The Biceps Brachi is a simple skeletal muscle which originates at the shoulder and inserts at the forearm. It has three roles. It aids in shoulder abduction, flexes the elbow joint and primarily it supinates the Radius around the Ulna.
The Triceps Brachi goes about the opposite role. Therefore this muscle is responsible for extension of the elbow and pronation on the forearm.
Functional is a term that has been thrown around ferociously within the fitness industry. It’s not well understood. The misconception is that an exercise is only functional if it mimics or overloads a movement that is performed on a daily basis. Here’s where it gets silly! Too many people standing on a medicine ball whilst holding a dumbbell and performing core rotations to mimic a hammer throw or a rugby pass. So first of all there is poor exercise selection and adaptation present. The second issue comes from neglect. E.g. do not bench press because we never lie on our back and push a heavy load off our chest in our daily lives.
It’s not the mimicry we are after but the practicality. Maybe we don’t need the exact bench press action in our daily lives but we may very well use that strength to help us pass a ball, lift a box over our head or move furniture.
Here’s where upper arm muscle isolation comes into play. If you deadlift 140kg but you’re developing aggravation in the elbow, arm isolation exercises my help to build a better supporting structure. Arm exercises will also help to improve your grip. This mean we have used the arm isolation exercises in a practical manner to aid in a complex movement and therefore has proven that they are in fact “functional”!
Lets make a rule. Try using the word “practical” as oppose to “functional” and you’ll soon understand what “functional” really means.
These posts may also interest you:
A quick explanation of muscle mass
Can static stretching be used in a warm-up?
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