For those clueless about muscles

Did you know that you have more than 600 muscles in your body? They do everything from pumping blood throughout your body to helping you lift your heavy backpack. Here is an easy explanation of some of the most important ones.

The deltoids are one you hear about a lot because they are a muscle group located on top of the shoulders, which is why they are also known as the common shoulder muscle. It appears to be made up of three parts, front (anterior), middle, and posterior (posterior) and these are the muscles that give the shoulders their range of motion and are responsible for raising and lowering the arms.

There are many exercises designed specifically for the delts. A full body training gym has various levels for weightlifting depending on the needs and ability of each individual. Single dumbbells can also be used to lift different weights in all directions (up, down, sideways, and front).

The biceps are the muscles at the front of the upper arm. You use them when you bend your arm or lift things. The biceps has several functions, the most important of which is to rotate the forearm and flex the elbow. Toning them will give shape and definition to the upper arm.

The triceps are the large muscle at the back of the upper arms. It is the muscle primarily responsible for extension of the elbow joint and straightening of the arm. Toning your triceps will help get rid of the flabby part that hangs down when you extend your arm.

The forearm muscles are the muscles that run from the wrist to the elbow. Strengthening them will not only help your arms look toned overall, but it will also help prevent conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and other wrist discomfort.

The quadriceps are a group of four muscles in the front of the thigh and are responsible for movement of the knee joint. The main function of the quadriceps is to extend or straighten the knee. They are crucial for walking, running, jumping, and squatting. The best exercises are leg extensions, lunges, leg presses, and squats.

The hamstrings are the rope-like tendons on either side of the back of the knee whose main function is to ensure proper movement of the leg and hip. They allow your knee to bend and pull your leg back while propelling your body forward as you move. They also act as a brake to stop an action you can feel when walking or running downhill, landing from a jump or squat, and when trying to stop quickly after a sprint. The hamstrings are crucial in many daily activities, including walking, running, and jumping.

The obliques are the muscles on the side of your upper body that allow you to lean forward and twist at the waist. There are two sets of obliques, called internal and external, and each set contracts differently during twisting or side-to-side movements. They rotate your ribs and pelvis, help you breathe, and flex your trunk forward. Toning the obliques creates a shapely waistline, allows freer movement, and helps prevent the development of “rims.” Oblique exercises are primarily concerned with rotation of the torso. As you can see, your obliques are a very important muscle group related to your body’s stability, balance, and overall strength.

Your gluteus maximus is your buttocks, your rear, your hindquarters, that part of your body that you are sitting on right now. It’s easy to forget that your gluteus maximus isn’t just a mass of tissue or fat, it’s also a group of muscles. It’s what you wear when you jump, climb, or stretch your legs while standing. You wear them when you are standing or sitting.