The Muscles Used to Sit & Stand
A number of muscles work to get you from a seated to a standing position. Your lower body, core and upper body may all be involved.
Sitting, standing and moving from a seat to a stand seem almost involuntary, but your body's muscles are actually working hard to make these actions happen. More than 600 muscles are attached to your skeleton and many of them are involved in these actions you do multiple times per day. The chief muscles used to sit and stand are groups of large and small muscles working together, located in your legs and lower torso.
Leg Muscles
The largest muscles of your upper legs are your quadriceps and hamstrings. The quadriceps are the four muscles in the front of your thigh; whereas your hamstrings are the three muscles situated in the back of your thigh. In addition to these large muscles, your gastrocnemius muscles – which is the biggest and most superficial of your calf muscles – are also engaged. Together, your leg muscles are responsible for lifting, flexing and straightening out your body as you sit and stand.
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Lower Torso Muscles
Your lower torso mainly consists of large muscle groups that include your abdominals, obliques, lower back and glutes -- collectively referred to as your "core." The rectus abdominus is situated on the front of your stomach, and is the "six-pack" you see on magazine cover models. Obliques are the muscles located on the sides of your waist. A group of muscles called the erector spinae -- sometimes referred to as your sacrospinal muscle group -- supports your spine.
Your glutes consist of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. These muscles make up your buttocks, with the gluteus maximus being the largest muscle in the human body. Your abs and obliques work together with your lower back and glutes to help you rotate, balance and stabilize the body during sitting and standing.
The Effect of Seat Variables
Variables such as seat height and the presence of arm rests effects how you sit or stand. For example, the lower the seat height, the more challenging sitting and standing movements become -- your muscles have to work harder to bend and extend your hip and knee joints. Also, the presence of arm rests affects how far of an extension movement is needed. These variables may engage additional muscles in your arm or upper torso.
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Additional Muscles
If you use your arms to help you push from a seated to a standing position, or you use them to support you as you lower into a chair, your biceps and triceps will help. The biceps are located on the front of your upper arm, whereas your triceps are found in the back of your upper arm. Muscles that may be engaged in your upper torso are your deltoids, which are situated of the top of your shoulder, and your latissimus dorsi, which are your upper back muscles. Both deltoids and latissimus dorsi are used in pulling or pushing motions.