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Exercise Library: 70 Exercises with Animated Pictures

Every exercise in our library has an animated demonstration, step-by-step instructions, the muscles it works, benefits, common mistakes, breathing cues and sets & reps for beginners, intermediate and advanced lifters. Filter by muscle, equipment or level to find what you need.

Arnold Press – start positionArnold Press – end positionAnimated demo
intermediateShoulders

Arnold Press

The Arnold press, made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a shoulder press with a rotation.

Barbell Curls – start positionBarbell Curls – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerBiceps

Barbell Curls

The barbell curl lets you lift more weight than dumbbell curls, which makes it a great biceps mass builder..

Bench Dips – start positionBench Dips – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerTriceps

Bench Dips

Bench dips use a bench, chair or couch to train the triceps with your body weight.

Crunches – start positionCrunches – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerAbs

Crunches

The crunch is a classic ab exercise that targets the rectus abdominis, the six-pack muscle.

Dead Bug – start positionDead Bug – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerAbs

Dead Bug

The dead bug is a core stability exercise in which you lie on your back and slowly extend opposite arm and leg while keeping your lower back glued to the floor.

Decline Push-Ups – start positionDecline Push-Ups – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerChest

Decline Push-Ups

With your feet raised on a bench or step, the decline push-up shifts more of your body weight onto your hands and moves the work toward the upper chest and front shoulders.

Dumbbell Lunges – start positionDumbbell Lunges – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerQuads

Dumbbell Lunges

Lunges train one leg at a time, which fixes strength differences between sides and challenges your balance.

Face Pulls – start positionFace Pulls – end positionAnimated demo
intermediateShoulders

Face Pulls

Face pulls use a rope on a cable machine pulled toward your face with the elbows high.

Flutter Kicks – start positionFlutter Kicks – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerGlutes

Flutter Kicks

Flutter kicks are done lying on your back with the legs straight, kicking up and down in small fast movements.

Hip Abduction Machine – start positionHip Abduction Machine – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerOuter hips (abductors)

Hip Abduction Machine

The hip abduction machine trains the outer glutes (glute medius and minimus) by pushing your knees apart against resistance.

Incline Push-Ups – start positionIncline Push-Ups – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerChest

Incline Push-Ups

Incline push-ups put your hands on a bench, box, sturdy chair or kitchen counter so you lift a smaller part of your body weight.

Inverted Rows – start positionInverted Rows – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerMiddle back

Inverted Rows

Inverted rows (Australian pull-ups) are done hanging under a bar or a sturdy table with your heels on the floor.

Lateral Raises – start positionLateral Raises – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerShoulders

Lateral Raises

The lateral raise isolates the side delts, the muscles that make your shoulders look wider.

Leg Press – start positionLeg Press – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerQuads

Leg Press

The leg press lets you load the quads and glutes heavily while your back is supported.

Mountain Climbers – start positionMountain Climbers – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerQuads

Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are a fast-paced exercise in a push-up position where you drive your knees toward your chest one after another.

Plank – start positionPlank – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerAbs

Plank

The plank is a static core exercise in which you hold your body straight on your forearms and toes.

Push-Ups – start positionPush-Ups – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerChest

Push-Ups

The push-up is the most famous bodyweight exercise in the world for a reason.

Seated Cable Rows – start positionSeated Cable Rows – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerMiddle back

Seated Cable Rows

The seated cable row trains the middle back, lats and rear shoulders by pulling a handle toward your stomach.

Skull Crushers – start positionSkull Crushers – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerTriceps

Skull Crushers

Skull crushers (lying triceps extensions) are done lying on a bench, lowering an EZ bar toward your forehead and extending the arms.

Superman – start positionSuperman – end positionAnimated demo
beginnerLower back

Superman

The superman strengthens the muscles along the back of your body: lower back, glutes and upper back.

How to use this exercise library

Each exercise page is built like a mini coaching session. At the top you will see an animated demonstration that switches between the start and end position of the movement, followed by quick facts: the main muscles worked, the equipment, the difficulty level and whether it is a compound or isolation movement. Below that you get step-by-step instructions, the benefits, the most common mistakes, form tips, breathing cues, recommended sets and reps for beginners, intermediate and advanced lifters, easier and harder variations, and a safety checklist.

Use the filters above to find exercises for a specific muscle group or for the equipment you have. If you train at home with no equipment, choose Bodyweight. If you have a pair of dumbbells, choose Dumbbell. Gym-goers can explore barbell, cable and machine exercises.

How to build a balanced workout from these exercises

A well-designed workout covers the main human movement patterns rather than random muscles. Try to include, across your week:

Pick one exercise from each group, do 2–4 sets of each, and you already have a complete full-body workout. If you prefer a ready-made plan, see our home workout programs and gym workout programs, all with separate versions for men and women.

Exercise selection for men vs women

Men and women can, and should, do the same basic exercises. Muscle tissue responds to training in the same way. What usually differs is the goal: many men want broader shoulders, a bigger chest and arms, while many women want stronger, rounder glutes, toned legs and arms and a tighter core. Our programs reflect those goals with different exercise emphasis, but every exercise in this library is suitable for everyone.

About the images

The exercise photos come from the open-source Free Exercise DB project, released into the public domain. We turned the start and end photos into simple animations so you can see the full movement. If you want to check your own form, record a short video of yourself from the side and compare it with the animation and the step-by-step instructions.

Exercises by muscle group

Abs exercises

The abdominals include the rectus abdominis (the 'six-pack' muscle) and the deeper transverse abdominis. They flex the spine, brace the trunk and protect the lower back during lifting. Visible abs depend mostly on body-fat level, but strong abs improve posture and performance in almost every exercise.

Outer hips (abductors) exercises

The hip abductors (mainly the glute medius, glute minimus and tensor fasciae latae) move the leg out to the side and keep your pelvis level when you walk, run or stand on one leg. Weak abductors are linked to knees caving inward and knee pain.

Inner thighs (adductors) exercises

The adductors are the inner-thigh muscles. They pull the legs together and help extend the hip in squats and deadlifts. Strong adductors protect against groin strains.

Biceps exercises

The biceps brachii sits on the front of the upper arm. It bends the elbow and turns the palm up. It works together with the brachialis and brachioradialis in every pulling exercise.

Calves exercises

The calves are made of the gastrocnemius (the visible upper part) and the soleus (underneath). They point the foot and are essential for walking, running and jumping.

Chest exercises

The chest muscles (pectoralis major and minor) push the arms forward and bring them across the body. The upper (clavicular) part works more in incline pressing, the lower part in flat and decline pressing.

Glutes exercises

The glutes (gluteus maximus, medius and minimus) are the largest and strongest muscles in the body. They extend and rotate the hip, power sprinting and jumping, support the lower back and shape the hips.

Hamstrings exercises

The hamstrings run down the back of the thigh. They bend the knee and extend the hip. Strong hamstrings protect the knees and balance out the quads.

Lats exercises

The latissimus dorsi are the large, wing-shaped back muscles. They pull the arms down and back and create the 'V-taper' look. They also stabilize the spine in heavy lifts.

Lower back exercises

The lower back muscles (mainly the erector spinae) keep the spine straight and upright. They work hard to hold a neutral back in deadlifts, rows and squats.

Middle back exercises

The middle back includes the rhomboids and middle trapezius. They squeeze the shoulder blades together and are key for posture and healthy shoulders.

Quads exercises

The quadriceps are the four muscles on the front of the thigh. They straighten the knee and are the main movers when you stand up from a squat, climb stairs or jump.

Shoulders exercises

The shoulders (deltoids) have a front, side and rear part. They lift the arm in every direction. Well-developed side and rear delts make the upper body look wider and help keep the shoulder joint healthy.

Traps exercises

The trapezius runs from the neck down the upper back. The upper traps lift the shoulders, while the middle and lower parts pull the shoulder blades back and down.

Triceps exercises

The triceps make up about two-thirds of the upper arm. They straighten the elbow and help in every pushing movement, from push-ups to the bench press.