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Exercises: muscles worked and how to do them
Each page answers the two questions people ask about an exercise: which muscles it works, and how to do it well. Then the cues that help, the mistakes that cost you, how many sets and reps, and what to do instead when you cannot do it.
Exercises
Filter by muscle
25 exercises
Push away from the chest
- Bench pressChestChest, triceps and front shoulders: the setup, the cues, and how wide to grip.Read more
- Chest press machineChestChest, with triceps: setting the seat, the handle height, and how it compares with the bench press.Read more
- Incline dumbbell pressChestShouldersChest and front shoulders, with triceps: the bench angle, the dumbbell path, and getting them into place.Read more
Push overhead
Pull toward the chest
Pull down from overhead
- Pull-upLatsUpper backLats and upper back: strict form, how to get your first pull-up, and pull-up versus chin-up.Read more
- Chin-upLatsBicepsLats and biceps: the underhand grip, what changes from a pull-up, and keeping your elbows happy.Read more
- Lat pulldownLatsLats, with biceps and upper back: where to pull the bar, how wide to grip (and what a study found), and the lean.Read more
Squat (knee-dominant)
- SquatQuadsGlutesQuads and glutes: the setup, how deep to go (and what the studies found), and the mistakes that cost depth.Read more
- Front squatQuadsMostly quads, with an upright torso: the front rack position, cues, and how it compares with the back squat.Read more
- Leg pressQuadsGlutesQuads and glutes: foot position, how deep to go, and locking out your knees (don’t).Read more
Hip hinge
- DeadliftHamstringsGlutesUpper backHamstrings, glutes and upper back: the setup, pulling the slack out, and conventional versus sumo.Read more
- Romanian deadliftHamstringsGlutesHamstrings and glutes: the hip hinge, how low to go, and why it is a hamstring favourite.Read more
- Sumo deadliftGlutesQuadsHamstringsGlutes, quads and hamstrings from a wide stance: how wide, the cues, and what changes from conventional.Read more
Lunge (one leg at a time)
Hip extension (bridge)
Raise the arms to the side
Bend the elbow (curl)
Straighten the elbow
Straighten the knee
Bend the knee
Rise onto the toes
Log every set
PushBeyond tracks each exercise’s sets, reps and weight, estimates your 1RM and shows which muscles you trained. Free on iPhone and Android.