Exercise Glossary.

Muscles targeted and how to execute exercises referenced across the site.

• Alternating Leg Raises

  Muscles: Glutes, lower back.

  How to: Lie prone, legs extended. Raise one leg a few inches off the floor, lower, alternate sides.

  → Gym Routine.
• Arm Raises (light)

  Muscles: Shoulders.

  How to: Standing, arms at sides. Raise both arms forward to shoulder height, lower with control. Light and rhythmic — not a strength exercise.

  → Exercise.
• Back Extension

  Muscles: Lower back, glutes, hamstrings.

  How to: Lie prone on the floor, hands at sides or behind head. Raise the upper body off the floor using the lower back, avoid hyperextending.

  → Gym Routine.
• Bench Press

  Muscles: Chest, triceps, front deltoids.

  How to: Lie flat, feet planted, grip slightly wider than shoulders. Lower the bar or dumbbells to mid-chest, press up without locking elbows aggressively.

  → Gym Routine.
• Bent Over Dumbbell Row

  Muscles: Mid back, lats, biceps.

  How to: Hinge at the hips, back flat, dumbbells hanging below shoulders. Pull elbows back and up, squeeze shoulder blades, lower with control.

  → Gym Routine.
• Bicep Curls

  Muscles: Biceps.

  How to: Standing or seated, dumbbells at sides, palms facing forward. Curl the weight toward the shoulders, keeping elbows still, lower with control.

  → Gym Routine.
• Bird Dog

  Muscles: Core, lower back, glutes.

  How to: On hands and knees, spine neutral. Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back simultaneously, hold, keeping hips and shoulders level. Avoid rotating the torso.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Bodyweight Squats

  Muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings.

  How to: Feet shoulder-width apart, lower by bending knees and hips as if sitting back into a chair, keep chest up, return to standing.

  → Gym Routine. · → Exercise.
• Cable Crossover

  Muscles: Chest (lower/inner fibres), front deltoids.

  How to: Stand centred between two high pulleys, handles in each hand. Pull down and across the body in an arc, meeting in front of the hips. Slight forward lean, controlled return.

  → Gym Routine.
• Cable Pushdown

  Muscles: Triceps.

  How to: Stand facing a high pulley, elbows tucked at sides. Push the bar or rope down until arms are fully extended, control the return.

  → Gym Routine.
• Calf Raise Hold

  Muscles: Calves.

  How to: Standing, rise onto the balls of the feet. Hold at the top, keeping the position steady without bouncing.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Calf Raises

  Muscles: Calves.

  How to: Standing, feet flat or on a raised edge. Rise onto the balls of the feet, hold briefly, lower with control.

  → Gym Routine.
• Crunches

  Muscles: Upper abs.

  How to: Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat. Curl the shoulders off the floor toward the knees, lower with control.

  → Gym Routine.
• Dead Bug

  Muscles: Core, lower back.

  How to: Lie on back, arms extended toward the ceiling, knees bent at 90 degrees. Extend one arm overhead and the opposite leg out straight, hold, keeping the lower back pressed into the floor throughout.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Dips

  Muscles: Triceps, chest, front deltoids.

  How to: Support body on parallel bars, lower by bending elbows until upper arms are parallel to the floor, press back up.

  → Gym Routine. · → Exercise.
• Doorway Chest Press Hold

  Muscles: Chest, front deltoids.

  How to: Stand in a doorway, forearms against the frame at shoulder height. Press forward into the frame and hold, keeping the body still.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Dumbbell Bicep Hold

  Muscles: Biceps.

  How to: Hold a dumbbell with the elbow bent at roughly 90 degrees. Hold the position without letting the arm drift up or down.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Dumbbell Glute Bridge

  Muscles: Glutes, hamstrings.

  How to: Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat on floor, dumbbell resting on hips. Drive hips upward by squeezing glutes, lower with control.

  → Gym Routine.
• Dumbbell Kickback

  Muscles: Triceps.

  How to: Bend forward at the hips, upper arm parallel to the floor. Extend the forearm back until the arm is straight, keeping the upper arm still.

  → Gym Routine.
• Dumbbell Lateral Raises

  Muscles: Side deltoids.

  How to: Standing, dumbbells at sides. Raise arms out to shoulder height, slight elbow bend, control the descent.

  → Gym Routine.
• Dumbbell Overhead Press

  Muscles: Front and side deltoids, triceps.

  How to: Standing or seated, dumbbells at shoulder height. Press overhead until arms extend fully, lower with control.

  → Gym Routine.
• Dumbbell Pullover

  Muscles: Chest, lats, triceps.

  How to: Lie on a bench, dumbbell held with both hands above the chest. Lower behind the head in an arc, keeping a slight elbow bend, then return to start.

  → Gym Routine.
• Forward Lunges

  Muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings.

  How to: Step forward into a lunge, both knees bent to roughly 90 degrees, push back to the starting position. Alternate legs.

  → Exercise.
• Glute Bridge

  Muscles: Glutes, hamstrings.

  How to: Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat on floor. Drive hips upward by squeezing glutes, lower with control.

  → Gym Routine. · → Exercise.
• Hanging Leg Raises

  Muscles: Lower abs, hip flexors.

  How to: Hang from a bar or use the captain's chair support. Raise knees or straight legs toward the chest, lower with control, avoid swinging.

  → Gym Routine.
• Isometric Push-up Hold

  Muscles: Chest, triceps, front deltoids, core.

  How to: In a push-up position, lower to either the bottom or a mid-range point and hold, keeping the body in a straight line from head to heels.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Lat Pull Down

  Muscles: Lats, biceps, rear deltoids.

  How to: Seated, thighs secured under pad. Grip bar wider than shoulders, pull down to upper chest, control the return to full extension.

  → Gym Routine.
• Lateral Arm Raises (light)

  Muscles: Shoulders.

  How to: Standing, arms at sides. Raise both arms out to the sides to shoulder height, lower with control. Light and rhythmic.

  → Exercise.
• Leg Abduction

  Muscles: Outer hips, glute medius.

  How to: Seated, legs against the pads. Push legs outward against resistance, control the return.

  → Gym Routine.
• Leg Adduction

  Muscles: Inner thighs.

  How to: Seated, legs against the pads. Push legs inward against resistance, control the return.

  → Gym Routine.
• Lying Leg Curl

  Muscles: Hamstrings.

  How to: Lie face down, ankles under the pad. Curl the pad toward the glutes, control the return to full extension.

  → Gym Routine.
• Lying Leg Raises

  Muscles: Lower abs, hip flexors.

  How to: Lie on back, legs extended. Raise legs together toward the ceiling, lower with control without letting them touch the floor.

  → Gym Routine.
• Mountain Climbers

  Muscles: Abs, shoulders, hip flexors.

  How to: In a plank position, hands under shoulders. Drive knees toward the chest alternately at a brisk pace, keeping the core braced.

  → Gym Routine. · → Exercise.
• Overhead Press Hold

  Muscles: Shoulders, triceps.

  How to: Press a weight to a mid-range point overhead and hold, keeping the core braced and avoiding any lean.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Overhead Tricep Extension

  Muscles: Triceps.

  How to: Hold a dumbbell with both hands behind the head, elbows pointing forward. Extend arms overhead, keeping elbows close to the head throughout.

  → Gym Routine.
• Pec Fly

  Muscles: Chest, front deltoids.

  How to: Arms slightly bent, bring handles or dumbbells together in front of the chest in a wide arc. Control the return — do not let the weight snap back.

  → Gym Routine.
• Plank

  Muscles: Core, shoulders.

  How to: Forearms and toes on the floor, body in a straight line from head to heels. Hold, keeping hips level and core braced.

  → Exercise.
• Pull-ups

  Muscles: Lats, biceps, upper back.

  How to: Grip a bar wider than shoulders, palms facing away. Pull the body up until the chin clears the bar, lower with control to full extension.

  → Exercise.
• Push-ups

  Muscles: Chest, triceps, front deltoids, core.

  How to: Hands shoulder-width apart, body in a straight line from head to heels. Lower chest to floor, press back up without flaring elbows excessively.

  → Gym Routine. · → Exercise.
• RDL

  Muscles: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back.

  How to: Stand with dumbbells in front of thighs. Hinge at the hips, spine neutral, lower the weight along the legs until a stretch is felt in the hamstrings, return by driving hips forward.

  → Gym Routine.
• Rear Delt Fly

  Muscles: Rear deltoids, upper back.

  How to: On the pec fly machine in reverse position, or bent forward with dumbbells. Pull arms out and back, squeezing shoulder blades together.

  → Gym Routine.
• Reverse Lunges

  Muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings.

  How to: Step backward into a lunge, both knees bent to roughly 90 degrees, push back to the starting position. Alternate legs.

  → Exercise.
• Reverse Plank Hold

  Muscles: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, shoulders.

  How to: Sit with legs extended, hands behind the hips. Lift the hips off the floor until the body forms a straight line, hold.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Scapular Wall Slide

  Muscles: Upper back, rear deltoids.

  How to: Stand with back against a wall, arms bent at the sides in a goalpost position. Slide arms upward along the wall and hold near the top, keeping shoulder blades engaged.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Seated Leg Extension

  Muscles: Quadriceps.

  How to: Seated, shins behind the pad. Extend legs until straight, control the return without letting the weight stack slam down.

  → Gym Routine.
• Seated Row

  Muscles: Mid back, lats, biceps.

  How to: Seated, feet braced, slight forward lean at the start. Pull handles to torso, squeezing shoulder blades together, control the return.

  → Gym Routine.
• Seated Shoulder Press

  Muscles: Front and side deltoids, triceps.

  How to: Seated, back supported. Press handles or bar overhead until arms are extended, lower with control to shoulder height.

  → Gym Routine.
• Shoulder Presses (light)

  Muscles: Shoulders.

  How to: Standing, arms bent at shoulder height. Press upward without weight or with very light resistance, lower with control. Light and rhythmic, aimed at circulation not strength.

  → Exercise.
• Side Plank

  Muscles: Obliques, core, shoulders.

  How to: Lie on one side, prop up on one forearm, body in a straight line. Hips lifted off the floor, hold, repeat on the other side.

  → Exercise.
• Single-Leg Glute Bridge Hold

  Muscles: Glutes, hamstrings.

  How to: Lie on back, one foot flat on the floor, the other leg extended. Drive the hips up and hold, keeping the hips level.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Spanish Squat Hold

  Muscles: Quadriceps.

  How to: Loop a resistance band around a stable anchor and behind both knees. Lean back into the band with knees over the toes, hold in a partial squat position.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Standing Mountain Climbers

  Muscles: Abs, hip flexors, cardiovascular.

  How to: Standing, drive knees up toward the chest alternately at a brisk pace, arms pumping naturally.

  → Gym Routine.
• Static Lunge Hold

  Muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings.

  How to: Step into a lunge position, both knees bent to roughly 90 degrees. Hold the position without shifting weight forward or back.

  → Isometric Strength.
• Superman

  Muscles: Lower back, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders.

  How to: Lie prone, arms extended forward. Simultaneously raise arms, chest and legs off the floor, hold briefly, lower with control.

  → Gym Routine.
• Walking Lunges

  Muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings.

  How to: Step forward into a lunge, both knees bent to roughly 90 degrees, then bring the back leg through into the next step. Continue alternating while moving forward.

  → Exercise.
• Wall Sit

  Muscles: Quadriceps, glutes.

  How to: Back against a wall, slide down until thighs are parallel to the floor, knees at 90 degrees. Hold, keeping the back flat against the wall.

  → Isometric Strength.