Body Anatomy Bodybuilding
Azucena Mcquay
Strength training isn't a mindless jock activity. Athletes, trainers, bodybuilders and even regular gym-goers need to understand exactly how the muscles in their body function, so that they can work them properly to make them stronger and bigger. Each muscle serves a different purpose and the aim of exercising shouldn't simply be to make them aesthetically-pleasing but to make sure each and every muscle in your body is strong.
The muscles of your body which you can work out can broadly be divided into two categories upper body and lower body muscles. In the upper body muscles you have shoulder (deltoids and traps), back (lats, middle back and lower back), arms (biceps, triceps and forearms), chest (major and minor pectoralis) and abdomen muscles. In the lower body muscles you've glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves.
Now each of these muscles have separate isolation exercises to target that particular muscle and compound exercises which targets more than one muscle group and joint. We will first start off explaining what each muscle group does for the human body: TRENDING NOW Also Read
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Holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a military press bench or utility bench with back support. Place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs. Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time, using your thighs to help propel them into position. Be sure to rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward. This is your starting position. Exhale as you push the dumbbells upward until they almost touch at the top. After a brief pause at the top, inhale as you slowly lower the weights to the starting position.
Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, your palms facing you. This will be your starting position. With your torso stationary, exhale as you lift the dumbbells to your sides with a slight bend in your elbows, continuing to raise the weights until your arms are parallel to the floor. Your hands should be tilted slightly forward as if you are pouring a glass of water. Pause for a brief moment at the top, then inhale as you slowly lower the weights to the starting position.
Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs at arms' length, using an overhand grip. This will be your starting position. Without swinging, lift the right dumbbell to the front with a slight bend in your elbow with your palm facing down. Continue to lift it until your arm is slightly above your chest, and parallel to the floor. Lower the dumbbell slowly to the starting position, then repeat with the left dumbbell. Continue alternating in this fashion until the recommended number of reps has been performed with each arm.
Keeping your back straight, bend at the waist to pick up two dumbbells, your palms facing behind you. This will be your starting position. Keeping your torso stationary, exhale as you lift the dumbbells straight to your sides until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Pause briefly at the contracted position, then inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position.
Get down on all fours and place your hands a little wider than your shoulders. Keep your feet together and strengthen your arms and legs. Make sure that your entire body is in one straight line, from head to toe. Keeping your elbows close, lower your chest till it's just one inch above the floor. Hold this position for a second and bring your body up. Read more about push-ups and the different varieties.
The pull-up is a great compound exercise to work your back and in fact your total upper body. In order to do a pull-up, you need to stand straight with your arms fully extended and gripping the pull-up bar. Then, as the name of the exercise suggests, pull-up until your chin is above the bar. Now, release the pressure you've exerted on your muscles and come down slowly until your arms are once again fully extended.
The deadlift remains one of the most popular bodybuilding exercises of all time. It's a compound exercise that works your entire back. Your starting position will be feet, shoulder width apart. Bend your knees to reach down and grab the bar without bending over. Lift the bar with your hands slightly lesser than shoulder width (markings on the bar will indicate where you should hold). Now raise the bar slowly till the hip level and then bring it back to your shin. Remember you are supposed to lift the bar using your legs, hips and other muscles and not your arms.
Sit bent slightly forward on a seat or a bench and grasp the cable attachment and place your feet on the vertical platform while you keep your hips, back and knees slightly bent. Pull the cable attachment to your waist while you push your chest forward while arching your back. Return to the original position until arms are extended and shoulders and lower back flexed forward. Repeat it.
The T-bar is a machine that's present in most gyms. It usually has two platforms for your legs and a long bar with two small handles. It will be easy to spot. Keep your feet firmly on the ground and using a narrow grip, hold the bar slightly off the ground while keeping your back straight and knees bent. Lift the bar towards your body with your back while squeezing the shoulder blades together. Lift the bar until it almost touches your lower chest and repeat the exercise.
Start with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward. Keeping your back straight and head up, bend at the hips until you are nearly parallel to the floor. The weights should hang directly in front of you; your arms will be perpendicular to the floor. This is your starting position. Keeping your torso stationary, lift the dumbbells to your sides as you exhale, keeping your elbows close to your body. As you pull, squeeze your shoulders back and hold for a brief pause. Inhale as you slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
Say you start with your right arm. Keep your left knee and left hand on the bench and the right on the ground. Keep your face straight and back arched. Pull your shoulder blade back while keeping your arm straight and pull the dumbbell as far up as possible and then slowly lower the dumbbell. After you've done the desired numbers of reps, switch sides. Always look straight while performing this exercise as this will help keep the back straight. Keep the upper half of your body completely fixed while doing this and don't let your shoulder drop. Make sure you're pulling using your back muscles and not your forearm.
Stand erect with a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides, your palms facing your torso. This will be your starting position. Exhale as you raise the dumbbells as high as possible by elevating your shoulders; keep your arms extended at all times and move only your shoulders up and down. Hold the contracted position for one second, then inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Attach a wide bar to the top pulley of a pull-down machine and sit down, adjusting the knee pad to fit snugly against your legs. Grip the bar wide with the palms of your hands facing away from your body. Lean your torso back slightly to create a small curvature in your back and stick your chest out. This will be your starting position. Exhale and bring the bar down until it touches your upper chest. As you pull the bar down, squeeze your shoulder blades back and down. Your upper torso should remain stationary during the movement, and only your arms should move. After a brief pause at the bottom, contracted position, inhale as you slowly raise the bar back to the starting position with your arms fully extended, feeling a slight stretch in your lats. Make sure you don't lock your head and neck which can lead to stiffness and also that you're not straining your spine while doing this exercise.
Attach a wide or cambered bar to the top pulley of a pulldown machine and sit down, adjusting the knee pad to fit snugly against your legs. Grab the pulldown bar with your palms facing your torso. Make sure that your hands are about shoulder width apart. Lean your torso back slightly to create a small curvature in your back and stick out your chest. This is your starting position. Now, as you exhale, pull the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing your shoulders and upper arms down and back. Focus on squeezing your back muscles once you reach the fully contracted position, keeping your elbows close to your body. Your upper torso should remain stationary during the movement, and only your arms should move. After a brief pause at the bottom, contracted position, inhale as you slowly raise the bar to the starting position with your arms fully extended, feeling a slight stretch in your lats.
This is a back exercise which is usually done with a piece of equipment called the Roman Chair also called a hyperextension bench. Most gyms have this equipment; it's basically an inclined gym bench with platforms to lock your legs in some gyms it's also called the hyperextension bench.
Just lie down face forward on the bench and lock your ankles properly. You can either cross your hands around your chest or keep them behind your head. Bend over as far as you can while keeping your back straight and then come back to the original position.When coming up make sure you don't go beyond the point where your back is straight.
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