57.   Incline Bench Pull

58.   Two-Arm Kettlebell Row

59.   Rhomboids-SMR

60.   Single-Arm Linear Jammer

61.   Side Laterals to Front Raise

62.   Standing Palm-In One-Arm Dumbbell Press

63.   Clean and Press

64.   Push Press

65.   Clean and Jerk

66.   Standing Palms-In Dumbbell Press

67.   Standing Military Press

68.   One-Arm Kettlebell Push Press

69.   Seated Barbell Military Press

70.   One-Arm Side Laterals

71.   Seated Dumbbell Press

72.   Reverse Flyes

73.   Standing Dumbbell Press

74.   Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise

75.   Front Dumbbell Raise

76.   Alternating Deltoid Raise

77.   Dumbbell Shoulder Press

78.   Car Drivers

79.   Standing Alternating Dumbbell Press

80.   Snatch-Grip Behind-The-Neck Overhead Press

81.   Smith Machine Overhead Shoulder Press

82.   Arnold Dumbbell Press

83.   Leverage Shoulder Press

84.   Front Plate Raise

85.   Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press

86.   Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

87.   Front Cable Raise

88.   External Rotation with Cable

89.   Front Incline Dumbbell Raise

90.   Barbell Shoulder Press

91.   Two-Arm Kettlebell Military Press

92.   Standing Bradford Press

93.   Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Squat style)

94.   Cable Internal Rotation

95.   Side Lateral Raise

96.   Alternating Kettlebell Press

97.   One-Arm Kettlebell Snatch

98.   Kettlebell Thruster

99.   Battling Ropes

100.                        Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral

101.                        Barbell Rear Delt Row

102.                        Seated Cable Shoulder Press

103.                        One-Arm Incline Lateral Raise

104.                        Dumbbell Raise

105.                        Face Pull

106.                        Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise

107.                        One-Arm Kettlebell Clean and Jerk

108.                        Standing Low-Pulley Deltoid Raise

109.                        Upright Barbell Row

110.                        Seated Side Lateral Raise

111.                        Cable Rear Delt Fly

112.                        Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

113.                        Barbell Front Raise

114.                        Smith Machine Shrug

115.                        Leverage Shrug

116.                        Standing Dumbbell Upright Row

117.                        Kettlebell Sumo High Pull

118.                        Dumbbell Shrug

119.                        Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug

120.                        Barbell Shrug

121.                        Barbell Shrug Behind The Back

122.                        Upright Cable Row

123.                        Cable Shrugs

124.                        Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug

125.                        Smith Machine Upright Row

126.                        Scapular Pull-Up

127.                        Snatch Shrug

 

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Exercise

Explore these and introduce them into a balanced fitness plan. Bookmark the page for easier access to isolate specific muscle group exercises. Look at our more detailed guides posted on other fit posts!