The term biceps refers, in its most general sense, to something that has two ends or two heads. The concept is often used in the field of anatomy to name a pair muscle that, at its upper end, has two insertions or sectors.
The biceps brachii muscle is found in the arm, covering the brachialis anterior and coracobrachialis muscles. In its upper sector it has a long portion (which descends through the humerus) and a short portion (caused by a tendon that it shares with the coracobrachialis muscle).
The biceps brachii, vascularized by the bicipital arteries, is innervated by a branch of the musculocutaneous nerve. This muscle enables the arm to move, allowing – along with other muscles – flexion of the elbow.
In other words, the biceps brachii extends from the upper radius to the shoulder blade. When contracted, it allows the forearm to bend over the arm.
It is common for people to perform specific physical exercises for the development of the biceps due to its ability to hypertrophy. Repetition of certain movements and lifting weights cause the biceps to increase in size.
The biceps femoris muscle, on the other hand, is located in the thigh. Also known as the biceps femoris, it is located in the posterolateral region of this part of the leg and has a short (femoral) and a long (ischial) head.
When the biceps femoris contracts, it causes the leg to bend over the thigh. In set with semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles comprise the group known as hamstring.
According to DigoPaul, people who work their bodies to tone them and achieve the best possible condition use this term daily, since working the biceps is one of the most important goals of their exercises. Although there are a large number of different routines that fit all needs and allow you to achieve different goals, one of the common points is the use of dumbbells.
Through the use of dumbbells, which some refer to simply as weights, it is possible to work the lower, outer, and inner biceps. One of the most common exercises is to flex your biceps alternately, and the basic steps are as follows:
* hold a weight in each hand, palms facing forward;
* raise one of the dumbbells by flexing the elbow, pause briefly and then bring the arm back to its resting position, so that the dumbbell descends;
* repeat until we reach the number that we have proposed and then do the same with the other arm.
There is another exercise, which proposes alternating bicep curls; Although it is very similar to the previous one, it is important to know its steps in detail:
* the initial posture is almost the same, although the palms of the hands should point towards each other;
* we raise one dumbbell to shoulder height, pause briefly and then lower it, at the same time we begin to raise the other;
* We must avoid any movement of the trunk that can “help” the arms to lighten the load.
The following exercise is a natural evolution of the latter, and is called the inner bicep curl. The initial posture is identical to the previous one, for which the first difference is seen in the lifting movement, since in this case we must flex both arms simultaneously, make them reach shoulder height, let them rest briefly and extend them to return to rest, before repeating several times. In all cases it is important not to lift an excessive load or continue to work the muscles when we feel exhausted.