Education

MUSCLE
ANATOMY

Know what you're training, and why it moves the way it does.

You don't need a kinesiology degree to train well — but knowing which muscles a lift targets, and the handful of terms that describe how they work together, makes every program on this site easier to follow and every exercise choice more deliberate.

The Vocabulary

Terms You'll Actually Use

Origin & Insertion

A muscle's origin is its fixed attachment point; its insertion is the point that moves when it contracts. Knowing both tells you exactly what a muscle does.

Agonist & Antagonist

The agonist is the muscle doing the work (biceps during a curl); the antagonist is its opposing muscle that relaxes to allow the movement (triceps, in that example).

Prime Mover vs. Stabilizer

The prime mover generates the main force of a lift. Stabilizers don't move much but hold a joint steady so the prime mover can work efficiently — your core during a squat, for example.

Fiber Type

Every muscle is a mix of fiber types with different jobs — see the table below for what each type is actually built for.

Reference

Muscle Group Reference

RegionMajor MusclesPrimary FunctionTrained By
ChestPectoralis Major, Pectoralis MinorHorizontal push, shoulder flexionBench Press, Incline Bench
BackLatissimus Dorsi, Trapezius, RhomboidsPulling force, scapular stabilityPull-Up, Barbell Row
ShouldersDeltoids (anterior, lateral, posterior)Arm abduction and rotationOverhead Press, Lateral Raise
ArmsBiceps Brachii, Triceps BrachiiElbow flexion / extensionCurls, Dips
CoreRectus Abdominis, Obliques, Erector SpinaeTrunk stability and rotationPlank, Hanging Leg Raise
GlutesGluteus Maximus, Medius, MinimusHip extension and abductionBack Squat, Hip Thrust
QuadricepsRectus Femoris, Vastus GroupKnee extensionBack Squat, Leg Press
HamstringsBiceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, SemimembranosusKnee flexion, hip extensionDeadlift, Romanian Deadlift
CalvesGastrocnemius, SoleusAnkle plantarflexionCalf Raise
The Science

Muscle Fiber Types

TypeBuilt ForFatigue Resistance
Type I (Slow-Twitch)Endurance, sustained low-force outputHigh
Type II (Fast-Twitch)Power, speed, maximal forceLow — fatigues quickly

* Everyone has both fiber types in every muscle — genetics set your baseline ratio, but training biases which type adapts more.

PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

Now that you know what each muscle group does, see exactly how they're trained — rep ranges, exercise tiers, and full program splits.