Biceps
The muscles on the front of the upper arm that bend the elbow and turn the forearm.
Overview
The biceps — biceps brachii — sit on the front of the upper arm, running from the shoulder to just below the elbow. The name means "two heads", reflecting its two upper attachments.
Their main jobs are bending the elbow, curling the forearm up, and rotating the forearm so the palm faces up. They are heavily involved in any pulling or lifting action toward the body.
Good to know
- Assist the back muscles in pulling and rowing
- Used whenever you lift or carry something toward you
- Work in partnership with the triceps on the opposite side of the arm
Where it’s used
Sports this relates to:
Calisthenics
Bodyweight strength training — push-ups, pull-ups, dips and progressions you can do almost anywhere.
Weightlifting
A technical strength sport built around lifting a loaded barbell overhead with speed and control.
Rock Climbing
A rope-based climbing sport that pairs full-body strength with focus and careful technique, indoors or on rock.
Rowing
A rhythmic, full-body endurance sport on the water or on an indoor machine.
Exercises that work the biceps
Pull-up
A vertical pulling exercise where you hang from a bar and pull your chin above it.
Chin-up
A pulling exercise similar to a pull-up but with palms facing you, involving the biceps more.
Inverted row
A horizontal pulling exercise where you pull your chest to a fixed bar while lying back beneath it.
Bent-over row
A pulling exercise where you hinge forward and row a weight toward your torso.
Bicep curl
An isolation exercise where you bend the elbows to lift a weight toward the shoulders.
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Training methods
- Hypertrophy TrainingHypertrophy training is resistance work structured to encourage muscle growth, typically using moderate repetitions and a steady, controlled tempo.
- PlyometricsPlyometrics are jumping and bounding drills that train muscles to produce force quickly, developing power and springiness through explosive movement.
- Cross-TrainingCross-training mixes different activities into your routine so you build all-round fitness and give repeatedly-used muscles a change of stimulus.
- Strength TrainingStrength training uses resistance — bodyweight, bands or weights — to challenge your muscles so they gradually adapt and get stronger over time.
Movement patterns
- PullDrawing a load or your own body toward the torso — horizontal rows and vertical pull-ups — building the lats, mid-back and biceps and balancing the push.
- CatchReceiving a moving object and securing it under control, absorbing its momentum by yielding along its path so kinetic energy is dissipated rather than rebounded away.
Sports science
- Motor controlHow the brain and nervous system organise the muscles to produce coordinated, controlled movement.
- Reaction timeThe short delay between a signal and the start of the movement made in response to it.
- Range of motionHow far a joint can travel through its movement — the arc available at a joint, and the foundation of flexibility and mobility.
- ProprioceptionThe body’s internal sense of where its parts are and how they are moving — the awareness behind balance and coordinated movement.
Skills
- Core stabilityThe skill of engaging the trunk muscles to keep the body strong and controlled through movement.
- Front crawlThe fastest swimming stroke, using alternating arm pulls and a flutter kick while face-down.
- ServingThe skill of putting the ball or shuttle into play to start a point or rally.
- ThrowingThe skill of propelling the ball accurately and with control using the arm.
- BreaststrokeA swimming stroke using a symmetrical arm sweep and a frog-like kick, with the head lifting to breathe.
Techniques
Positions
- Defensive midfielderA defensive midfielder sits in front of the defence, breaking up opposition attacks and shielding the back line.
- HookerThe hooker is a front-row forward in rugby who wins the ball in the scrum and typically throws the ball into the line-out.
- Outside hitterThe outside hitter attacks from the left side of the net and is often a volleyball team’s main scoring option.
- Point guardThe point guard is basketball’s primary ball-handler and playmaker, running the offence and setting up teammates to score.