One of the most common questions that fitness enthusiasts ask themselves is, “What is the hardest muscle to build?” If you’re asking yourself this question as well, there’s a very good chance you’ve felt discouraged in your quest to get that six-pack ab or that lean muscular physique. A lot of it has to do with the fact that muscles are hard to work on.
The human body is incredibly complex, and that complexity poses several challenges when trying to stimulate growth in any one area. Different people have different predispositions, and therefore different needs when it comes to training.
That being said, some muscle groups might be a little more difficult than others to build. Let’s take a look at some of the hardest muscle groups to build and how you can overcome these challenges.
The Core Is the Hardest Muscle to Build
The core is the most difficult muscle group to build because it’s a small area packed with several different muscles that need to work together for stability and movement, and because it’s a smaller area, it’s very difficult to target each muscle with a large amount of volume.
The core is made up of the abdominals, which include the rectus abdominis (the front of the abs), the transverse abdominis (the middle of the abs), and the multifidus muscles (the deep back). The upper back, shoulders, and arms are all large muscle groups that can be trained fairly intensely.
The difficulty comes with the fact that these muscle groups are large, and as such, require more volume to truly see results.
The Arms Are Harder to Build Than Most Other Parts of the Body
The arms are usually not the first area that comes to mind when you’re trying to build muscle. But, if we’re talking about the hardest muscle groups to build, then the arms must be on the list. This is because the arms are also an extensive muscle group that comprises several different muscle groups.
The arms also require several different types of training methods to stimulate growth. They are, of course, a place where you would do mostly compound exercises such as barbell curls or dumbbell curls, but they also require isolation movements such as triceps extensions or biceps curls.
The Chest Is a Little Harder Than the Rest
The chest is often compared to the arms, and the legs as part of the group of hard muscles to build. This makes sense given that the chest is a large muscle group that also includes the pectorals, the triceps, and the anterior deltoids.
The triceps are a smaller muscle group that plays a crucial role in shoulder extension and shoulder mobility. Chest training also involves several different methods. While you may do mostly compound exercises such as barbell presses, you may also do single-joint movements such as dumbbell flies or cable flies.
Back Is a Bit More Difficult
The back is a large area packed with several different muscles. It’s also a larger area, so it presents several challenges when it comes to building muscle. Back training requires a combination of compound exercises such as barbell rows and isolation moves for the biceps and the lats.
The Legs Are Easier to Build Than Most Other Parts of the Body
The legs are often referred to as being easier to train than the other muscle groups because they comprise a smaller number of muscles than many other body parts. They also have a smaller area than other muscle groups so it’s not too difficult to target each muscle group with a decent amount of volume.
The Shoulders Are Also Harder to Build
The shoulders are a very complex group of muscles. There are a lot of different joints that they move, and they’re responsible for a lot of movement. What this means is that they’re very hard to stimulate. That being said, they are a very important muscle group in your physique.
If you’re trying to build muscle in the shoulders, you have a few options. First off, you can perform barbell exercises. We’re talking bench press, overhead press, military press, and finally the power shrug. These are the four main movements that the shoulders are involved in, so they can be a little bit intimidating.
You could also try using dumbbell exercises. One exercise that you can do for the shoulders is the dumbbell overhead press. This can be done using a wide grip or a close grip. You can also do dumbbell lateral raises for the shoulders.
Wrapping Up
It doesn’t matter if you want to improve your appearance by getting a leaner look or your performance by seeing an increase in strength and power—all you have to do is commit to working out.
If you want to get the most out of your workouts, you have to learn how to approach them effectively. You have to have a plan, set goals, and follow a routine that makes you accountable for your actions.
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