All muscles of the human body are divided into antagonist muscles and synergistic muscles. This is especially important for sports trainers and bodybuilders whose training programs are built with this muscle separation in mind.
Antagonists and synergists
Muscle groups that create opposing action in relation to each other are called antagonists. To put it simply, the antagonists are the extensors and flexors of the joints.
When a person performs an exercise aimed at training a specific muscle, the opposite antagonist is completely relaxed or slightly tense. All workouts can be designed on the principle of paired muscle work, but the individual recovery time of the bodybuilder must be taken into account.
The most important paired groups of antagonists include:
- quadriceps and hamstrings;
- biceps and triceps muscle (triceps);
- latissimus dorsi and pectoralis muscles.
Examples of antagonist work include flexing the elbow with biceps contraction, extending the arm with triceps, extending the knee with quadriceps contractions, bending the leg with contracting the hamstrings, etc.
Muscle groups working in one direction are called synergists. In different exercises, synergists contract the same way.
The most important paired groups of synergists include:
- biceps and latissimus dorsi;
- gluteal muscles and muscles of the legs;
- pectoral muscles and triceps.
When training synergists, large muscle groups work, combined with small ones.
Which is better to train: antagonists or synergists
There are still many opinions about which muscles to train more efficiently. The fact is that each person is different, and the training program that can be most effective for one bodybuilder will not have a noticeable effect on another.
When training antagonists, it is best to divide the weekly split into several parts: at the beginning of the week, work on the chest, back and legs, and at the end of the week on the biceps and triceps.
You can also subdivide the weekly program even further by allocating a separate day for each muscle group. This option is the most effective, as it allows you to work well each individual muscle.
It is important to know that the antagonists are located in the same part of the body, which means that blood flow, along with the nutrients for muscle growth, occurs to both antagonists. It is on this physiological feature that all supersets are built, which are most useful if they are correctly performed.
