So I have a similar routine (push, pull, leg/ab), but different workouts
One of the cool things about the present is we no longer have to guess which exercises are most effective at stimulating muscle development.
By using a technique called Electromyography (EMG), which measures the electrical activity of muscles during exercise, we have a good proxy for how much of the muscle is being used.
Results are below, hopefully they help you in further refining your workout plan (all numbers are % of muscle stimulated)
Lower Chest
- Decline dumbbell bench press – 93
- Decline bench press (olympic bar) – 89
- Push-ups between benches – 88
- Flat dumbbell bench press – 87
- Flat bench press (olympic bar) – 85
- Flat dumbbell flyes – 84
Upper Chest
- Incline dumbbell bench press – 91
- Incline bench press (olympic bar) – 85
- Incline dumbbell flys – 83
- Incline bench press (Smith machine) – 81
Lats / Back
- Bent-over barbell rows – 93
- One-arm dumbbell rows – 91
- T-bar rows – 89
- Lat pulldowns to the front – 86
- Seated pulley rows – 83
Side Deltoid
- Incline dumbbell side laterals – 66
- Standing dumbbell side laterals – 63
- Seated dumbbell side laterals – 62
- Cable side laterals – 47
Rear Deltoid
- Standing dumbbell bent-over laterals – 85
- Seated dumbbell bent-over laterals – 83
- Standing cable bent-over laterals – 77
Front Deltoid
- Seated front dumbbell press – 79
- Standing front dumbbell raises – 73
- Seated front barbell press – 61
Biceps
- Biceps preacher curls (olympic bar) – 90
- Incline seated dumbbell curls (alternating) – 88
- Standing biceps curls (olympic bar/narrow grip) – 86
- Standing dumbbell curls (alternating) – 84
- Concentration dumbbell curls – 80
- Standing biceps curls (olympic bar/wide grip) – 63
- Standing E-Z biceps curls (wide grip) – 61
Triceps
- Decline triceps extensions (olympic bar) – 92
- Triceps pressdowns (angled bar) – 90
- Triceps dip between benches – 87
- One-arm cable triceps extensions (reverse grip) – 85
- Overhead rope triceps extensions – 84
- Seated one-arm dumbbell triceps extensions (neutral grip) – 82
- Close-grip bench press (olympic bar) – 72
Quadriceps
- Squats (parallel depth, shoulder-width stance) – 88
- Seated leg extensions (toes straight) – 86
- Hack Squats (90 degree angle, shoulder-width stance) – 78
- Leg press (110 degree angle) – 76
- Smith machine squats (90 degree angle, shoulder-width stance) – 60
Hamstrings
- Seated leg curls – 88
- Standing leg curls – 79
- Lying leg curls – 70
- Stiff Legged Deadlifts – 63
Calves
- Donkey calf raises – 80
- Standing one-leg calf raises – 79
- Standing two-leg calf raises – 68
- Seated calf raises – 61
RECTUS ABDOMINIS
Mean: Chin Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Ab Wheel
Peak: Chin Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Swiss Ball Crunch
INTERNAL OBLIQUE
Mean: Ab Wheel from Feet, Ab Wheel from Knees, Bodysaw
Peak: Ab Wheel from Feet, Bodysaw, Tornado Ball Slam
EXTERNAL OBLIQUE
Mean: Ab Wheel from Feet, Hanging Leg Raise, Bodysaw
Peak: Turkish Get Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Bodysaw
ERECTOR SPINAE
Mean: Kneeling Cable Lift, Landmine, Reverse Hyper
Peak: Kneeling Cable Lift, Tornado Ball Slam, Lumbar Extension