The human body has about 600 to 700 named skeletal muscles. Some experts estimate the number to be as high as 840 due to different methods of counting and new muscle identifications. Additionally, there is one cardiac muscle (the heart muscle), and billions of smooth muscle cells that are not easily counted as individual muscles because they form continuous sheets or layers in organs. In summary:
- Over 600 named skeletal muscles
- 1 cardiac muscle (heart)
- Billions of smooth muscle cells (in organs and blood vessels)
The commonly accepted estimate is around 600 muscles in the human body, mostly referring to skeletal muscles responsible for movement.
