Skip to content 
What is the anatomy of the arms, and how do you use them to build muscles? Since most people want to tone and strengthen specific parts of the body. For instance, some people love to tone and strengthen the leg muscles.
Also, some people want to build arm muscles in the same way. Therefore, this article will explain the arm’s anatomy and the best exercises to build arm muscles.
Upper Arm Anatomy:
The upper arm is between the shoulder joint and the elbow joint and comprises two main compartments; anterior and posterior compartments. Besides, it contains four major muscles in the upper arm, three in the anterior chamber, and one in the rear part.
Anterior –
The anterior compartment is in front of the prominent bone of the upper arm, the humerus. The primary muscles in the anterior region include:
Biceps Brachii: It is most commonly called the biceps and contains two heads at the front and back of your shoulder. The biceps brachii ends at elbow flex, helping in the flexion and adduction of the upper arm.
Brachialis: It is beneath the biceps and acts as a bridge between the humerus and ulna. The brachialis helps the forearm with flexing.
Coracobrachialis: It is near the shoulder and allows the adduction of your upper arm and flexion.
Posterior –
The posterior compartment is behind the humerus. The primary muscle of the rear part is the triceps brachii.
Triceps Brachii: Commonly known as triceps, it is along the humerus. Its name indicates that it has three heads and helps in the shoulder and elbow movement.
Forearm Muscles Anatomy:
Like the upper arm, the forearm is also divided into anterior and posterior compartments and contains more muscles than the upper arm.
Anterior –
It is inside your forearm, and usually, its muscles help with the wrist’s flexion and fingers. Therefore, the anterior compartment contains three layers of muscles. These include:
Superficial Layer: The major muscles in this layer are:
- Flexor carpi ulnaris
- Palmaris longus
- Flexor carpi radialis
- Pronator teres
Intermediate Layer: Muscles in the middle layer include:
- Flexor digitorum superficialis
Deep Compartment: It has:
- Pronator quadrature
- Flexor digitorum profundus
- Flexor pollicis longus
Posterior –
In the posterior compartment, the top forearm extends the wrist and fingers.
Superficial Layer: Muscles in this layer are:
- Extensor carpi radialis longus
- Extensor carpi radialis brevis
- Brachioradialis
- Extensor digitorum
- Extensor carpi ulnari
Deep Layer: It contains the following muscles:
- Supinator
- Extensor pollicis brevis
- Abductor pollicis longus
- Extensor pollicis longus
- Extensor indices
How do you build the arm muscles with exercise?
We described the arms’ anatomy, so it will be easy to use the correct exercises and workouts to build arm muscles.
Best exercises –
If you want to tone and strengthen your arm’s muscles, use the arms exercises. Therefore, some of the best exercises for the arms include:
- Barbell bicep curls
- Cable triceps extension
- Dumbbell hammer curls
- Bench dumbbell triceps extension
- Chair dips
- Inverted rows
- Lateral plank walk
- Arm rotations
In conclusion, what is the arms’ anatomy, and how to use it to build muscles?
There are two main parts of the arm; the upper and the forearm. Therefore, do exercises specifically designed for the arms and target these parts separately for better results. It is also best to work the arms after leg day and before resting. In addition, we use the arms in all upper body exercises, and it is not uncommon to overwork them. Finally, the right combination of activities, workout programs, and workout days can get you the best results.
