In this lesson, you will learn the names of the most important muscles in the human body. Of course, the skeletal muscle system includes many more muscles, but the ones illustrated here are the most important for the instructions on Flash Mavi.
Note: A flexor is a muscle that bends a limb, and an extensor is a muscle that extends a limb.
Description
- Sternocleidomastoid (throat muscle - front side)
- Biceps (upper arm muscle - front side - flexes the arm - bends the elbow)
- Pectoralis (chest muscle - also called pecs - used for push-ups)
- Brachioradialis (forearm muscle - side)
- Rectus Abdominis (stomach muscles - also called abdominals or abs)
- External Oblique (waist muscle - on the sides of the abdominals)
- Rectus Femoris (leg extensor between Vastus Medialis and Vastus Lateralis - middle of the quadriceps)
- Sartorius (a thin, long muscle that goes from the inside of the knee to the outside of the hip)
- Vastus Lateralis & Medialis (outer and inner muscles on the front side of the thigh; Lateralis = outside, Medialis = inside)
- Tibialis Anterior (front side of the lower leg - opposite of the calf muscle - flexor)
- Deltoids (shoulder muscles - also called delts)
- Trapezius (neck muscle - goes from the head to the back - also called traps)
- Triceps (muscles on the back side of the upper arm)
- Latissimus Dorsi (largest back muscle - the muscle you use for rowing or chin-ups - also called lats)
- Gluteus Maximus (butt muscle - also called glute / glutes)
- Biceps Femoris (upper part of the back of the leg muscle - flexor - goes from the knee to the glutes)
- Semitendinosus (next to the biceps femoris - inside; biceps femoris and semitendinosus make up the hamstrings)
- Gastrocnemius (calf muscle - extends the foot)
- Soleus (flat, broader calf muscle underneath the gastrocnemius)
Advice
Knowing the most important muscles will make it easier to follow some of the weight training and stretching instructions.
The human skeleton together with its muscles is called the musculoskeletal system (muscles and bones allow us to move around).
Suggestions
- Muscle Types
- The Human Skeleton
- Stretching
- Sports Injuries
- Chest Muscles
- Back Muscles
- Shoulder Muscles
- Biceps
- Triceps
- Forearm Muscles
- Leg Muscles
- Abdominal Muscles
