French Phrase
Quels muscles travaille cet exercice ?
Meaning
This question asks which specific muscles are being engaged or worked by a particular exercise. It is a direct way to inquire about the anatomical focus of a movement.
When to use
Use this sentence in a gym, fitness class, or personal‑training session when you want to know the target muscle groups of a new or unfamiliar exercise. It works both in formal settings (with a trainer) and informal conversations with workout partners.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quelsmusclestravaillecetexercice?
Quel(s) (interrogative adjective)
‘Quels’ is the masculine plural form of ‘quel’, used before a plural noun to ask ‘which’ or ‘what’. It must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
Muscles (noun)
‘muscles’ is a masculine plural noun meaning ‘muscles’. In French, nouns have gender and number that affect the adjectives and articles that accompany them.
Verb agreement (travaille)
The verb ‘travaille’ is third‑person singular present of ‘travailler’. It agrees with the subject ‘cet exercice’, not with the plural ‘muscles’ that follow.
Cet (demonstrative adjective)
‘Cet’ is the masculine singular form of ‘ce’ used before a vowel‑initial noun (exercice). It must match the gender and number of the noun it modifies.
Exercice (noun)
‘exercice’ is a masculine singular noun meaning ‘exercise’. It is the grammatical subject of the sentence.
🗨In Conversation
Quels muscles travaille cet exercice ?
Which muscles does this exercise work?
Il sollicite surtout les pectoraux, les triceps et les deltoïdes antérieurs.
It mainly targets the chest, triceps, and front deltoids.
✕Common Mistakes
Quel muscles travaille cet exercice ?
‘Quel’ must agree in number with the plural noun ‘muscles’; use ‘Quels’.
Quels muscles travail cet exercice ?
The verb needs the third‑person singular ending ‘‑e’ to agree with ‘cet exercice’.
Quels muscles travaille cette exercice ?
‘Exercice’ is masculine, so the correct demonstrative is ‘cet’, not ‘cette’.
↔Alternatives
Quels muscles cet exercice sollicite‑t‑il ?
Which muscles does this exercise target?
Quelles parties du corps sont travaillées par cet exercice ?
Which parts of the body are worked by this exercise?
Cet exercice fait travailler quels muscles ?
This exercise works which muscles?
Cultural Tip
In French fitness circles, it is common to use the verb ‘solliciter’ (to solicit) when talking about muscle activation, especially in more technical or professional contexts. While ‘travaille’ is perfectly correct and widely understood, ‘sollicite’ sounds slightly more formal and is often heard from physiotherapists or personal trainers.