Exercise Library: Exercises by Muscle Group, With Form Guides
Step-by-step guides to the exercises worth doing, filterable by muscle group, equipment and level, with form cues, common mistakes, variations and the research behind each one.
- Calf raise
Rise onto the balls of your feet and lower slowly to build stronger calves, at home or in the gym.
Works: Calves
- Goblet squat
A front-loaded squat that builds the quads and glutes and makes good squat form easy to learn.
Works: Quadriceps, Glutes, Adductors
- Reverse lunge
A backward-stepping lunge that builds the quads, glutes and balance with less knee stress than a forward lunge.
Works: Quadriceps, Glutes, Adductors
- Romanian deadlift
A hip hinge that builds the hamstrings and glutes and teaches you to lift from the hips, not the back.
Works: Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower back
- Step-up
Step onto a box, bench or stair to build the quads and glutes; step height sets the difficulty.
Works: Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings
- Bulgarian split squat
A rear-foot-elevated single-leg squat that builds the quads and glutes with little or no weight.
Works: Quadriceps, Glutes, Adductors
- Glute bridge
Drive your hips up from the floor to build glute strength with little stress on your knees or back.
Works: Glutes, Hamstrings, Core
- Hip thrust
Upper back on a bench, drive your hips up to load your glutes heavily with little stress on your knees.
Works: Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps
- Bird dog
On hands and knees, reach opposite arm and leg while keeping your trunk still. Gentle back and glute stability.
Works: Lower back, Glutes, Abdominals
- Dead bug
Lie on your back and lower opposite arm and leg while keeping your lower back still. Beginner-friendly deep core control.
Works: Abdominals, Transversus abdominis, Hip flexors
- Plank
The classic core hold: brace in a straight line on forearms and toes to build trunk endurance.
Works: Rectus abdominis, Obliques, Hip flexors, Shoulders
- Side plank
A sideways plank on one forearm that trains the obliques, deep back muscles and hips, with wall and knee versions.
Works: Obliques, Quadratus lumborum, Gluteus medius, Shoulders
- Dumbbell row
Brace on a bench and row a dumbbell to your hip to build your lats and upper back.
Works: Lats, Upper back, Rear deltoids, Biceps
- Inverted row
Pull your chest to a low bar, rings or a sturdy table. A scalable bodyweight back exercise for home.
Works: Lats, Upper back, Rear deltoids, Biceps
- Push-up
The classic bodyweight press for the chest, triceps and shoulders, scalable from wall push-ups to one-arm push-ups.
Works: Chest, Triceps, Front deltoids, Core
- Face pull
Pull a band or cable rope to your face, elbows high, to train your rear delts and upper back.
Works: Rear deltoids, Middle and lower traps, Rhomboids, Rotator cuff
- Lateral raise
Raise light dumbbells out to your sides to build shoulder width; the most direct side-delt exercise.
Works: Side deltoids, Rear deltoids, Upper traps
- Pike push-up
A push-up with hips high that trains your shoulders like an overhead press and builds toward the handstand push-up.
Works: Front deltoids, Side deltoids, Triceps, Upper chest
- Farmers walk
Walk tall holding a heavy weight in each hand to build grip, upper back and core strength.
Works: Forearms, Upper back, Core, Glutes
- Kettlebell swing
Snap your hips to float a kettlebell to chest height, building hip power, grip and conditioning.
Works: Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower back
No exercises match. Try a broader word, or clear the filters.
Every exercise page covers step-by-step form, the muscles worked, common mistakes, easier and harder variations and the research behind it. New exercises are added regularly. Educational only, not medical advice.
The Wonder Drop exercise library is a growing set of step-by-step guides to the exercises worth doing, organized by muscle group, equipment and level. Each guide shows you how to do the move, which muscles it works, the mistakes to avoid, easier and harder versions, and how many sets and reps to do, backed by research and, where we have one, a video demo from our channel.
How to use the exercise library
- Search for an exercise or a muscle, such as glutes, hamstrings or core.
- Filter by body area to see exercises by muscle group, then narrow by the equipment you have and your level.
- Open a guide for the full how-to: the steps, form cues, common mistakes, variations and the research.
Every guide starts with an at-a-glance table, so you can see in a few seconds what an exercise trains, what you need and how to start.
How we write every exercise guide
Most exercise pages online repeat the same tips without saying where they come from. We take a different approach:
- Form first. Clear setup and movement steps, written so a beginner can follow them, with the cues coaches actually use.
- Research where it matters. Claims about muscles worked, results or safety are checked against the original studies, and each guide lists its sources. When the evidence is thin, we say so.
- Honest about muscle activation. Many guides lean on studies that measure how hard a muscle fires during an exercise. Higher activation does not always mean more growth, so we treat those studies as a clue, not a verdict.
- Options for every body. Each guide includes regressions for people with knee, back or wrist limits, and harder versions for when the basic move gets easy.
- Our own demos. Where one of our videos shows the exercise, the guide links to it.
A simple full-body workout from the library
If you are new to strength training, or coming back after a long break, a short full-body routine done two or three times a week is a proven place to start. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that beginners train two to three days a week with loads they can lift for about 8 to 12 repetitions (1). That matches the World Health Organization advice to do muscle-strengthening activity on two or more days a week (2).
| Move | Exercise | Starting sets and reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | Goblet squat | 2–3 sets of 8–12 |
| Hinge | Romanian deadlift or glute bridge | 2–3 sets of 8–12 |
| Push | Pike push-up or a push-up | 2–3 sets of 5–10 |
| Carry | Farmer’s walk | 3–4 walks of 30–60 seconds |
| Core | Dead bug, bird dog or plank | 2 sets of 6–10 slow reps per side, or 3–5 plank holds of 10–20 seconds |
Pick weights that leave you about two or three good reps short of failure on each set, and add a little weight or a few reps when the top of the range feels easy. Rest one to two minutes between sets. For the cardio side of the week, our Zone 2 heart rate calculator gives you an easy training pace, and our ancient warrior quiz suggests a style of training you are likely to enjoy and stick with.
If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or have pain when you exercise, check with your doctor or a physical therapist before you start. See our medical disclaimer.
Not sure what RIR or progressive overload means? Look it up in our health and fitness glossary.
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708. PubMed 19204579
- Bull FC, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451-1462. PubMed 33239350
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. See our Medical Disclaimer before changing your exercise, diet, or supplement routine.
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Frequently asked questions
What is in the Wonder Drop exercise library?
Step-by-step guides to individual exercises, such as the Romanian deadlift, goblet squat, glute bridge and plank. Each guide covers setup and form, the muscles worked, common mistakes, easier and harder variations, sets and reps, and the research, with a video demo where we have one.
How do I find exercises for a specific muscle group?
Use the body-area buttons at the top of the library, such as Legs, Glutes or Core, then narrow the list by equipment and level. You can also type a muscle, like hamstrings, into the search box.
Can I do these exercises at home?
Many of them, yes. Filter by No equipment to see bodyweight exercises, and every guide includes at least one home-friendly option. Several moves only need a single dumbbell or kettlebell.
How many sets and reps should a beginner do?
A good start is two to three full-body sessions a week, with two to three sets of 8 to 12 reps per exercise at a weight that leaves two or three reps in reserve. Each guide gives specific starting sets and reps for that exercise.