Biceps brachii origin and insertion

Biceps brachii runs from the scapula to the radius. It has two heads: the long head and the short head.

What are the origin and insertion of biceps brachii?

Biceps brachii arises from the supraglenoid tubercle (long head) and the tip of the coracoid process (short head). It inserts on the radial tuberosity and the bicipital aponeurosis, into the forearm’s deep fascia. Its main actions are elbow flexion and supination of the forearm. It is supplied by the musculocutaneous nerve (C5, C6). The attachments, actions and nerve follow Gray (1918).

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Every attachment and its bone

Origins 2

Origins of biceps brachii, with the bone each is on
Attachment	Bone	Part
Supraglenoid tubercle	Scapula	Long head
Tip of the coracoid process	Scapula	Short head

Insertions 2

Insertions of biceps brachii, with the bone each is on
Attachment	Bone	Part
Radial tuberosity	Radius	All heads
Bicipital aponeurosis, into the forearm’s deep fascia	None The bicipital aponeurosis blends into the deep fascia of the forearm, which is not segmented.	All heads

Actions

The actions of biceps brachii, and which are its main ones
Action	What moves	Main or assisting
Elbow flexion	The forearm bends up	Main action
Supination	With the elbow bent, the palm turns from facing down to facing up	Main action
Shoulder flexion	The arm swings forward	Assists

Each action is stated in the anatomical position: standing, arms by the sides, palms forward.

Innervation

The musculocutaneous nerve (C5, C6).

Lifts that use biceps brachii

A prime mover produces the lift’s main joint action against the load; a synergist assists that action, or adds a secondary action the lift needs. Each role is the one the lift’s own page gives, for the technique that page states.

Prime mover in 5

Lifts in which biceps brachii is a prime mover, with what it does there
Lift	What it does there
Bent-over barbell row	Elbow flexion
Pull-up	Elbow flexion
Chin-up	Elbow flexion with the forearm turned up More active in the chin-up than the pull-up (Youdas et al. 2010).
Lat pulldown	Elbow flexion
Barbell biceps curl	Elbow flexion with the forearm turned up

It is also a stabilizer in the flat bench press and incline bench press.

Sources

Gray (1918), Myology, the muscles and fasciae of the arm

Each lift role is from that lift’s page in muscles worked by exercise, which names the sources it follows.

See it in 3D

Visualiser · Biology Muscle Origin, Insertion and Action Explorer Paint a muscle’s origin and insertion on real 3D bones, or click a bone to see what attaches to it. Visualiser · Biology Upper Limb Muscles Explorer 114 upper limb muscle meshes, by compartment. Visualiser · Biology Muscles Worked by Exercise 3D Explorer Choose a lift and a real body lights its prime movers, synergists and stabilisers, front and back, with the same muscles in 3D.