13 Apr 2026
No. Two body parts have zero S or A graded exercises:
| Body Part | S+A Count | Total in DB | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back | 64 | 177 | 36% |
| Biceps | 39 | 239 | 16% |
| Calf | 0 | 71 | 0% — NOT COVERED |
| Chest | 3 | 100 | 3% |
| Core | 19 | 341 | 6% |
| Forearm | 20 | 76 | 26% |
| Neck | 0 | 31 | 0% — NOT COVERED |
| Shoulder | 39 | 154 | 25% |
| Thigh | 2 | 170 | 1% |
| Triceps | 50 | 260 | 19% |
Calves — The calf's 2:1 mechanical disadvantage ratio is the lowest of any muscle. The scoring system correctly reflects that calves produce the least internal muscle tension per kilogram of load. Every calf exercise maxes out at Grade C (best score: 54). This doesn't mean calves don't need training — it means they need a fundamentally different approach: extreme volume, heavy loading, and slow eccentrics to compensate for their mechanical efficiency.
Neck — Neck muscles have a 4:1 ratio, but neck exercises are typically performed with bodyweight or manual resistance (buddy system, towels), which score low on both tension continuity and progressive overload potential. The best neck exercises reach Grade B (score 69: head harness + pulley variants).
Thighs have only 2 exercises in S+A grade, despite 170 in the database. This is because most thigh exercises are barbell squats and bodyweight variations that score well on overload potential but lack the constant-tension advantage of cables. The top two are the Barbell Breathing Squat (74) and Stiff Legged Barbell Good Morning (73).
Chest has only 3 exercises in S+A grade, all cable laterals. The classic bench press variants cluster in the B range (60-71) because they have dead spots at lockout and moderate mechanical disadvantage (6:1).
The best-represented body part. Back exercises score well because the lats have a 9:1 mechanical disadvantage — strong internal tension — and lat pulldown/cable row machines provide constant tension.
Muscle groups covered: Lats (37), Lower lats (14), Upper lats (9), Inner pectorals and upper lats (1), Outer pectorals and upper lats (1), Pectorals and upper lats (1), Lower back (1).
Not covered (all scored B or below): Trapezius (6, best: B) — shrugs have short ROM and low tension continuity. Legs and back (27), Back and legs (5) — power cleans/snatches score low on joint safety.
| Score | Grade | Exercise | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | A | Pullover on Nautilus Type Machine | pullover machine |
| 78 | A | Medium Grip Rear Lat Pulldown | lat machine bar |
| 78 | A | Wide Grip Rear Lat Pulldown | lat machine bar |
| 78 | A | Close Grip Rear Lat Pulldown | lat machine bar |
| 78 | A | Close Grip Front Lat Pulldown | lat machine bar |
Cable curls and preacher/Scott bench variants dominate because they maintain tension at the stretched position (high stretch-under-load score).
| Score | Grade | Exercise | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | A | Kneeling Scott Bench Reverse Grip Bar Curl on Low Pulley | short bar, lower pulley cables, Scott bench |
| 78 | A | Seated Scott Bench Reverse Grip Bar Curl on Low Pulley | short bar, lower pulley cables, Scott bench |
| 78 | A | Standing Scott Bench Reverse Grip Bar Curl on Low Pulley | short bar, lower pulley cables, Scott bench |
| 77 | A | Kneeling Scott Bench Close Grip Bar Curl on Low Pulley | short bar, lower pulley cables, Scott bench |
| 77 | A | Seated Scott Bench Close Grip Bar Curl on Low Pulley | short bar, lower pulley cables, Scott bench |
Only cable chest laterals (flyes on pulleys) reach A grade. The classic bench press has dead spots at lockout and a moderate 6:1 ratio, keeping it in the B range.
| Score | Grade | Exercise | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | A | Low Pulley Chest Lateral | low pulley |
| 74 | A | Lying Low Pulley One Arm Chest Lateral | low wall pulley |
| 74 | A | High Pulley Chest Lateral | high pulley, flat bench |
Cable/pulley-based leg raises and back kicks score highest. Traditional sit-ups and crunches are all B grade because they lose tension at the top of the movement.
| Score | Grade | Exercise | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77 | A | Standing Low Pulley Front Leg Raise | wall pulley, chair |
| 76 | A | Kneeling Low Pulley Back Kick | flat bench, machine |
| 76 | A | Lying Low Pulley Back Kick | machine |
| 75 | A | Standing Low Pulley Back Leg Raise | wall pulley |
| 75 | A | Incline Low Pulley Back Kick | bodyweight, machine |
Low pulley wrist curls dominate. The 7:1 forearm lever ratio creates solid internal tension, and cables maintain it through the curl.
| Score | Grade | Exercise | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | A | Low Pulley Bar Standing Face Away Palms Up Wrist Curl | low wall pulley |
| 78 | A | Low Pulley Bar Standing Face Forward Palms Down Wrist Curl | low wall pulley |
| 78 | A | Low Pulley Bar Standing Face Forward Palms Up Wrist Curl | low wall pulley |
Shoulders have the highest-scoring exercises in the entire database. The 20:1 lateral deltoid lever ratio means enormous internal tension from light loads, and cable variants add constant tension.
| Score | Grade | Exercise | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | S | Lying Floor Low Pulley Deltoid Raise | wall pulley |
| 85 | S | Standing Low Pulley Behind Back Deltoid Raise | wall pulley |
| 84 | A | Standing Low Pulley Deltoid Raise | low pulley |
| 83 | A | Incline Low Pulley Rear Deltoid Raise | low pulley, incline bench |
| 82 | A | Lying Low Pulley Front Deltoid Raise | low wall pulley |
Massively under-represented. Only 2 exercises out of 170 reach A grade.
| Score | Grade | Exercise | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | A | Barbell Breathing Squat | barbell |
| 73 | A | Stiff Legged Barbell Good Morning | barbell |
The 10:1 triceps lever ratio drives high mechanical tension scores. Overhead extensions and barbell triceps curls dominate because they load the long head under stretch.
| Score | Grade | Exercise | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | A | Incline Close Grip Barbell Triceps Curl | barbell |
| 76 | A | Kneeling Close Grip Barbell Triceps Curl | barbell |
| 76 | A | Seated Incline Close Grip Barbell Triceps Curl | barbell |
| 76 | A | Standing Close Grip Barbell Triceps Curl | barbell |
| 76 | A | Lying Close Grip Barbell Triceps Curl | barbell |
| Equipment | Count | % of S+A |
|---|---|---|
| Cable / Pulley | 159 | 67% |
| Barbell | 47 | 20% |
| Machine | 24 | 10% |
| Dumbbell | 6 | 3% |
Why cables dominate: They score highest on tension continuity (19/20) because resistance direction tracks the movement through the entire range of motion. Free weights only resist gravity (straight down), creating dead spots wherever the limb aligns with the vertical.
| Gap | Best B-Grade Option | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Calves | Standing Barbell Toe Raise | 54 (C) |
| Neck | Kneeling Head Harness Low Pulley Neck Resistance | 69 (B) |
| Upper thighs / Quads | Barbell Front Squat | 68 (B) |
| Outer thighs / Quads | Barbell Squat | 67 (B) |
| Inner thighs | Wide Stance Barbell Squat | 66 (B) |
| Hamstrings | Thigh Biceps Curl on Leg Extension Machine | 64 (B) |
| Upper chest | Incline Dumbbell Fly | 67 (B) |
| Lower chest | Decline Dumbbell Fly | 65 (B) |
| Trapezius | Barbell Shoulder Shrug | 54 (C) |
| Upper abdominals | Weighted Heel High Compound Sit-Up | 67 (B) |
The scoring system reveals a clear biomechanical truth: cable/pulley exercises targeting muscles with high lever ratios produce the most internal muscle tension per unit of external load, sustained through the full range of motion. This is why 67% of the top exercises are cable-based.
However, a complete program cannot rely solely on S+A exercises — you need B-grade barbell compounds (squats, bench press, deadlifts) for their superior progressive overload potential and multi-joint loading, even though they have tension dead spots. The ideal program combines A-grade cable isolation with B-grade barbell compounds.