Interactive
Muscle Learning Tool
Explore the major muscle groups and discover which movements each one powers.
Muscle Learning Tool
Facial muscles
Dozens of small muscles move the face to create expressions like smiling and frowning. They attach to skin as well as bone.
Arm muscles
The biceps bends the elbow; the triceps straightens it. They are a classic example of muscles working in opposing pairs.
Core muscles
The abdominal and back muscles stabilise your trunk, protect your organs and power bending and twisting.
Cardiac muscle
The heart is made of a special muscle that never tires, contracting rhythmically about 100,000 times a day.
Leg muscles
Large muscles like the quadriceps and hamstrings power walking, running and jumping.
Smooth muscle
Found in organ walls and blood vessels, smooth muscle works automatically to move food, control blood flow and more.
This tool is for education and general interest only. It is not a medical device and must not be used to diagnose, treat or make health decisions. Always consult a qualified professional.
How to use it
- Step 1Choose a muscle group.
- Step 2Read what it does.
- Step 3Explore the linked guides.
Meet your muscles
More than 600 muscles move and stabilise the body. This explorer introduces the main groups and the three muscle types: skeletal, cardiac and smooth.
Learn more
Read the muscular system guide and exercise physiology, or discover how muscles grow.
Questions & Answers
Frequently asked questions
Estimates put it at more than 600 skeletal muscles, plus cardiac and smooth muscle.
No. Muscles can only pull, which is why they work in opposing pairs.
Skeletal (movement), cardiac (the heart) and smooth (organ walls).
Understand the science
Go beyond the numbers
Every tool pairs with a guide that explains the biology behind it in plain language.