Best Triceps Workout [Forum Archive]

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Best Triceps Workout

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Posted by: askjoe

The triceps muscle makes up 2/3 of the upper arm. No matter how big of a biceps peak you have your “guns” will never take on a full, powerful appearance without quality triceps development. Not only that, but the triceps are heavily involved with the bench press and other pushing exercises. Weak triceps can become a crutch when trying to lift your maximum. The end result is weaker muscles all around. With this in mind, we can easily see how important working and developing the triceps can be for aesthetic and strength purposes.

The triceps muscles encompass three heads that attach to one ligament. Their main purpose is to extend the arm strait out ahead. This movement is beneficial for both pressing movements and throwing. The key to working the triceps effectively is to hit all the proper angles in such a way that it produces larger and stronger muscles.

There are three types of movements: midrange, stretch, and contracted. In order to fully stimulate the triceps muscles all three angles must be hit. They’ll ensure your stimulating the most muscle fibers possible.

The best midrange exercise is the close grip bench press. The reason whey it’s called midrange is because it works the muscle through the biggest range of motion possible – it doesn’t fully stretch the muscle, nor does it fully contract it – basically it’s in the “middle.” You can use large amounts of weight because it incorporates auxiliary muscle groups. More weight moved, more muscle stimulated.

The second exercise for triceps is the overhead press. It puts the muscle into a “stretch” position that creates what’s known as the myotatic reflex. This reflex is basically an alarm that occurs within the muscle when it’s stretched to its limit under stress. A neurological impulse is sent out that causes more muscle fibers to be fired – basically it senses it’s in dander and tries to compensate by making more muscle cells contract. The end result is more muscle fibers stimulated. Really try to take advantage of this stretch reflex – it can really create a growth surge.

The last exercise for the triceps is any variation of the pressdown. This exercise causes the muscle to hold weight in the fully contracted position. Great care should be taken to ensure that the muscle is flexed to its fullest under load. This provides the last bit of push needed to fully stimulate the triceps head. By performing this exercise it creates a great pump and basically finishes off the triceps muscle.

This workout routine hits all three angles of the triceps that maximizes muscle fiber recruitment and utilization. The triceps muscle overall is fully stimulated and therefor is given the best opportunity for increasing size and strength. Try to incorporate your triceps training with your other “push” muscles – namely chest and shoulders. This will avoid overtraining and give, not only your triceps, but your chest and shoulders as well the best possible chance to grow and get stronger. When you complete this workout you should follow it up with a good protein shake. Proper nutrition is essential for growth and repair – and should never be overlooked.

Askjoe

Posted by: MeanCuts

Don't forget the french press(skull crushers) my personal favorite and I also like reverse grip pushdowns for a finisher but don't get me wrong that looks like a great workout for the triceps

Posted by: Fit Freak

AskJoe...sounds like you've been reading up on POT training principles

Posted by: gorilla33455

I have found that both close grip benches and bench dips work well , The amount of stress that bench dips create vastly improves the stretch factor this increases over all muscle size and strength , I wish my pull-ups where as easy to complete and then my Bi's would match my tri's

"Make Pain Your Friend"

Posted by: JR_Confused

These are the best exercises for triceps but won't my body get used to them if I only do them? Do I really need to change them later? If yes, how long before I change them.

Posted by: TJ Cline

Posted by: CowPimp

Originally Posted by JR_Confused

These are the best exercises for triceps but won't my body get used to them if I only do them? Do I really need to change them later? If yes, how long before I change them.

Sure, your body will get used to them. That's how it gets bigger and stronger. Don't change the exercises unless you get bored with them or progress stops/slows down. Even then, you can try changing other variables to spark progress once again if you really enjoy the routine.

Posted by: aceshigh

Originally Posted by MeanCuts

Don't forget the french press(skull crushers) my personal favorite and I also like reverse grip pushdowns for a finisher but don't get me wrong that looks like a great workout for the triceps

french press and skull crushes are 2 completley different things

Posted by: pereari

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Sure, your body will get used to them. That's how it gets bigger and stronger. Don't change the exercises unless you get bored with them or progress stops/slows down.
.

I thought you were supposed to change exercises in your routine in order to keep muscles fibers growing and stimulated?????

Posted by: CowPimp

Originally Posted by pereari

I thought you were supposed to change exercises in your routine in order to keep muscles fibers growing and stimulated?????

You don't have to. If you keep progressing toward your goals doing the same exercises then there isn't that much point really, unless you simply get tired of the movements or feel that you need to strengthen other movements for balance and whatnot.

Posted by: Tough Old Man

My favorite tricep exercise is reverse grip bench. IMO it puts on as much or more size then any other single tricep exercise

Posted by: The13ig13adWolf

Originally Posted by aceshigh

french press and skull crushes are 2 completley different things

how do you figure?

Posted by: YSK

Hey Tough, if you dont mind can you explain how to perform a reverse bench press? I've never heard of that exercise and would appreciate it.

Posted by: Yanick

reverse grip bench, whats so difficult to understand? its a bench press except your wrists are supine, aka underhand or however you want to say it.

Posted by: Tough Old Man

Originally Posted by Yanick

reverse grip bench, whats so difficult to understand? its a bench press except your wrists are supine, aka underhand or however you want to say it.

Correct you are

Posted by: Nate K

Originally Posted by The13ig13adWolf

how do you figure?

Skullcrushers are skullcrushers. I thought that Frech Press was with a D.B over your head and then your lower it directly behind your head; with the DB vertical and both hands supporting it.

Posted by: The13ig13adWolf

skull crusher isn't the technical name for the exercise. it's a nickname for the french press.

Posted by: Nate K

THen what is the term for a sitting or standing one D.B with both hands that I explained.

Posted by: The13ig13adWolf

Originally Posted by Nate K

I thought that Frech Press was with a D.B over your head and then your lower it directly behind your head; with the DB vertical and both hands supporting it.

that's a tricep extension and can also be done with a BB.

Posted by: The13ig13adWolf

Originally Posted by Nate K

THen what is the term for a sitting or standing one D.B with both hands that I explained.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/.../BBTriExt.html

this?

Posted by: Nate K

Yuh. Right on.

Posted by: CancerNV

I did a reverse grip bench press for the first time last night to work on my tris and I know I wqas doing something wrong. My neck/delt area was getting tired before my triceps. Does anyone know what I was doing wrong?

Posted by: The13ig13adWolf

you could always use a close grip BP to work your tris?

Posted by: 99hawkins

That is actually a great article. Made more great by the fact that I've just got in from a Tricep day in which I performed; CG bench, Overheard ext, and rope pressdown....

It feels good to read the science behind it.

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