Last updated 27/12/2023 by The pain clinics - Interdisciplinary Health

Schwedentritt loppet, Switzerland - Photo Wikimedia

Triceps brachii: Your key to better cross-country skiing results.

Triceps brachii. Two well-worded words for most cross-country ski fanatics. Arms Trekker. stake Muscle. Dear triceps has many names in the cross-country environment. But what does the research say, how important it is for the best possible cross-country results?

Triceps? What?

If you do not know the Latin name for the arm puller then it is perfectly fine. Triceps is the epitome of biceps. Where the biceps try to bend the arm to create the largest 'Skipper'n muscle' on the upper arm, the triceps will be responsible for doing the opposite. Namely, straighten the forearm and give the greatest possible contraction on the back of the arm. In technical terms, biceps antagonist to the triceps - simply put, the one who does the opposite.

Triceps in Latin means "three-headed arm muscle". And as mentioned, it is responsible for extension of the elbow joint (straightens the arm).

Triceps brachii - Photo Wikimedia

In the photo above we see triceps brachii on the back of the upper arm.

Study: Triceps brachii strengthen the link to better results in cross-country competitors.

A study published in the journal 'Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports' (Terzis et al, 2006) aimed to see if comprehensive upper body training in competitors would provide faster recovery and adaptability in the triceps brachii, and estimate the effect of this on their results. This was done by taking muscle biopsy tests of triceps brachii both before and after a comprehensive 20-week exercise program. Six elite competitors participated in the study.

Intro: «This study aimed at evaluating whether addition of extensive upper body training in well-trained cross country skiers induces an adaptation of the triceps brachii (TB) muscle and whether this affects performance. Muscle biopsies were obtained from TB muscle in six male elite cross country skiers before and after 20 weeks of increased upper body training. »

 

Tjejvasa 2006 - Photo Wikimedia

The results after 20 weeks were positive. In triceps brachii you saw one increase in muscle fibers I and IIA on respectively 11.3% og 24.0%. One also saw one increase in capillaries in the muscle fibers, these increased between 2.3 - and 3.2. Furthermore, there was a change in the structure of various muscle fibers. An increase was also seen in citrate synthase og 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase with respectively 23.3% og 15.4%, this again means that you get a faster recovery after exercise and higher oxygen uptake. The times in one 10 km run was also improved with 10.4%.

Results: «The cross-sectional area of ​​type I and IIA fibers increased by 11.3% and 24.0%, respectively, and so did the number of capillaries per fiber (2.3-3.2) (all P <0.05). SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis revealed in single fibers that the number of fibers expressing myosin heavy chain (MHC) type I isoform decreased from 68.7% to 60.9% (P <0.05), MHC I / IIA isoform was unaltered, while MHC IIA fibers increased from 21.6% to 35.7% and the 4.8% MHC IIA / IIX disappeared with the training (both P <0.05). Citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase activities increased by 23.3% and 15.4%, respectively, and double poling 10 km time-trial by 10.4% (all P <0.05).

It was further seen that those individuals who had received the greatest change in muscle adaptation were also those who had received the most improvement when it came to exercising at 10 km.

"The subjects who demonstrated the greatest improvement in performance exhibited the greatest muscle adaptation, which, in turn, was related to the pre-maximal oxygen uptake."

 

So, there you have it black and white:

- Exercise the triceps and get better results in the cross-country track.

Bernina track between St Moritz and Triano (with lovely cross-country trails next to it) - Photo Wikimedia

Here you see one valeo tricep rope. These are available in most gyms and are ideal for triceps reduction.

Sources:
- Terzis G, Stattin B, Holmberg HC. Upper body training and the triceps brachii muscle of elite cross country skiers. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2006 Apr; 16 (2): 121-6.

- Wikimedia