antagonist muscle
Quick Summary
An antagonist muscle is a muscle that opposes the action of another muscle, known as the agonist. When an agonist muscle contracts to produce movement, the antagonist muscle relaxes to allow that movement to occur smoothly. This coordinated action is essential for controlled and efficient motion. For example, when you curl your bicep, the bicep is the agonist, and the tricep on the back of your arm is the antagonist, relaxing to permit the curl. Most skeletal movements involve pairs of antagonistic muscles working in opposition to each other.12
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