Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan
School of Education – Physical Education Department
MUSCLE GROUPS
Submitted by:
Group 2
Jan Nathan Cairel
Abegail Cañeda
Jill Arvienne Cariaga
Rachel Mae Corro
Skyler Shyl Espina
Francis Estur
Mizael Dian Dumapias
Danielle Katareene Factura
Submitted to:
Sir Dhadz Bryan S. Dagcuta
A. 5 Major Muscle Groups
In order to ensure a safe and effective exercise, free of any injuries. It is essential to
note the human body’s five (5) major muscle groups: The Chest, Back, Arms &
Shoulders, Abs, Legs & Buttocks and their functions.
#1 - THE CHEST MUSCLES
The main muscle group of the chest is the pectorals. The chest is a very visible part of
the upper body that can add weight and force to all your martial arts moves.
Pectorals
The pectorals or pecs are the large chest muscles. They are full of thick muscle fibers
and add size to the upper body. The chest is divided into two parts, pectoralis major,
and pectoralis minor. They provide support when you hold objects in front of your
body and they are activated when you reach across your body. The pecs are activated
in many everyday movements, mainly at the shoulder joint.
Activities using the Pectoral Muscles:
1. When you grab a seat belt in a car.
2. Combing your hair on the opposite side.
3. Basic tasks like reaching into your back pants pocket or to tuck in your shirt.
#2 - THE BACK MUSCLES
The back is the most complex major muscular structure in the entire body. It is a perfect
combination of multiple muscles working in harmony and complementing each other in
various physical activities. The back rises from the buttocks and stretches to the neck
and shoulders.
There are essentially five muscle groups present in the back.
1. Latissimus Dorsi
It is a large, flat muscle on the back that stretches to the sides, behind the arm, and is
partly covered by the trapezius on the back near the midline. It is sometimes called 'lats'
or the 'wings''. The lats facilitate the body in pulling movements and complement the
arms in pursuing various physical activities like pulling something into your body, or
when you take something down from a shelf above your head. Also, they are heavily
involved in many swimming movements.
2. Rhomboid
The rhomboids are located in the upper back. They are underneath the trap muscles
and not visible from outside. They originate from the spinal cord and merge into the
scapular bone. These muscles can't be seen but they play a vital role in strengthening
the scapulae and all the back movements.
3. Trapezius
Also known as, the traps, that are located between the shoulders and the neck. The
traps can further be classified into three divisions- the upper traps, middle traps, and the
lower traps, with the lower traps extending as low as the lower back. The traps control
the scapulae or the shoulder blades and play an important role in shrugging and neck
movements. They are used to tilt and turn the head and neck and shrug the shoulders.
They also provide support when you lift items over your head.
4. Teres Muscle
This muscle lies underneath the 'lats'. It works with the lats as well as the rotator cuffs.
Exercises like single arm lat pulldowns and pullovers target this muscle directly.
Compound exercises like deadlifts, shoulder presses, and rows also target this muscle.
5. Erector spinae
The erector spinae or spinal erectors is a set of muscles that straighten and rotate the
back. They are actually deep muscles that help to extend the spine and are key in
posture. They are also important when bending forward, and sideways.
Activities Using the Back Muscles:
● Plank
● Dolphin Kicks
● Superman
#3 - THE ARM AND SHOULDER MUSCLES
1. Biceps
This muscle is found in the front of the upper arm. The biceps help control the motion of
both the shoulder and elbow joints. At the elbow, the biceps are essential in lifting, and
at the shoulder, they help with moving the arms sideways, forward and upwards.
Basically, this muscle helps bend or curl the arm toward your body.
2. Triceps
The triceps are muscles in the back of the upper arm. These muscles help stabilize the
shoulder joint and allow the elbow joint to be straightened. The triceps are utilized in
passing and shooting a basketball, and help with finite movements such as in writing,
drawing or even push and pull.
3. Deltoids
The deltoids, or delts, are known as the shoulder muscles. This muscle group is used
on all side of body lifting motions. They provide support when you carry things and help
keep carried items away from the motion path of the thighs. The deltoid muscle consists
of 3 parts: anterior deltoid, medial deltoid, and posterior deltoid.
Activities that Use the Arm and Shoulder Muscles:
● Arm Circles
● Plank Tap
● Shoulder Flex
#4 - THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
The abdominals assist in the breathing process and protect inner organs.They are key
in twisting motions, such as a golf swing or looking behind yourself. They also play a
key part in bending over motions, and in maintaining good posture.
1. Obliques
The muscle group on the sides of the abdominals are the obliques. Movement of these
muscles may result in several actions, but they are best known for their lateral flexion
and rotation of the trunk known as a side bend. The obliques help support the spine
from the front. They are also vital in keeping a good posture. Other important abdominal
muscles include:
○ Gluteus medius: The gluteus medius connects the ilium to the top of the
femur. It controls the level of the hips and allows the thighs to rotate.
○ Gluteus maximus: The largest and outermost muscle of the buttock, the
gluteus maximus attaches to several places in the pelvis and thigh. It
allows you to extend your upper leg, spread it, and turn it outward.
○ Serratus anterior: A group of muscles connected to the rib cage, which
help stabilize the shoulder.
○ Psoas major: These muscles connect the lower part of the spine to the
ilium and the femur and aids in flexing the hips.
Activities that Use the Abdominal Muscles:
● Pilates
● Bicycle Crunches
● Torso Twist
#5 - THE LEGS AND BUTTOCKS MUSCLES
1. Hamstrings
The hamstrings are the huge muscle group in the upper back part your thighs. Its main
function is to bend your knees and help propel your body forward in such activities as
walking, running, and jumping. They are also used during squats and deadlifts.
2. Gluteals
The glutes are muscles of your buttocks and the largest muscles in your body. They are
key muscles in the movement of the legs backward and sideways. The glutes also help
you maintain balance in walking or running.
3. Quadriceps
The 4 huge muscles that comprise the front of your thigh is the muscle group called the
quadriceps or 'quads'. The quadriceps is the second largest major muscular structure in
the human body after the back. It is located in the upper front part of the leg.
The four huge muscles are namely:
1. Rectus femoris
2. Vastus lateral
3. Vastus intermedius
4. Vastus medialis.
4. Gastrocnemius
Commonly called as the calf muscles. The calves are located in the lower back part of
your legs. They are key muscles when you lift your heels up, such as when you walk,
run, and go upstairs. They are also important for explosive moves such as sprinting,
jumping and climbing.
Activities that Use the Legs and Buttocks Muscles:
● Burpees
● Body-Weight Squats
● Reverse Lunge
B. Muscle Groups that go together
The human body is a complex and amazing machine, and our muscles are no
exception. There are over 600 muscles in the human body, and they are grouped
together based on their location, function, and movement.
When we exercise, we often target multiple muscle groups at the same time. This
is called **compound exercise**. Compound exercises are generally more
efficient and effective than isolation exercises, which only target one muscle
group at a time.
Here are some of the major muscle groups and some examples of exercises that
target them together:
1. Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps (Push Muscles)
These muscles work together to push objects away from the body.
Examples of exercises: Push-ups, bench press, overhead press, dips
2. Back, Biceps, and Forearms (Pull Muscles)
These muscles work together to pull objects towards the body.
Examples of exercises: Pull-ups, rows, bicep curls, deadlifts
3. Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves (Lower Body)
These muscles work together to move the legs and hips.
Examples of exercises: Squats, lunges, deadlifts, calf raises
4. Core
The core is a group of muscles that support the spine and pelvis. The core
muscles are important for stability and balance throughout the body.
Examples of exercises: Planks, crunches, leg raises
Synergistic Movements and Compound Exercises:
Compound exercises, which involve multiple muscle groups simultaneously, are
particularly effective in optimizing workout efficiency. For instance, exercises like
deadlifts and squats engage not only the primary muscle groups but also various
stabilizing muscles, promoting functional strength and coordination.
Benefits of Training Muscle Groups Together
There are several benefits to training muscle groups together, including:
Increased efficiency: Compound exercises allow you to work multiple muscle
groups at the same time, which can save you time and effort.
Improved strength and coordination: Compound exercises require more
coordination than isolation exercises, which can help to improve your overall
strength and coordination.
Increased calorie burning: Compound exercises burn more calories than
isolation exercises, because they work multiple muscle groups at the same time.
By understanding how muscle groups work together, you can create more
effective and efficient workout routines. When choosing exercises, consider
which muscle groups you want to target and choose exercises that work those
muscles together.
C. Muscular Strength and Endurance
Muscular Strength - Refers to the maximum amount of force that a muscle or group of
muscles can exert against resistance in a single effort.
How to improve muscular strength?
- Lift heavier weights for fewer reps and doing short, powerful sprints.
- Focus on functional movements: Squatting, Lunges, Pushing and Pulling
Movements, Rotating Movements, and etc.
Squats
Sit into a chair as you squat to make this exercise easier. To increase the intensity, hold
dumbbells or a bar at chest level
Jumping jacks
This cardio exercise will help to get your heart rate going and your blood pumping while
also building strength in your lower body.
Lunges
to strengthen your hamstrings (back of thigh), quadriceps (front of thigh),
gastrocnemius (calf) and gluteus maximus (bottom) muscles. Stand with your feet
shoulder width apart, hands on hips. (Optional: hold a small hand-weight in each hand,
with your hands by your sides.)
Muscular Endurance - Refers to the ability of a muscle to sustain repeated
contractions against resistance for an extended period of time.
How to improve muscular endurance?
- Cardio Training: Burpees, Squat, Dancing, Running, Swimming, Cycling, etc.
Running
Running is another form of cardio that doubles as an endurance exercise. It’s primarily
for your legs - and to get the benefits of endurance, you’ll want to maintain a slower
pace over a longer distance (rather than short sprints or interval work).
SIT-UPS
Sit-ups have long been an abdominal-building favorite. If you find your core endurance
lacking, incorporating high-rep sit-ups will probably do the trick
Importance:
● Increases ability to do activities.
● Reduce the risk of injury.
● Lead to healthier, stronger muscles and bones.
● Helps in keeping a healthy body weight.
*Increasing muscular strength can improve endurance by allowing you to perform more
repetitions at a given intensity without fatiguing as quickly. Similarly, improving muscular
endurance can indirectly lead to gains in strength by increasing the muscle's ability to
sustain repeated contractions, which can facilitate strength training progressions*
REFERENCES
5 major muscle groups of the body and their function. (n.d.). Wonder Laboratories.
https://wonderlabs.com/5-major-muscle-groups-of-the-body-and-their-function
Cronkleton, E. (2019, October 31). What is muscular strength, and what are some
exercises you can do? Healthline.
https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/muscular-strength?fbclid=IwA
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David. (2022, March 20). What is the Difference Between Muscular Strength and
Muscular Endurance? CrossTown Fitness.
https://crosstownfitness.com/personal-training/difference-between-muscular-stren
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Muscular Strength and Endurance | HealthLink BC. (n.d.).
https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthy-eating-physical-activity/being-active/health-b
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