Muscular anatomy
There are around 600 muscles in the human body. Muscles can be categorised into three types: cardiac muscle of the heart, smooth muscle of organs, and skeletal muscle.
skeletal muscle
Your body moves using skeletal muscles, which are attached via tendons to bones and joints, and effect movement through coordinated contractions. Studying muscles and how they move improves your mind-body connection, so you can visualize the muscles working and engage them correctly.
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Skeletal muscle fibres
Like other body tissues, skeletal muscle fibresare soft and fragile. Connective tissue supports and protects the fibres, enabling them to withstand the forces of muscular contraction.
SUPERFICIAL
Elbow flexors
Biceps brachii Brachialis (deep) Brachioradialis
Abdominals
Rectus abdominis
External abdominal obliques
Internal abdominal obliques (deep, not shown)
Transversus abdominis
DEEP
Pectorals
Pectoralis major
Pectoralis minor
Hip flexors
Iliopsoas (iliacus and psoas major)
Rectus femoris (see quadriceps)
Sartorius Adductors
Adductors
Adductor longus
Adductor brevis
Adductor magnus
Pectineus
Gracilis
Quadriceps
Rectus femoris
Vastus medialis
Vastus lateralis
Vastus intermedius (deep, not shown)
Ankle dorsiflexors
Tibialis anterior
Extensor digitorum longus
Extensor hallucis longus
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Tendons
Tendons attach each end of a muscle to bone. They are formed of highly organized connective tissue, resistant to high tensile forces such as those involved in rigorous HIIT movements.
DEEP
Cervical extensors
Splenius capitis
Splenius cervicis
Rhomboids
Rhomboid minor
Rhomboid major
Spinal extensors
Cervical extensors
Erector spinae
Transversospinales (small, deep muscles along spine)
SUPERFICIAL
Gluteals
Gluteus maximus
Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus
Hip extensors
Gluteals
Adductor magnus
Hamstrings
Biceps femoris
Semitendinosus
Semimembranosus
Ankle plantar flexors
Tibialis posterior
Calf muscles
Gastrocnemius
Soleus