Biceps

For another muscle group, see triceps.

The biceps, also called the biceps brachii, is a muscle in the arm. It has two parts, a long part and a short part. Using the elbow the muscle helps the movement of the forearm. When the muscle shortens, it bends the elbow and twists the forearm so that the palm faces up. The two parts of the muscle start on different parts of the shoulder blade and end together on the forearm.

Location of biceps. Two different colours represent two different bundles which together are called 'the biceps'.

  Short head

  Long head

Muscles of the arm

The biceps is also a muscle in other quadrupeds. In humans, the muscle is more complex, and allows more complex movement than in other quadrupeds.

The word biceps literally means two-headed, and refers to the fact that the muscle attaches to two different parts of the shoulder. In quadrupeds, the muscle only attaches at one point of the shoulder.