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The tricep, or triceps brachii, is a large muscle located at the back of the upper arm in humans and other vertebrates. It is an extensor muscle of the elbow joint and an antagonist of the biceps and brachialis muscles. The tricep consists of three parts: the medial, lateral, and long head. The tricep is a voluntary muscle, meaning that it is a muscle that humans can choose to move.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Triceps, Triceps Brachii |
| Definition | Any muscle with three heads, or points of origin |
| Location | Back of the upper arm in humans |
| Composition | Three parts: the medial, lateral, and long head |
| Function | Extension of the forearm at the elbow joint |
| Innervation | Radial nerve |
| Blood Supply | Branches of the deep brachial artery |
| Training | 6-12 reps per set, 2-3 sets per session for beginners |
| Injuries | Tendonitis, strains, sprains, tears |
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What You'll Learn
The tricep is a three-headed muscle
The tricep, or triceps brachii, is a large muscle on the back of the upper arm in humans and other vertebrates. It is an extensor muscle, responsible for straightening the elbow joint. The tricep is a three-headed muscle, consisting of the long, lateral, and medial head. Each of these three heads has a different origin, with the long head originating at the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula (shoulder blade), and the lateral and medial heads starting at the outer and inner sides of the upper portion of the humerus (upper arm bone).
The tricep is the only muscle in the posterior compartment of the arm, and it spans almost the entire length of the humerus. The three heads of the tricep converge into a common tendon, which attaches to the olecranon process of the ulna (the pointy projection at the end of the forearm bone). This tendon can be felt as a bump at the back of the elbow. The tricep is an important muscle for many everyday movements, such as reaching, getting dressed, and pushing off from a seated position. It is also involved in fine movements of the forearm and hand, such as writing, by fixating the elbow joint.
The long head of the tricep is unique in that it also crosses the shoulder joint, allowing for movements where the arm is extended behind the torso. This long head can be targeted with overhead extension exercises and is important for generating sustained force. The lateral head, composed of large type IIb muscle fibres, is used for high-intensity movements, while the medial head, composed of small type I fibres, enables more precise, low-force movements.
The tricep is a voluntary muscle, meaning that it can be moved under conscious control. It is similar in structure to the bicep, which has two heads, but the tricep's three heads make it more challenging to target with exercises. A variety of exercises, such as pushdowns, overhead extensions, and pressing movements, can be used to work the tricep. Ruptures of the tricep muscle are rare and typically only occur in anabolic steroid users.
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The tricep brachii is the tricep's full name
The triceps is a muscle with three heads or points of origin, and it is found on the back of the upper limb of many vertebrates. Its full name is triceps brachii, which is Latin for "three-headed muscle of the arm". The three parts of the triceps are the medial, lateral, and long head. All three heads cross the elbow joint, but the long head also crosses the shoulder joint. The triceps muscle contracts when the elbow is straightened and expands when the elbow is bent. The long head gets a further contraction when the arm is behind the torso due to how it crosses the shoulder joint. It is the muscle primarily responsible for the extension of the elbow joint (straightening of the arm).
The triceps, or triceps brachii, is the only muscle in the posterior compartment of the arm. It represents the only constituent of the posterior muscle group of the arm, spanning almost the entire length of the humerus. The triceps brachii consists of a long, medial, and lateral head that originate from their respective attachments on the humerus and scapula. The long head arises from the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula, which is a rough area at the inferior margin of the glenoid fossa. Its attachment extends slightly above to the adjacent glenoid labrum and blends with the glenohumeral capsule of the shoulder joint, contributing to its stability. The lateral head originates from a narrow, linear ridge on the posterior surface of the humerus, just superior to the radial groove. A portion of the muscle fibres also arise from the lateral intermuscular septum. Its attachment ascends obliquely beginning from the lateral border of the humerus behind the deltoid tuberosity. From here, it extends to the surgical neck of the humerus, medial to the insertion of the teres minor and above the attachment for the medial head of the triceps. The medial head is overlapped by the long and lateral head of the triceps.
The triceps brachii is an important surgical landmark as it plays a role in creating anatomical spaces that are traversed by neurovascular structures. The triceps reflex, elicited by hitting the triceps, is often used to test the function of the nerves of the arm. This tests spinal nerves C6 and C7, predominantly C7. It is also used to test the function of the axillary nerve, which can impact the long head of the triceps brachii. Ruptures of the triceps muscle are rare and typically only occur in anabolic steroid users.
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The tricep is located on the back of the upper arm
The tricep, or triceps brachii, is a muscle located on the back of the upper arm in humans. It is a large muscle that runs from the top of the shoulder to the elbow at the back of the arm. The tricep is an extensor muscle of the elbow joint, responsible for straightening the arm. It is the only muscle in the posterior compartment of the arm and consists of three parts: the medial, lateral, and long head. These three heads, or points of origin, give the tricep its name, which means "three-headed" in Latin.
The long head of the tricep originates at the infraglenoid tubercle, a ridge along the outermost portion of the shoulder blade (scapula) that connects with the humerus to form the shoulder joint. It is covered by the posterior border of the deltoid muscle. The lateral head originates from a narrow, linear ridge on the posterior surface of the humerus, just above the radial groove. The medial head also originates from the humerus, on its medial (inner) side.
All three heads of the tricep muscle come together, or converge, at the back of the arm near the elbow to form a common tendon. This tendon attaches to the olecranon process, a pointy projection at the end of the ulna bone of the forearm that forms the elbow. The tricep muscle is responsible for extending the forearm at the elbow joint, allowing the elbow to straighten. It also plays a role in creating anatomical spaces that are traversed by neurovascular structures, making it an important surgical landmark.
The tricep muscle is a voluntary muscle, meaning it can be consciously controlled. It is larger than the bicep and is well-targeted with variations of the pushdown and overhead extension. The medial and lateral heads are best targeted with pressing and pushdown movements, while the long head is worked well by overhead extension exercises. The tricep muscle is prone to injury from acute trauma or chronic overuse, similar to the bicep.
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The tricep is an extensor muscle of the elbow joint
The triceps, or triceps brachii, is a muscle found at the back of the upper arm in humans and other vertebrates. It is a large muscle with three points of origin, or heads—the medial, lateral, and long head. The tricep is an extensor muscle of the elbow joint, meaning it is responsible for straightening the arm.
The three heads of the triceps each originate at a different location. The long head originates at the infraglenoid tubercle, a ridge along the outermost portion of the scapula (shoulder blade) that connects with the humerus to form the shoulder joint. The medial and lateral heads start at the medial (inner) and lateral (outer) sides of the upper portion of the humerus, respectively.
From these origins, the three heads of the tricep run down the back of the arm and converge onto a common tendon, which inserts onto the olecranon process of the ulna, the pointy projection at the end of the forearm bone that forms the elbow. This triceps tendon can become irritated and inflamed if the elbow is repeatedly extended without adequate rest, resulting in pain, tenderness, swelling, and muscle weakness.
The main function of the triceps is to extend the forearm at the elbow joint, allowing for the extension or straightening of the elbow. This movement is necessary for everyday activities such as reaching, getting dressed, and pushing off from armrests to stand up from a chair. The triceps is an antagonist of the biceps and brachialis muscles, and it can also fixate the elbow joint when the forearm and hand are used for fine movements, such as writing.
The triceps is a voluntary muscle, meaning it is a muscle that individuals can choose to move. It is larger than the biceps and is often targeted through pushing or extension movements in weight training.
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The tricep is a voluntary muscle
The triceps, or triceps brachii, is a large muscle found at the back of the upper arm in humans and other vertebrates. It is called 'triceps' because it is a three-headed muscle, with the Latin prefix 'tri-' meaning three, and 'triceps' coming from 'caput', the Latin for 'head'. The three segments of the triceps are known as the long, lateral, and medial head. The tricep is a voluntary muscle, meaning that it is a muscle that we choose to move. It is a fusiform, or spindle-shaped, muscle that is wider in the middle and narrower at each end.
The triceps is the only muscle in the posterior compartment of the arm, and it spans almost the entire length of the humerus, or upper arm bone. The long head of the triceps arises from the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula, or shoulder blade, and runs down along the length of the humerus. The lateral head originates from a narrow, linear ridge on the posterior surface of the humerus, just superior to the radial groove. The medial head has an additional attachment to the posterior aspect of the medial and lateral intermuscular septum. All three heads of the triceps converge onto a common tendon, which inserts onto the olecranon process of the ulna, or forearm bone.
The triceps is an extensor muscle of the elbow joint, and it is responsible for the extension, or straightening, of the elbow. This is a necessary everyday movement required for reaching, getting dressed, and pushing off from armrests to stand up from a chair. The triceps is also an antagonist of the biceps and brachialis muscles. It can fixate the elbow joint when the forearm and hand are used for fine movements, such as writing. The triceps can be worked through either isolation or compound elbow extension movements, and it can contract statically to keep the arm straightened against resistance.
The medial head of the triceps is formed predominantly by small type I fibres and motor units, while the lateral head is made up of large type IIb fibres and motor units. The long head consists of a more balanced mixture of fibre types and motor units. The medial head enables more precise, low-force movements, while the lateral head is used for movements requiring occasional high-intensity force. The long head is employed when sustained force generation is demanded, or when there is a need for synergistic control of the shoulder and elbow.
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Frequently asked questions
The triceps, or triceps brachii, is a large muscle on the back of the upper arm in humans and other vertebrates. It is made up of three parts: the medial, lateral, and long head.
The triceps is an extensor muscle of the elbow joint. It is responsible for straightening the arm and plays a role in creating anatomical spaces which are traversed by neurovascular structures.
Some exercises that target the triceps include cable push-downs, lying triceps extensions, arm extensions behind the back, push-ups, bench press, and dips.
Common injuries associated with the tricep muscle include tendonitis, strains, sprains, and tears. These injuries can occur due to overuse, acute trauma, or chronic overuse.
The triceps and biceps differ in their structure and function. The triceps have three heads, while the biceps have two. The triceps are responsible for arm extension, while the biceps are responsible for arm flexion.
