How to Target Muscles With Specific Exercises

Keep the back straight and knees tracking over the feet and not swaying in or bowed out in leg-bending exercises.

• Squat
• Leg press
• Leg extension
• Leg curl
• Lunges
• Calf raises
• Deadlift
• Power clean

Try not to "cheat" when doing arm exercises by using the momentum of a swaying chest or abdomen to move the weights. Force the focus on the targeted muscles.

• Curls
• Kickbacks
• Pushdown
• Dips
• Overhead press
• Power clean

Keep the back straight, head still and squeeze the shoulder blades together when doing back exercises.

• Rows - seated or bent over
• Pulldowns
• Pullups
• Shrugs
• Deadlift

Don't overextend the shoulder joint because it is one of the most complex—and perhaps one of the most fragile—joints in the body. Don't use heavy repetitions for front and side raises. When doing the upright row, use a wide grip, and don't raise the weight too high as this may cause impingement of the joint.

• Presses - overhead, seated bench
• Arm raises - front, side
• Upright rows

Remember to squeeze your glutes together when doing butt exercises.

• Lunges
• Hip abductions
• Hip extensions
• Bird dog
• Deadlifts

No need to draw your abs in so that you "hollow out" the midsection. All you need to do is brace the abs firmly in preparation for abdominal exercises.

• Crunches
• Hanging leg raises
• Twists (obliques)
• Situps

If you find you get sore shoulders doing the flat bench press, do the incline bench press instead.

• Bench press - flat and incline
• Pec deck
• Cable fly

The above is a reasonable selection for all muscle groups to start with even though many variations and innovative techniques exist.

If you need to brush up on weight training principles and practices, try this beginner's guide.