The Most Difficult Muscle to Build, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the muscle you think is the most difficult!

Updated on May 8, 2024 06:25

Building muscle is a journey marked by personal effort and biological variability. Some muscles are notoriously stubborn, resisting growth despite diligent effort and targeted exercises. For gym enthusiasts, knowing which muscles are particularly tricky can help in adjusting their training regimens and setting realistic goals. By participating in this live vote, users contribute to a collective understanding, helping to highlight these challenging areas based on wide experiences and diverse workout routines. This up-to-date ranking not only provides insight for newcomers but also serves seasoned athletes seeking to optimize their workout strategies.

What Is the Most Difficult Muscle to Build?

1

91
votes
Calves

The calves are notoriously difficult to build because they are a small muscle group that is frequently used in daily activities, making it challenging to overload them effectively.
The calves are a pair of muscles located on the back of the lower leg. Specifically, they refer to the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, which work together to provide strength and stability when standing, walking, running, and jumping. Building well-developed calves can be a challenging task for many individuals.

Muscles: Gastrocnemius and soleus

Location: Back of the lower leg

Function: Provide strength and stability during lower leg movements

Difficulty: Considered one of the most challenging muscles to build

Genetics Influence: Individuals have genetic predispositions for calf muscle development
2

52
votes
Forearms

Forearms are often neglected in training, and they require a lot of time and effort to develop. They are also complex muscle groups with many different muscles that need to be targeted.
Forearms are a muscle group located in the lower arm, specifically between the wrist and the elbow. They consist of various muscles and tendons, primarily responsible for controlling wrist and finger movements. Building strong forearms is often considered challenging due to their smaller size and the need for targeted exercises.

Muscle Composition: Forearms comprise multiple muscles, including flexor and extensor muscles.

Flexor Muscles: Flexor muscles in the forearms are responsible for curling the wrist and closing the fingers.

Extensor Muscles: Extensor muscles in the forearms are responsible for extending the wrist and opening the fingers.

Tendon Strength: Forearms tendons, such as the wrist extensors and flexors, play a crucial role in grip strength.

Endurance: Forearms require significant endurance for activities involving prolonged gripping, such as rock climbing or weightlifting.
3

7
votes
Upper Chest

The upper chest is a challenging muscle group to build because it is often overshadowed by the rest of the chest, making it difficult to isolate and target effectively.
The upper chest refers to the muscular section located at the top of the pectoralis major, commonly known as the pecs. Developing the upper chest can give the appearance of a well-rounded and balanced chest, creating a more aesthetic physique. It is considered one of the more challenging areas to develop due to the specific muscle fibers involved.

Muscle Group: Pectoralis major - Upper fibers

Function: Bringing the arms toward the center of the body and rotating them inward

Location: Top portion of the chest, near the clavicle

Size: Relatively smaller compared to other muscle groups in the chest region

Shape: Creates the aesthetic appearance of a full and rounded chest
4

17
votes
Rear Delts

The rear delts are a small muscle group that is often neglected in training, making them difficult to build. They also require a lot of time and effort to develop.
The Rear Delts, also known as the Rear Deltoids, refer to the posterior or back portion of the deltoid muscle group. This muscle is located on the upper back, specifically at the posterior aspect of the shoulder girdle. The Rear Delts play a crucial role in shoulder stability, posture, and overall upper body strength. Developing strong Rear Delts is important for balanced shoulder development and injury prevention.

Muscle Group: Deltoids

Location: Posterior aspect of the shoulder

Function: Shoulder extension, transverse abduction

Importance: Shoulder stability, posture, injury prevention

Difficulty: Considered one of the most difficult muscles to target and build
5

13
votes
United States House of Representatives or Office of the Speaker of the House · Public domain

Lower Abs

The lower abs are a challenging muscle group to build because they are often overshadowed by the upper abs and require a lot of time and effort to develop.
The lower abs, also known as the lower abdominal muscles, are a group of muscles located in the lower part of the abdomen. These muscles are responsible for flexing the hips and are particularly challenging to build, requiring focused and intense training. Building strong and defined lower abs is a common goal for individuals looking to achieve a toned and sculpted midsection.

Muscle group: Rectus abdominis

Function: Flexion of the hips

Location: Lower part of the abdomen

Difficulty to build: Considered one of the most challenging muscle groups to develop

Training focus: Isolation exercises targeting the lower abs
6

8
votes
Triceps

The triceps are a challenging muscle group to build because they require a lot of time and effort to develop and are often overshadowed by the biceps.
The triceps, short for triceps brachii, is a large muscle located at the back of the upper arm. It is responsible for extending the forearm at the elbow joint and is an essential muscle for movements involving pushing and pressing. The triceps muscle makes up approximately two-thirds of the arm's total mass and is crucial for overall arm strength and stability.

Muscle type: Skeletal muscle

Primary function: Extending the forearm at the elbow joint

Origin: Scapula and humerus

Insertion: Ulna bone

Nerve supply: Radial nerve
7

13
votes
Glutes

The glutes are a challenging muscle group to build because they require a lot of time and effort to develop and are often neglected in training.
The glutes, short for gluteal muscles, refer to a group of three muscles in the buttocks region. They play a crucial role in lower body strength, stability, and movement. The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in this group, while the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus provide stabilization and support to the hips and pelvis.

Location: Located in the buttocks region

Function: Provide strength, stability, and movement to the lower body

Muscle Group: Consists of gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus

Gluteus Maximus: Largest and most powerful muscle in the gluteal group

Gluteus Medius: Stabilizes the hips and pelvis during movement
8

6
votes
Hamstrings

The hamstrings are a challenging muscle group to build because they require a lot of time and effort to develop and are often overshadowed by the quads.
The hamstrings are a group of muscles located in the posterior (back) part of the thigh. They play a crucial role in lower body movement, especially in activities involving bending the knee and extending the hip.

Muscle group: Hamstrings

Location: Posterior (back) part of the thigh

Functions: Bending the knee, extending the hip

Muscles included: Biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus

Origin: Biceps femoris: Ischial tuberosity, semitendinosus: Ischial tuberosity, semimembranosus: Ischial tuberosity
9

10
votes
Lats

The lats are a challenging muscle group to build because they require a lot of time and effort to develop and are often overshadowed by the chest and shoulders.
The lats, formally known as the latissimus dorsi, are the largest muscles in the upper body. They are a pair of broad, fan-shaped muscles that extend from the upper arm bone to the lower back and are responsible for various movements of the shoulder joint. The lats play a crucial role in pulling exercises, such as pull-ups, rows, and deadlifts, and contribute to overall upper body strength and aesthetics.

Origin: Spinous processes of the lower thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, iliac crest, and lower ribs

Insertion: Floor of the intertubercular groove of the humerus (upper arm bone)

Function: Shoulder extension, adduction, and internal rotation

Synergistic muscles: Rhomboids, mid and lower trapezius, rear deltoids

Innervation: Thoracodorsal nerve (branch of the brachial plexus)
10

6
votes
Biceps

The biceps are a challenging muscle group to build because they require a lot of time and effort to develop and are often overshadowed by the triceps.
The biceps is a muscle located in the upper arm, specifically in the anterior compartment of the arm. It consists of two heads, the short head and the long head, that work together to flex the elbow joint and supinate the forearm.

Muscle Group: Upper arm

Location: Anterior compartment of the arm

Heads: Short head and long head

Function: Flexion of the elbow joint and supination of the forearm

Origin: Short head: Coracoid process of scapula; Long head: Supraglenoid tubercle of scapula

Missing your favorite muscle?

Graphs

Discussion

Ranking factors for difficult muscle

Muscle size

Smaller or less prominent muscles tend to be harder to target and isolate compared to larger muscle groups, which could make them more challenging to build.
Muscle location

Muscles located deep within the body or in difficult-to-reach areas may be more challenging to target and effectively train compared to more superficial and accessible muscles.
Genetic factors

Individual genetics play a significant role in muscular development potential. Some people may naturally have better muscle-building capabilities or proportionate muscle distribution, while others may struggle to build particular muscle groups.
Muscle fiber type

Muscles are composed of different types of muscle fibers, which have varying responses to training. Muscles with a higher proportion of slow-twitch fibers may be more difficult to build, as they are less responsive to growth compared to fast-twitch fibers.
Mind-muscle connection

The ability to effectively engage and recruit a specific muscle during exercise can influence its growth. Some muscles may be harder to develop due to poor mind-muscle connection, which can result from improper form, lack of focus, or insufficient muscle activation.
Training technique

Effective muscle building requires proper techniques, including a combination of progressive overload, appropriate exercise selection, adequate rest, and proper form. Inadequate training techniques may hinder muscle development for certain muscle groups.
Nutrition and recovery

Adequate nutrition and recovery are crucial factors that contribute to muscle growth. If an individual is not providing their body with enough nutrients or proper rest, muscle development may be more challenging for specific muscle groups.
Previous injuries

In some cases, previous injuries or muscle imbalances can make it difficult to train and build certain muscle groups effectively.
Exercise selection

Some muscles may be difficult to build due to a limited selection of exercises that effectively target the muscle group or due to inadequate knowledge of appropriate exercises.
Consistency and dedication

Building muscle requires time and consistent effort in training, nutrition, and recovery. Some muscle groups may seem more challenging to develop simply because an individual is not adhering to a consistent and effective training regimen.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most difficult muscle to build. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or muscle is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

3022 views
211 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each muscle once every 24 hours. The rank of each muscle is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

Trendings topics

Don't miss out on the currently trending topics of StrawPoll Rankings!

Fitness

Exercise

The Most Famous Camogie Player: Recognizing an Icon

More information on most difficult muscle to build

When it comes to building muscle, some are easier to develop than others. While some muscles might respond quickly to training, others might require a lot more effort to grow. So, what is the most difficult muscle to build? The answer to this question is not straightforward, as it depends on various factors such as genetics, training intensity, and nutrition. However, many experts agree that the muscle group that takes the longest to develop is the calves. Calves are notoriously difficult to grow because they are endurance muscles that are constantly being used throughout the day, which means it can be tough to challenge them enough to stimulate growth. Additionally, the calves have a limited range of motion, which makes it challenging to target them effectively with exercises. Nevertheless, with consistent training, adequate rest, and proper nutrition, it is possible to build impressive calves and overcome this muscle-building challenge.