The most important muscles of the body
Muscles are one of the main parts of the human body and among their most important functions is to promote the different movements. However, they also serve as promoters of various vital functions, since they integrate several of the body’s organs, such is the case of the heart and stomach.
When you think of muscles, images of bodybuilders or people working out in a gym probably come to mind. This is a correct idea, only incomplete, because the way the muscles make up our body is much more complex than what can be seen with the naked eye.
Beyond knowing how many muscles the human body has, which, by the way, are more than 600, it is essential to understand that what we call muscles are a set of long and thin cells, and they have the ability to contract. These cells are also known as muscle fibers, myocytes or myofibrils and thus make up our muscular system. This would be a fairly synthesized definition of muscle structure.
Classification and types of muscles
Before mentioning the muscles considered the most important, we must mention the classification and types of muscles that exist. In this sense, the sets of muscles that make up the anatomy of the human body are studied from different points of view, as explained below in a general way.
Depending on the type of muscle tissue: this is one of the most important muscle groups and perhaps the least talked about, since it contains muscle tissues that are not visible to the naked eye in the body.
It is formed by smooth muscle, whose function is to protect various organs of the body and also performs various involuntary movements. There is also the cardiac muscle, which is found in the heart and helps pump blood. Skeletal muscle is also included, which is one of the best known subgroups, because they are more visible and the contraction they perform is done voluntarily.
Depending on the type of movement they perform: here appear the flexor, extensor, abductor, stabilizer and rotator type muscles.
According to the mode of muscle contraction: they include type 1 muscles, known as red or resistance fibers; type 2 muscles, which are known as white fibers and tend to feel fatigue faster; the agonist muscles, which follow the movement of the muscle; antagonists, which oppose the action of movement; and synergists, which support the movement action indirectly.
According to their distribution in the human body: the muscles of the upper body (areas of the chest, back and shoulders), those of the lower body (legs, buttocks and calves), the muscles of the trunk (abdominals), the muscles of the brachialis (arms); and the muscles of the neck and face (mouth and eyes).
Major muscles of the body
As can be seen, given such a complex classification of muscular anatomy, it is essential to know that all the muscles or muscular tissues of the body are important and have a function. However, when it comes to mobility and performing daily activities, we can identify the following among the most important muscles in the body :
Buccinator and orbicularis muscle: The buccinator is responsible for actions such as speaking, laughing, eating, blowing, etc. Its operation is to help stretch the mouth. For its part, with the orbicularis muscle it is possible to execute the basic movement of opening and closing the eyes .
Biceps, triceps, deltoids and trapezius – these are skeletal muscles that allow you to move your arms in any direction. Also, the trapezius helps to control the back and strengthen the movement of the neck, while the deltoid assists in the mobility and load of the arms and shoulders.
Lumbar and abdominal: belong to the muscles of the upper and central train. They are responsible for the balance of the body , a correct distribution of body weight and the protection of all the internal organs of the region against blows and other external agents that may harm them.
Quadriceps, glutes and twins: they are known as the muscles of the lower extremities and are responsible for supporting the weight of the body. Likewise, they also have the task of facilitating the movement of the organism in actions such as running, walking, jumping and bending over. In the case of the quadriceps, they have come to be described as the strongest muscle in the body.
An interesting aspect about the quadriceps that we must highlight is that the structure of the muscle comprises four muscular heads and this is what determines its name.
As can be seen, the functions of the muscular system to which each of the listed muscles belongs are essential for survival. This is where the importance of each group lies. The good news is that all of these muscles can be strengthened by adopting a regular exercise routine.
The main recommendation of the experts in the area of muscular anatomy is to carry out training in a comprehensive and also localized way. That is, vary the routines. In this way, the person should not train only the upper body or the lower body, for example, but dedicate different days to each of these large muscle groups.
Similarly, today there are many options for strengthening muscles, which also include good nutrition. Regarding the exercises, it should not be forgotten that one of the quintessential instruments that allow you to activate the muscles are dumbbells, so it is convenient to use them in your gym, at home, or wherever you decide to carry out your exercise routine.
Likewise, stretching, conditioning and relaxation practices for the muscles are fundamental, since it is one of the essential elements for the functioning of our body, because they occupy approximately 40% of it.
Once these data are known, we hope that you have no doubts about the functions of the muscles. However, remember that there are many resources on the web about human anatomy, which could help you delve deeper into this interesting topic.
