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The Secret of the Triceps: Why This Muscle is So Crucial to Your Strength
The triceps, Latin for "triceps brachii," meaning "three heads of the arm," is a large muscle located on the back of the upper limb of many vertebrates. This muscle is composed of three parts: the medial head, lateral head and long head. It is the muscle mainly responsible for elbow extension, and its role in improving strength cannot be ignored.
Structure
The long head originates at the lower end of the scapula and extends to the area between the teres minor and teres major muscles. The origin of the medial head is relatively complex, mainly at the proximal end of the humerus, while the lateral head is on the dorsal surface of the humerus, extending from above the lateral neural groove.
These three tendon bundles can be thought of as separate muscles, each with its own specific functional role.
The fibers from each head converge into a single tendon that inserts into the hoof process of the radius. Research suggests there may be more than one tendon with multiple functions, even extending into the fascia of the forearm.
Nerve innervation
Traditionally, all three heads of the triceps are considered to be innervated by the radial nerve. However, recent studies have shown that in about 14% of the population, the long head may be innervated by the axillary nerve, and in 3% of cases, it is dually innervated by both the radial and axillary nerves.
Function
As the elbow extensor, the triceps plays a key role in performing a variety of movements, especially in coordination with the biceps and brachialis lateralis. It can also stabilize the elbow joint when performing fine motor movements such as writing.
The long head is activated when prolonged force is required or when coordinated control of the shoulder and elbow is required, while the lateral head is used for occasional high-intensity movements.
In addition, as an auxiliary muscle of the shoulder joint, the long head can stabilize the shoulder joint and participate in the backward and adduction movements of the limbs.
Training Methods
The triceps can be trained through isolation exercises or compound exercises, such as cable pull-downs, bench presses or squats. Performing isolation exercises such as the lying triceps extension or the arm extension behind the back can help focus on the development of that muscle. Compound exercises such as push-ups, bench press, shallow-grip bench press, and military press are also important training methods for strengthening the triceps.
Clinical significanceThe triceps reflex is a common method of testing the nerve function of the arm by lightly tapping the triceps, mainly testing the C6 and C7 spinal nerves.
Historical BackgroundThe name of this muscle comes from the Latin word for "triceps," referring to the three different origins of the muscle structure. A similar name is triceps surae, but the triceps muscle in the arm is usually simply called triceps. Historically, the plural form of triceps was usually tricipites, but now most people just use triceps for both the singular and the plural.
Triceps of other animals
In the horse, the long head, lateral head and medial head of the triceps account for 84%, 15% and 3% of the total weight respectively. Many mammals, such as dogs, cows, and pigs, also have a fourth head, called an additional head. In humans, the posterior brachii is sometimes referred to as the "fourth head of the triceps."
This knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the triceps is not only beneficial to athletes and fitness enthusiasts, but also has far-reaching implications for understanding muscle development and its importance to improving strength. As we learn more and more about these structure-function connections, how do you think about your effectiveness in strength training?
