Regular strength training increases your bone density, builds metabolism-boosting muscle mass, helps with weight control, improves sleep and helps with conditions ranging from depression to diabetes. Your upper body is home to many major muscle groups, each with its own structure and function. Learning the location of each major muscle, as well as how it works, will help you structure a strength-training program appropriate to your personal fitness goals.
Trapezius
The trapezius muscle spans your shoulder blades, and runs down your spine from your neck to your mid back. The large triangular muscle is responsible for laterally rotating, elevating and retracting the shoulder blades, as well as extending and flexing the neck. Strengthening the trapezius may help prevent upper back and neck pain.
Rhomboids
The major and minor rhomboid muscles run from your shoulder blades to the base of your neck. These muscles pull your shoulder blades back. Strong rhomboids will improve your posture.
Deltoids
The deltoids are the muscles surrounding your shoulder joint. The three sections of the deltoids allow for the wide range of motion in your shoulder, including arm abduction, flexion, medial and lateral rotation. Choose a variety of movements to target each region of the deltoids during your workout.
Rotator Cuff
The rotator cuff contains four small muscles that support your shoulder joint. Strengthening the rotator cuff tightens your underarm and helps prevent shoulder blowout.
Pectorals
The pectoralis major and pectoralis minor span your chest. The pectoralis major helps flex the arm and bring the arm toward the body, and medially rotates the arm. Training the pectorals builds muscle mass and definition in your chest, and helps elevate the bust line in women.
Biceps
The biceps brachii, or biceps, run along the upper inner portion of your arm, extending from your shoulder to your elbow. The biceps muscles are responsible for flexing the elbow, and to a lesser extent, the shoulder.
Triceps
The triceps muscle runs along the upper back portion of your arm, opposite the biceps. Your triceps help you straighten your arm, stabilize the shoulder and retract the elbow joint when you extend your arm.
Forearms
Your forearms house several muscles responsible for a range of functions, including forearm rotation, elbow flexion, wrist flexion and extension, and grip. Strengthening your forearms makes lifting heavy weights in other exercises safer.
Latissimus Dorsi
The triangular latissimus dorsi, or lats, run along your middle back from your shoulder to your spine. The lats help extend, adduct and medially rotate the arm. Strengthening the lats adds tone and definition to your back.
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