Arm Muscle Anatomy - A Scientific Approach to Arm Training
Pumped up embossed arms will decorate any physique. Let's learn the anatomy of the biceps and triceps, and also see which exercises are the most effective for building muscle in the arms.
Most likely, when you first crossed the threshold of the gym, you immediately started training your arms. Both girls and guys want to have slender and beautiful hands, because this is the most visible part of our body. It's impossible to walk into a gym and not see at least one person doing bicep curls.
Perhaps you have already trained your arm muscles and did not get the desired result. It's time to learn how to competently and effectively pump up biceps and triceps. I will tell you about muscle structure, different types of grips, as well as certain exercises that will make a noticeable difference in your results.
To pump up the muscles of the hands more effectively, you need to understand how they work. Here are the muscles you should be aware of.
Muscles of the front of the arm
To pump up impressive biceps, you must focus on the following 3 muscles: the biceps of the shoulder (biceps), the shoulder muscle (brachialis) and the brachioradialis muscle. It is very important to understand how they differ from each other.
Biceps brachii
It has two heads: short and long. The short head originates at the front of the scapula and is attached to the radius (a bone in the forearm that ends near the thumb). The long head also originates at the scapula and is attached to the radius, but passes through a longer path.
shoulder muscle
It starts at the middle of the humerus and is attached to the ulna (the bone in the forearm that ends next to the little finger). It does not participate in the rotational movements of the arm (pronation and supination) due to the fact that it is not attached to the radius. The main function of the humerus is to bend the arm at the elbow.
brachioradialis muscle
The muscle of the forearm, which has a large length. It originates at the humerus and is attached to the edge of the radius.
Muscles of the back of the hand
Most people focus on training their biceps because they look spectacular in the mirror. However, the triceps brachii (triceps) occupies almost 75% of the upper arm, so it also needs to be given a lot of attention. It consists of 3 heads. To pump up the famous horseshoe, you must work on all heads.
Lateral head of the triceps
It originates at the outer surface of the humerus and is attached to the olecranon of the ulna.
Medial head of triceps
It originates at the back of the humerus and is attached to the ulna.
long head
Slightly different from other tricep heads. It starts at the shoulder blade and attaches to the ulna. Due to the fact that it is attached to the shoulder blade, you can isolate it by moving your arms and shoulders. But I will talk about this later.
Bone Anatomy
Bones and joints play a critical role in arm movement. A clear understanding of their work will help you choose the right exercises and pump the target muscles.
Front of the hand
There are 2 main joints that affect biceps training. Their position determines which muscles will be involved in the exercise.
shoulder joint
It plays an important role in arm training, as the long head of the biceps passes through it.
elbow joint
It also plays an important role, because which muscle will be included in the work depends on the turn of the arm. In addition, you will not be able to build biceps without bending your elbows.
back of hand
In triceps training, the same bones and joints play an important role, but for different reasons.
shoulder joint
The main thing here is the long head of the triceps. To isolate it, you need to raise your arms above your head.
elbow joint
Elbow extension is present in almost every triceps exercise. The crossover arm extension, bent over arm extension, and basic exercises such as the bench press require elbow extension.
Functions of the muscles of the hands
We looked at the muscles, joints and bones that are involved in arm training. Let's go ahead and see how they work together to make movements. Once you understand the difference between shoulder and elbow positions, you can train your arms much more effectively.
Front of the hands
Supinated grip (reverse)
The bicep plays an important role in flexion and external rotation of the arm. Therefore, to work it out more effectively, use a supinated grip.
Parallel grip
When using a parallel grip (as in the Hammers exercise), the shoulder muscles are maximally involved.
Pronated grip (top)
If you use a pronated grip, then you reduce the load on the biceps and move it to the brachioradialis muscles. That is why, for their isolation, it is recommended to perform lifting of dumbbells with an overhand grip.
back of hands
Extension of the arms at the elbows
When you extend your arms, you evenly include all 3 heads of the triceps in the work.
Extending the arms at the elbows above the head
When you press the weight above your head, you actively engage the long head of the triceps.
Key exercises for arm training
Let's get down to practice. The following exercises will help you build strong and beautiful arms. After watching the video, you may get the impression that these exercises are easy, but be aware of the intensity of your workouts. You have to give the muscles a load so that they grow.
Exercises for the front of the arms
Incorporate these exercises into your biceps training program.
Exercise 1 Barbell Curl with EZ Bar
I like the curved bar better because it makes the exercise easier. Many people have a disproportion in the elbows and shoulders, and such a bar allows you to evenly distribute the load on your hands. The EZ bar also reduces stress on the shoulder and elbow joints.
To get the most out of the barbell curl, keep your abs and glutes tight. This will help you lift more weight and protect your lower back. In the lower phase of the exercise, fully extend your arms, and in the upper phase, fully bend. Use a supinated grip to work your biceps better.
Exercise 2 Scott Bench EZ Bar Raise
In this exercise, use a pronated grip to work the brachioradialis muscles. Keep your elbows firmly pressed against the platform of the machine. Take a short pause in the upper phase of the exercise, and fully extend your arms in the lower phase. The range of motion must be complete.
A curved bar gives you more insulation, so you won't be able to lift the same amount of weight that you could lift with a straight bar. Do this exercise at the end of your workout.
Among other things, this exercise is great for developing the muscles of the forearm. In this way, you simultaneously develop the muscles of the upper and lower parts of the arms.
Exercise 3 Lifting dumbbells with a hammer grip in a sitting position
This exercise will help to work out the shoulder muscles. Use a parallel grip (palms facing each other). If you want to make the exercise more difficult, then slightly rotate the dumbbells (supination) in the upper phase to engage the biceps. Keep your abdominal muscles tense. This will help to observe the technique and relieve the load from the lower back.
Exercises for the back of the hands
Perform these exercises to pump all 3 heads of the triceps with maximum intensity.
Exercise 1 Close Grip Bench Press
In my opinion, this is the best exercise for triceps. Many of you know that the bench press is a chest exercise. This is true, but in it you unbend your arms, which means you make the triceps work.
Grab the bar at shoulder width. If you use too narrow a grip, then in the lower phase of the exercise, too much stress will be placed on the wrists. With the correct position of the wrists, the knuckles should be facing up. Lower the bar to your chest, pressing your elbows tightly to your body.
Many people think that all arm exercises are isolation (single-joint). But this basic exercise can give the muscles a big load. This is where the chest muscles come into play, which allows you to lift heavy weights, which means making the muscles stronger and bigger.
Exercise 2 Extension of the arms from behind the head with a dumbbell
Raising your arms above your head isolates the long heads of the triceps. This is a simple exercise, but remember that the abdominal muscles should be in tension, and the range of motion should be full. The elbows must remain motionless.
The best result with a scientific approach to arm training
Hand training is more than just a set of isolation exercises at the end of a workout. If you want to pump up your arm muscles, then do basic exercises more often.
Do not forget that you are working on the muscles of the hands in almost every workout. The biceps and triceps are involved in exercises such as pull-ups and bench presses. Exercises for the back, chest and shoulders also indirectly contribute to the development of the muscles of the arms. And if you add to them the above isolating exercises for the muscles of the hands, then you will only improve your results.
Build muscle according to the scientific training program
Check out our full six week workout program. Before you go to the gym and start exercising, watch the training videos. Remember that you must combine the work of the muscles with the work of the mind in order to build a beautiful body.
