Biceps Brachii

When you think of the front of your upper arm, you’ll automatically think biceps, which is what this post is all about! We’ll go through brief anatomy of the biceps brachii, exercises that target the biceps, and touch on the brachialis and coracobrachialis, which make up the anterior (front) compartment of the upper arm. 

Anatomy and function of the Biceps Brachii

The Biceps Brachii (biceps) is a large, thick muscle located on the aterior part of the upper arm. The biceps, as the name suggests, can be broken down into the long head and the short head. 

  • The long head of the biceps being situated on the outside (lateral side) of the biceps brachii and originates from the apex of the coracoid process of the scapula.
  • The short head is on the inside (medial side) and originates from the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula.

Both the long head and short head of the bicep insert on the radial tuberosity and the fascia of the forearm via the bicipital aponeurosis.

The biceps work across three joints – glenohumeral, elbow and radio-ulnar. The biceps actually play a small role in shoulder flexion with the main functions being supination and flexion of the forearm. Although the biceps brachii plays a role in flexion of the forearm, it is not in fact the most powerful as many people would believe! This title actually belongs to the brachialis muscle.

The brachialis is deep to the Biceps Brachii at the distal aspect of the humerus. If you wanted to target the brachialis, then you would need to put the forearm into pronation (palm facing down). This is due to the Biceps Brachii being a supinator and a flexor. By putting the forearm into pronation, you will put the Biceps Brachii at a mechanical disadvantage, and target the brachialis.

The other muscle we mentioned earlier is the coracobrachialis which is one of the three muscles that originates from coracoid process of the scapula. The function of the coracobrachialis at the glenohumeral joint is to flex and adduct the humerus, act as a stabiliser for the humeral head, and to assist in arm internal rotation.

    Now that we’ve done a quick whistle stop tour of the muscles and function of the Biceps Brachii, and the other muscles of the anterior compartment of the upper arm, let’s look at how we strengthen the biceps. 

    How do we strengthen the Biceps Brachii?

    There are numerous exercises to choose from to strengthen the biceps, here are just a few (click on the exercises to see a demonstration):

    • Chin Up
    • EZ Bar Curl
    • Concentration Curl
    • Preacher Curl
    • Hammer Curl
    • Barbell Drag Curl
    • Cable Curl