Why Muscle Matters

Let's talk about muscles!

What Is Exercise?

Exercise is moving your body.
You plan it.
You do it again and again.
It has a purpose.

Meet Your Muscles

Your body has muscles.
You have more than 600 muscles!
That is a lot.

You use muscles to run.
You use muscles to get out of bed.
Your heart is a muscle too.
Your heart works all by itself.
You don't have to think about it.

Some muscles you can move on purpose.
Some muscles move without you thinking.

Here are some muscles in your body:

• Trapezius: near your neck. Shrugs work it.
• Deltoids: top of your arm. Shoulder presses work it.
• Pectoralis Major: your chest. Pushing works it.
• Latissimus Dorsi: your back. Pulling down works it.
• Biceps: front of your arm. Curling works it.
• Triceps: back of your arm. Pulling works it.
• Abdominals: your belly and sides. Crunches work it.
• Quadriceps: front of your leg. Squats work it.
• Hamstrings: back of your leg. Lunges work it.
• Calves: back of your lower leg. Heel raises work it.
• Gluteus Maximus: your bottom. Leg presses work it.

Why Build Muscles?

Fitness means you can do things all day.
You do not get tired fast.

Building muscles helps you:

• Grow stronger
• Move better
• Make your bones strong
• Get hurt less
• Keep your heart healthy
• Keep your lungs healthy
• Use insulin better. (Insulin helps your body use food for energy.)
• Keep a healthy weight
• Feel less worried or sad

Try to move your body every day.
Try muscle exercises three days a week.

Muscle-strengthening exercises make your muscles work hard.
Bone-strengthening exercises push on your bones.
This makes your bones strong.

Some good exercises are:

• Sit-ups
• Push-ups
• Pull-ups
• Planks
• Lunges
• Squats
• Wall sits
• Lifting weights
• Tug of war
• Rock climbing
• Monkey bars
• Hopping and skipping
• Jumping jacks
• Sprinting
• Surfing
• Sports, like gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and football

Strength and Endurance

Your muscles need two things.
They need strength.
They need endurance.

Strength means how much you can lift or push.

Endurance means how long you can keep going.
You do not get tired fast.

Strength helps you carry things.
You can carry grocery bags.
You can carry your backpack.

You can build strength with:

• Lifting weights
• Push-ups
• Pull-ups
• Sit-ups

Endurance helps you keep moving.
You can play longer.

You can build endurance with:

• Walking
• Jogging
• Running
• Lifting weights
• Wall sits
• Planks
• Squats

Strength and endurance work together.
More strength means more endurance too.
Most exercises build both at once.

No Weights? No Problem!

You do not need weights to build muscles.
You can use push-ups.
You can use lunges.
You can use squats.

This is called circuit training.
You do one exercise.
Then you do another exercise.
You do not rest much in between.

First you do a strong exercise.
Then you do a fast exercise.
Fast exercises are things like jumping jacks or running in place.