Are you as successful at body building as you would like to be? Have you tried to improve certain muscles and not really seen the results you are looking for? If this is the case, there is a fair chance that with a little bit of basic knowledge of anatomy you could start to experience the results you want from your body building workouts.

In a nutshell, knowing where each of the main muscle are and how you can grow them most effectively is all you need to know about the anatomy of body building. But even the basics may be a little confusing, so as you read this article, find a mirror and locate the muscles on your own body. When trying to sculpt your body building, you really need to know a little about your anatomy.

Let's start with your neck and just work down. In you body building workouts there are two basic neck muscles that you can focus on. The upper trapezius runs down the back of your neck from the nape of the neck to the shoulder. The levator scapulae runs next to the first five or six cervical vertebrae in your neck.

The trapezius muscles run down your back from the nape of your neck to the waist on either side of the spine. In body building terms, these muscles are referred to as the trap muscles or just the traps.

The deltoid muscles are located in your shoulders. The anterior delt is in the front part of the shoulder, the middle delt runs down the side of the shoulder, the posterior deltoid muscles runs down the back part of the shoulder. The rotator cuff muscle runs just below the anterior delt from the armpit straight out.

Your pecs, or pectoral muscles, are the large muscles in your chest. It is developed pecs, delts and traps that you need to really work on to get the upper body strength that is so important.

The tricep muscles are located in your arms. They run down the sides of the arms from shoulder to elbow. The biceps, on the other hand are located on the inside of the arm. These are the muscles a lot of guys like to flex. There are also very distinct muscles in the forearms.

Your abs are located in the stomach area, or abdominal region, hence their name! Everyone wants a fabulous six-pack of abs but working the abs by themselves won't do it. You have to also make sure that you get rid of the layer of fat that hides them.

The quadriceps - or the quads - are those muscles located in the front of the legs. The muscles in the back of the legs are located in the calf, or lower leg, and hamstring which is the upper leg.

Other major muscle groups you will want to focus on include glutes, or the buttocks, the lats which are in the upper back, and the lower trap muscles in the lower back.

Understanding your anatomy when you start a body building program is a very important part of effectively growing your muscles. When you know the various muscle groups, you can build those muscles by concentrating on them during your workouts. Know your anatomy is key for success with your body building routines.