Uploaded January 2016 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago

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Quick View:
1:32 Isolated Function
2:38 Basic Anatomy
4:24 Everyday Use
5:20 Exercises
-- 5:48 Pinch Grip
-- 7:04 Climbing
-- 7:48 Fingertip Work
8:09 Stretches

This video is part of my new series (Grip Muscle Spotlight) about hand+forearm muscles.
I hope to give you a basic overview about their anatomy, their function, and how to train them.

The Lumbricals are important muscles of your hand. Their proper full latin name is "Musculi lumbricales manus".

- "Musculi" is the plural of "musculus", which simply means muscle in latin.
- "Lumbricus" is latin for worm, so they are the "wormlike" muscles. This name was given to them because they spiral around your finger bones like a worm.
- "Manus" is the latin term for your hand.
- You have 16 total lumbrical muscles in your body: 4 in each hand, and 4 in each foot.
- The thumb and the big toe do not have lumbricals.