The Major Muscles of the Head

When naming muscles, they, in general, are named according to one or more of the following criteria:
1. Muscle size
2. Muscle shape
3. Location of the muscle
4. Orientation of the muscle's fascicles (fascicles are part of the muscle's tissue)
5. Muscle origin and insertion (origin = the point where the muscle's tendon attaches to the stationary bone; insertion = the point where the muscle's tendon attaches to the movable bone)
6. Number of heads (origins) on the muscle
7. Muscle function.

Knowing these seven criteria will help us to remember the names of the muscles.  Now in my Anatomy\Physiology text book, I've read up to the 'major muscles of the head' and the 'major muscles of the chest\abdominal wall'.  Right now I'll walk through the former.

The Major Muscles of the Head

First I'll introduce to you the occipitofrontalis (ok' sip ih toh fun' tay lis), which can be broken down into the frontalis (frun' tay lis) and the occipitalis (ok sip ih tay lis).  These muscles are easy to remember because they're placed above the frontal bone (forehead) and the occipital bone (bottom of the back of the head).  What do these muscles do?  Their job is to elevate the eyebrows and wrinkle the forehead.

Next: the orbicularis (or bik' you lay' ris) oculi (ok' you lie).  This muscle formes a circle around each eye.  It is used to close the eye.  Similar in name is the orbicularis oris (or' is), which surrounds the lips and is used to purse them.

The buccinator (buk' sih nay' tor), or cheek muscle, is used when you fill your mouth with water and then squirt it out.  This muscle puffs up the cheek and also pulls on the corner of the mouth.  The buccinator and the orbicularis oris are often called the 'kissing muscles'.

Zygomaticus (zye' goh mat' ih kus) major is another easy one to locate because it is over the zygomatic bone, which is commonly referred to as the cheek bone.  Zygomaticus major elevates and draws the corner of the mouth laterally; zygomaticus minor elevates the upper lip.  When you smile you're using these two muscles. 

Platysma (pluh tiz' muh) pulls the corners of the mouth down into a frown.  This muscle stretches from the mouth down the front of the neck.

The rest of the muscles we'll be discussing control mastication (the process of chewing).  The temporalis (tem' puh ral' is), located on top of the temporal bone on the side of the head above the ear, elevates the mandible.  It can alo pull the jaw inward, or recract the mandible.  The masseter (ma' sih ter) is on the side of the face, and it also elevates the mandible.  It can also protract the mandible, or push the lower jaw forward.  The lateral pterygoid (ter' ih goyd) depresses (lowers) the mandible, which opens the mouth.  Finally, the medial pterigoid elevates the mandible (along with the masseter and temporalis), which closes the mouth. 

I encourage you to look up a picture on the Internet of the major muscles of the head.  I might add a picture here some time, but right now I can't because I have to get back to school.  :x  haha, it's okay, though!  I'm home schooled, and this is sorta like a paper for school.  :P

*The information displayed here is taken from 'The Human Body, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made' by Apologia and authored by Dr. Jay L. Wile and Marilyn M. Shannon.

No-Go on the Julianne Hough Video.

9.16.12 - Did: 7 rounds of 7 push-ups, 7 burpees, and 7 kettlebell swings.  After I finished, I did 49 leg lifts.  I didn't know what leg lifts were (which were part of the original workout) until after I finished the 7 rounds, so I made up for it!

Before I did this crossfit workout, I was planning on just doing this Julianne Hough Ballroom Dance Cardio video instead.  I got through the warm-up and the first half of the cha-cha, but it was just so hard for me to follow.  She moved too fast.  There's a 'private lesson' extra as part of the DVD, and it taught me a couple of the key moves, but I was still lost.  At one point Julianne Hough said, "You should be tired right now, cause I am!"  But unfortunately I wasn't, due to the fact that I was too confused to stay bouncy on my toes.  After the cha-cha, I gave up and just did crossfit.  I sure am glad that I did!  It was so tough, but I stuck it out!  I think I'll try the Julianne Hough video again, but not the actual workout until I master the private lesson moves.  :)

My Labor Day Weekend Workout

Oops!  I forgot to update the past couple of days.

Saturday (9.01.12) - Ran one mile.
Monday (9.03.12) - 3 rounds of: 20 jump ropes, 20 (girl) push-ups, 30 sit-ups, and 40 squats.

I did really bad yesterday (Monday).  I couldn't even do five regular toe push-ups, and that's usually all I do!  During the sit-ups, I used my legs to pull myself up as much, if not more, than I used my abs. 
*Note to self: do not eat a big dinner before working out!*
On the bright side, I did really good on the jump ropes and squats!

I Didn't Stop!

8.31.12 - I ran a whole mile!  As in, I didn't walk at all. :)  Although my warm up was incorporated into that mile (my first block was a light jog, then a stretch), none of it involved walking.  It was really hard, but I managed to huff and puff my way back to my house by telling myself, 'one more block,' each time I got to the end of the last one. 

What I ate before: a banana and a couple of almonds.  I think this combination was killer, and definitely affected my workout.

What I ate after: a tasty clementine :)

Pilates!

Ba-bam, pilates!

Ok, so I'm thinking about incorporating some pilates into my week.  I've heard it's not a 'sweat session', so it's not something I care to do every day.  Three times a week ought to do it. instructional

8.29.12 - Ran one mile in the morning.  I did pretty good - ran two blocks, walked half a block.

8.30.12 - Did: 10-8-6-4-2 rounds of push-ups and box jumps.  (Got the workout from the usual place ;)) I got it done in 2:04 minutes!

8.28.12 - Did: 1 mile run at 8:30am.  10 rounds of: 3 push ups, 6 squats, 5 burpees, 24 jump ropes.

I'm definitely not in very good shape, because during the 1 mile jog I needed frequent walking breaks.  Since I had to double back for my mom a lot, I ran at least a mile, but I'd like to be able to run a whole mile without stopping.  I'm going to make morning runs a regular thing, though, so soon I should be able to!  :)