In order to train your muscles and loose weight, you must first understand how the body works and where the muscles are around the body. The human body has 206 bones and over 600 muscles. Muscles are bundles of closely interlocked fibres which stretch and contract to control the bones surrounding them. Except for the cavity in the pelvis (which will be wider), the female body is exactly the same as the male and can therefore be trained in exactly the same way.
It is also important to note your ideal weight measurements. This will depend on your height and your build and can dictate your daily diet. For example, if you are heavier than your ideal weight, you will need to eat less fatty foods. On the other hand, if you are lighter than your ideal, you will need to increase your fat intake. Your doctor should be able to tell you your ideal, or you may want look at our ideal weight chart in the Eating To Slim section.
Included below are a selection of the muscles in the body. Learn to find where they are so you can see which ones are growing as you progress with your training. You must also concentrate on which muscles you want to grow as this will also help you gain strength. The options in brackets are the names the muscle may be refered to in the guide pages.
| Exercise: Learn the names of all the major muscles you would like to work on |
A Sterno Mastoids - The muscles at the sides of the neck. They turn the head from side to side, and lift it up and down.
B Trapezius (Traps) - The muscle covers the shoulders and the upper part of
the back of the neck. It turns the head and helps in any arm
movement.
C Deltoids (Shoulders)- The bands of muscle covering the shoulder joints. They raise the arms sideways or forwards.
D Biceps (Arms)- The muscles at the front of the upper arm. They bend the arms.
E Triceps - The muscles at the back of the upper arm. They straighten the arm.
F Pectorals (Pecs, Chest) - The big triangular muscles at the front of the chest. They pull the arms in towards the body and help you push away.
G Serratus Magnus - The little ridges of muscle under the armpits. They lift the arms sideways.
H Supinator Longus (Forearm)- The muscle at the side and back of the forearm. They bend the wrist inwards.
I Flexors,of the forearm - The muscles at the front of the forearm. They bend the wrist inwards.
J External oblique abdominals (Sides) - These muscles extend down the sides of the body from the lower ribs. They turn the body and bending from side to side.
K Abdominals (Upper Abs, Lower Abs) - These run from the lower ribs to the public bone at the front of the body. They bend the body forwards, and lift the legs.
L Rectus Femoris (Quads, Thighs) - The long muscle running down the front of the thigh. It raises the leg and straightens it.
M Vastis Internus - The muscle at the side and back of the upper leg. It turns the leg.
N Peroneus Longus - The muscle at the side of the lower leg. It help turn the foot or rotate the leg.
O Tibialis Anticus - The big muscle at the front of the calf. It
bends the foot upwards.
P Gastrocnemius and Soleus (Calves) - These are at the side and back of the calf. The first bends the foot backwards; the main function of the second is the maintain upright posture.
Q Infra Spinatus and Rhomboideus Major (Upper Back)- These muscles are at the back of the shoulder. They take the shoulders back and help any pulling movement.
R Latissimus Dorsi (Lats, Mid Back) - The large muscles at the back of the upper body. They turn the body and help raise the arms.
S Erector Spinae (Lower Back) - The muscles at the base of the back. They straighten up the bent-over body.
T Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Maximus - The fleshy muscles of the buttocks. They rotate the move the legs.
U Vastus Lateralis - The muscle at the side and back of the upper leg. It bends the knee and raises the leg sideways.
V Adductor Magnus (Hamstrings?) - The muscles at the back of the inside of the upper leg. It turns the leg when pointing the foot outwards.
W Biceps,of the leg and Semi-Tendinosus - These two muscles are at the back of the upper leg. They bend the leg backwards.
X Tensors and Vastus Externus - The tensor muscle covers the hip; the Vastus runs from it down to the outside of the thigh. They lift the leg sideways.
