Action:
Elbow flexion brings the forearm up at the elbow joint with the wrist and hand in either supinated, pronated or neutral range or any degree in between.

Forward flexion at the glenohumeral joint brings the arm straight up in front of the body in the sagittal plane.

Supination of the forearm at the proximal radioulnar joint rotates the forearm outward as in turning the palm upward or turning the thumb away from the midline of the body.

Lesser Actions:
In Horizontal adduction the biceps brachii helps bring the arms together, as in a dumbbell chest fly.

In Shoulder abduction, the biceps brachii helps raise the arms to the side, as in a standing dumbbell fly or lateral raise.

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Action:
The muscle as a single unit causes both hip extension and knee flexion. Both heads of the Biceps Femoris cause knee flexion. Only the long head of the biceps femoris, which originates in the pelvis — and therefore crosses the hip joint — causes hip extension. The long head of the bicep femoris is a weaker knee flexor when the hip is extended, and a weaker hip extender when the knee is flexed because of active insufficiency. Active insufficiency is the inability to produce maximal measurable tension (actively) because joint angles and levers put a muscle in a slackened position. The slackened position causes a less-than-optimal length-tension relationship of the muscle. Muscles generate less force when overstretched, as when origins and insertions are spread too far, or when the muscles are allowed too much slack, as when origins and insertions get too close. The length-tension relationship is measured from a percentage of 100% resting length of a muscle. The biceps femoris in exercise is an excellent example of active insufficiency, which explains one of the reasons leg curl strength can be stronger in a seated leg curl (hips in flexion) when compared to a prone leg curl on a flat bench (hips in extension). Consider also the effects of standing leg curl machines and prone leg curl machines with slightly flexed body boards.

When the knee is semi flexed, the Biceps femoris has a tendency to rotate the leg slightly outward — external rotation. The external rotation can cause the feet to turn outward and seems to be a common sign of fatigue, visible by observing a walking gait.

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The Triceps Brachii muscle shapes the lateral part of the upper arm and causes elbow extension, which which straightens the arm at the elbow …

With your hand opposite the low pulley, grab the low pulley by the handle with your body frontal plane parallel to the actual pulley plane.

Press up cable handle over your head.

Slightly flex your elbow joint.

Retract scapula and direct reaction force tension into your core and the scapulothoracic joint, not the glenohumeral joint.

Place your free hand on the hip at the same side of the pulley or put the free hand on your sacrum or low back region with you elbow flexed.

Descend by squatting with knee flexion, hip flexion and anterior pelvic tilt.

While descending, laterally flex trunk toward the low pulley side.

Descend as far as you can maintain an anterior pelvic tilt and as long as there is no strain on the knees.

Rise from the squat position by extending knees and hips, moving into a neutral and almost posterior pelvic tilt while bringing the laterally-flexed trunk back to a neutral trunk position in the sagittal plane. A lot of driving motor force comes from the oblique abdominal muscles and the gluteal muscles. The arm with hand grip on the pulley handle remains overhead.

Repeat repetitions.

There are similar exercises recommended with the use of a kettlebell. A progression of this exercise could be using a kettlebell for advanced joint stability, especially at the glenohumeral joint. However, the pulley version offers a better vector for activation of oblique abdominal muscles and less downward compression (and associated risk of injury) on the shoulder joint or spinal column if proper technique is not performed.

For more advanced progressions, see Art of Strength by Anthony Diluglio at artofstrength.com
– some exercises are more advanced and involve technique that is difficult to learn without one-to-one instruction. Some exercises involve deep knee flexion and extreme range of motion action at the glenohumeral joint and may have higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries associated with their performance. In other words, Anthony DiLuglio is an excellent instructor, but some exercises are more advanced and therefore involve greater risk of injury —especially if not performed properly.

Search Anthony Diluglio on Amazon …

Features seven time Ironman Triathlete Jonathan Roche guides you through two 12-minute workouts (beginner and advanced). Roche demonstrates the 3-Layered Crunch and Russian Twist to effectively chisel your torso. Available with a weight medicine ball with handles that comes in two weight size selections: 6lbs. and 8lbs.

The program on DVD emphasizes the focus on multiple abdominal exercises with a focused workout.

Coming soon to CoolFitnessGifts.com …

Normally-designed operation of the Cybex Torso Rotation machine has the
exerciser planting both feet on slightly toe-out platforms and sitting
on an adjustable height seat pan.

Advanced users can easily perform reps with weight resistance in the
150-190 LB maximum range. However, at higher resistance it often feels
like the opposite side (from direction toward concentric action of torso
rotation) is doing most of the work — ‘pushing’ the rotation as
opposite external oblique abdominal muscles are the primary movers.

But what if you say “I want to really focus on my internal oblique
abdominal muscles?” Advanced users with conditioned muscles, ligaments
and tendons might be ready to try a progressive modification of the
Cybex Torso Rotation machine.

The position described below may put more stress on the lower back, hip
joints, and sacroiliac joints; so proceed with caution and closely
monitor the stress you feel on these musculoskeletal regions. You might
start with a lighter resistance than the normal exercise. Also, the seat mount on the Cybex Torso Rotation machine occasionally fails either by broken parts or by slippage of the sawteeth that mount the seat to the machine. The modified position described below makes the user more vulnerable to a fall if the seat fails because it is more difficult to react with your feet and put your body in a stable position to prevent or attenuate a fall. Take extra care to make sure the seat is secure and stay ready to bail safely if the seat fails.

Now for the exercise action description:
Place both feet on the outermost foot platform of the Cybex Torso
Rotation machine. Feet can be placed parallel, but if your feet are
wide, you may want to place your feet in a tandem position.

Rotate toward the center the same way you would rotate the foot platorms
in the normal exercise. You will feel much more concentric action coming
from the same-side internal oblique muscles. You will also feel more
same-side action due to forces transmitted in force grounding action
along the gluteus medius, tensor fascia latae and possibly the vastus
lateralis.

Remember that it is always best to rotate the exercise only roughly to
the center position during each repetition for a set, and then readjust
the machine to rotate in the opposite direction for another set.

Standing cable shoulder internal rotation with trunk rotation toward the
hand that is holding the cable handle.

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Triceps Pressdown Bar with Swivel

Triceps Straight Bar