Exercise Three: Types of Muscle Action
1. Biceps: Have partner flex the elbow with the palm up. You should add resistance by pushing down on their forearm. What happens? What is a good exercise for the biceps?
After flexing my elbow with my palm up it places stress on the bicep muscle. A good exercise for biceps is curls. A curl is where you use dumbel weights to create resistance and curl your arm in an upward motion.
2. Brachioradialis: Hold hand in thumbs up position. Put elbow against side and bend elbow to 90 degrees. Add resistance by pushing down on the forearm. What happens? This muscle "bow strings" which means it stands out more when being used. Why would it do this?
When putting pressure on the forearm lift my right forearm stood out more because the veins in my forearm began to show. It would do this because of all the pressure being exerted upon the forearm.
3. Triceps: Do a table push up. Watch the back of the arms. What happens? Do you see definite muscle definition? What muscle does this oppose?
I watched my 18 year old sister do a table push up and noticed a very slight muscle definition in her triceps. Push ups oppose the triceps.
4. Anterior Deltoid: Pretend you are hugging something. Look at the top of the shoulder to look at definition in the front of the shoulder. What happens? There are three parts to this muscle. Why does only the front part stand out?
The shoulder muscle contracts when two people hug. The front part of the shoulder is the only part of the muscle that is flexed strongly while performing a hug. Hence, this is the only part that stand out.
5. Middle Deltoid: Raise arm to the side. Resist this action by having partner push back down. What happens? What is the action of this muscle?
While having my arm being pushed down upon, the center of my shoulder flexes and feels the pressure. This muscle if the middle deltoid and it exerts power to keep my arm up.
6. Upper Trapezius: Shrug shoulders up. Have partner push down on shoulders. What happens? This muscle works on both the scapula and the shoulder head. What do you think it does?
When my shoulders were pressed down upon, I felt it on the back of my neck and my upper back. I think it works the scapula and the shoulder head because the upper trapezius places stress on those two parts.
Exercise Four: Comparative Anatomy of Arm vs. Wing