Gym exercises: technique, muscles and joints
Every exercise shows the muscle group it trains, the movement pattern and the joints it loads, so you can pick alternatives if something bothers you.
Exercises by the joint you want to protect
- Ankle-friendly
- Knee-friendly
- Hip-friendly
- Lower back-friendly
- Shoulder-friendly
- Elbow-friendly
- Wrist-friendly
- Neck-friendly
Lower body · Quads
- Barbell back squat · Squat
- Goblet squat · Squat
- Hack squat · Squat
- Smith machine squat · Squat
- Leg press · Squat
- Leg extension · Knee extension
- Walking lunges · Lunge
- Jump squat · Jump
- Box jump · Jump
Lower body · Glutes
- Reverse lunge · Lunge
- Bulgarian split squat · Lunge
- Box step-up · Lunge
- Kettlebell swing · Hip hinge
- Machine hip thrust · Hip thrust
- Barbell hip thrust · Hip thrust
- Floor glute bridge · Hip thrust
- Cable glute kickback · Kickback / hip extension
- Quadruped glute kickback · Kickback / hip extension
Lower body · Hamstrings
- Conventional deadlift · Hip hinge
- Romanian deadlift · Hip hinge
- Barbell good morning · Hip hinge
- Leg curl (seated or lying) · Knee flexion
- Nordic hamstring curl · Knee flexion
Lower body · Abductors
- Hip abduction machine · Abduction
- Seated banded abduction · Abduction
- Side-lying leg raise · Abduction
- Clamshell · Abduction
Lower body · Adductors
- Hip adduction machine · Adduction
- Standing cable adduction · Adduction
Lower body · Calves
- Standing calf raise · Calf raise
- Seated calf raise · Calf raise
- Leg press calf raise · Calf raise
Upper body · Chest
- Barbell bench press · Horizontal push
- Incline dumbbell press · Horizontal push
- Machine chest press · Horizontal push
- Push-ups · Horizontal push
- Pec deck fly · Fly
- Cable crossover · Fly
Upper body · Triceps
- Parallel bar dips · Vertical push
- Cable triceps pushdown · Elbow extension
- Overhead triceps extension · Elbow extension
- Skull crusher · Elbow extension
- Bench dips · Elbow extension
Upper body · Shoulders
- Standing overhead press · Vertical push
- Seated dumbbell shoulder press · Vertical push
- Machine shoulder press · Vertical push
- Dumbbell lateral raise · Arm raise
- Cable lateral raise · Arm raise
- Front raise · Arm raise
- Reverse pec deck · Fly
- Face pull · Row / horizontal pull
Upper body · Back
- Pull-ups · Vertical pull
- Assisted pull-ups · Vertical pull
- Lat pulldown · Vertical pull
- Straight-arm cable pulldown · Vertical pull
- Barbell bent-over row · Row / horizontal pull
- One-arm dumbbell row · Row / horizontal pull
- Seated machine row · Row / horizontal pull
- Single-arm cable row · Row / horizontal pull
- Seated cable row · Row / horizontal pull
Upper body · Biceps
- Barbell curl · Curl (elbow flexion)
- Biceps curl (machine or seated dumbbell) · Curl (elbow flexion)
- Hammer curl · Curl (elbow flexion)
- Cable curl · Curl (elbow flexion)
Core · Abs
- Machine crunch · Crunch
- Standing cable crunch · Crunch
- Floor crunch · Crunch
- Reverse crunch · Leg raise
- Dead bug · Core stability
- Lying leg raise · Leg raise
- Flutter kicks · Leg raise
- Scissor kicks · Leg raise
- Single-leg lowering · Core stability
- Hollow body hold · Core stability
- Tabletop crunch · Crunch
- Toe touch crunch · Crunch
- Front plank · Plank
- Ab wheel rollout · Core stability
- Captain's chair leg raise · Leg raise
- Hanging leg raise · Leg raise
- Mountain climbers · Plank
- Farmer's carry · Carry
Core · Obliques
- Bicycle crunch · Rotation
- Heel touches · Crunch
- Side plank · Plank
- Machine torso rotation · Rotation
- Pallof press · Core stability
- Cable woodchop · Rotation
- Russian twist · Rotation
Core · Lower back
- Back extension · Back extension
Cardio · Cardio
- Stationary bike · Low-impact cardio
- Recumbent bike · Low-impact cardio
- Elliptical · Low-impact cardio
- Rowing machine · Low-impact cardio
- Incline treadmill walk · Low-impact cardio
- Stair climber · Low-impact cardio
- Arm ergometer · Low-impact cardio
- Treadmill running · High-impact cardio
- Jump rope · High-impact cardio
- Burpees · High-impact cardio