You move your triceps by contracting the triceps brachii muscle, which straightens your elbow joint, extending your forearm.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
-
The Triceps Brachii: The triceps brachii is the muscle located on the back of your upper arm. As the name suggests, it has three heads: the long head, the lateral head, and the medial head. All three heads converge at the elbow.
-
Elbow Extension: The primary function of the triceps is to extend the elbow joint. This means straightening your arm. When you want to move your triceps, your brain sends a signal to the muscle, causing it to contract.
-
Contraction and Movement: When the triceps contracts, it pulls on the ulna (one of the bones in your forearm), causing the elbow to straighten. This is how you actively move your triceps.
-
Examples of Triceps Movement:
- Push-ups: Straightening your arms during a push-up heavily relies on triceps activation.
- Triceps Extensions (Overhead, Lying, etc.): These exercises isolate and focus on the triceps, allowing for controlled movement and strengthening.
- Throwing: Extending your arm when throwing a ball engages your triceps.
- Simply reaching for something: Even everyday arm extensions involve your triceps.
-
Example Exercise for Activating Triceps: One exercise to feel the triceps movement is a triceps extension. Hold a weight in one hand, and pull your elbow up to torso level. Keeping your elbow in place, extend your arm behind you, contracting the triceps muscle. Lower your forearm back to about 90 degrees and repeat.
