Muscles and muscle action

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 Muscle name Type Function Sporting example
Biceps Voluntary Flex the elbow joint Rower pulling oars towards
them
Triceps Voluntary Extend the elbow joint Basketball player passing
using a chest pass
Deltoids Voluntary Abduct and adduct the Shot putter putting the shot
shoulder joint
Pectorals Voluntary Adduct the shoulder joint Tennis player playing a
forehand shot
Trapezius Voluntary Abduct and rotate the Weightlifter in the first
shoulder joint part of the clean and jerk
Gluteals Voluntary Extend the hip joint Cyclist pushing down on the
pedals
Quadriceps Voluntary Extend the knee joint Footballer striking a football

Hamstrings Voluntary Flex the knee joint Footballer preparing to

strike a ball
Gastrocnemius Voluntary Extend the ankle joint Sprinter pushing off from
starting blocks
Latissimus Dorsi Voluntary Adduct the arm joint Climber pulling up on a hold

Abdominals Voluntary Flex the hip joint Rugby player crouching in a

scrum
 Involuntary muscles in sport
Muscle name Type Function Sporting example
Cardiac Involuntary Automatically pumps blood As the intensity of
around the body exercise increases the
heart muscle contracts
more quickly and with more
force
Smooth Involuntary Automatically controls the When blood is required in
movement of food, blood the muscles the blood
and waste through the vessels divert blood away
intestines, blood vessels from the stomach
and bladder
 Muscle pairs

Tricep Bicep

• Which muscle causes the

elbow joint to flex?
• Bicep
• What happens to the
other muscle in the pair?
• It relaxes
• What do we call these
pairs of muscles?
• Antagonistic pairs
 Muscle pairs

Quadriceps

• Which muscle causes the

knee joint to extend?
• Quadriceps
• Is this the agonist or
antagonist? Hamstring
• Agonist
• When does the
hamstring become the
agonist?
• When the knee is flexed