Thread: tricep workout to hit all 3 heads?

Let me ask you this - do you know any exercise where the tricep contracts only one of the three heads? I'm no bodybuilder i'll admit, but i don't think the mind-muscle connection is quite good enough to be able to do that considering all three heads insert through the same tendon.

Best thing to do would be to do some sort of horizontal press (bench etc) a vertical press (military etc), a lockout/partial ROM movement for either vertical or horizontal, and then a tricep isolation or two such as extensions or push downs.

It's not gonna specifically target all three heads because when the tricep contracts all three heads contract whatever exercise you're doing, but at least this way you're stressing the muscle in a slightly different way each time, and making sure they're getting a lot of general work.

Close grip bench followed by dips followed by overhead 2 hand dumbbell extensions or lying barbell extensions put some beef on my triceps. 3 sets each, 10-12 reps, add weight to dips as needed.

I usually do close grip, skulls and cable push downs, followed by kick backs or overhead ext's

Originally Posted by SFW

I usually do close grip, skulls and cable push downs, followed by kick backs or overhead ext's

I like that.

Originally Posted by SFW

I usually do close grip, skulls and cable push downs, followed by kick backs or overhead ext's

I do pretty much the same for my tri's. I'll just use different bars and grips with the cables. Tri's feel full and get a nice pump, works for me.

thanks guys ill try those out

Here's a list of exercises I've found to hit different heads better. They are all hit at least a little by every exercise, just some more than others:

Outer Head:
Cable extensions with the rope handle, push down and outward.
Overhead dumbell extensions with one heavy dumbell.
Kickbacks starting with hammer grip and twisting to underhand on the way up.

Middle/Lower/Long head:
Weighted Dips
Skullcrushers

Inner head:
hammer grip kickbacks
Wider grip skullcrushers


But nothing hits all 3 heads as well as closegrip bench. I suggest starting every tricep workout with closegrip, then doing one exercise focusing on each head, and 2 exercises for one that might be lagging.

I've actually learned to 'wiggle' either the left half of my tricep or the right half of my tricep by itself! It's kind of like the well known chest wiggle but this one freaks people out. There must be 2 separate major nerves going through the triceps because I can definitely isolate and flex one side a little bit without doing it to the other. Nice party trick I guess

Close Grips and Skull Crushers.

Anyone know what lee priest did for triceps? I saw some pics of him doing weighted dips but that's nothing revolutionary

1

I've recently become a fan of decline close-grip smith presses. I can't do dips because of my shoulder - but these seem to work in a very similar way.

My current tricep routine is as follows:

Weighted dips
Close grip bench
Dumbell french press
Cable push downs

That is plenty, as they also get hammered during chest and shoulder movements.

dips and skull crushers all they way

I will add this, now that I'm at the point I am, I only do triceps about every other week. They get hammered during chest and shoulder work, same as biceps do with back. My session Monday, all I did was 3 sets of french presses as direct tricep work.

Originally Posted by Anabolic5150

I will add this, now that I'm at the point I am, I only do triceps about every other week. They get hammered during chest and shoulder work, same as biceps do with back. My session Monday, all I did was 3 sets of french presses as direct tricep work.

I'm glad that I see other people showing the fact that as you get up to certain points, your volume actually in some cases does need a reduction.

I have countless friends who still think they need to work out 6 times a week and wonder why they can't gain without steroids. Or stop gaining 6 weeks into their cycle.

When I come off cycle, I train only 3 times per week, otherwise it's just too much for my CNS due to the amount of weight I am pushing and pulling around. Deadlifting 400 pounds is not something you can easily recover from without gear.

Originally Posted by chronicelite

I'm glad that I see other people showing the fact that as you get up to certain points, your volume actually in some cases does need a reduction.

I have countless friends who still think they need to work out 6 times a week and wonder why they can't gain without steroids. Or stop gaining 6 weeks into their cycle.

I lift 3 days a week, it's plenty for me. I trained 4-5 days a week in the past, but as I've gotten older I just don't need it.

Originally Posted by chronicelite

I'm glad that I see other people showing the fact that as you get up to certain points, your volume actually in some cases does need a reduction.

I have countless friends who still think they need to work out 6 times a week and wonder why they can't gain without steroids. Or stop gaining 6 weeks into their cycle.

When I come off cycle, I train only 3 times per week, otherwise it's just too much for my CNS due to the amount of weight I am pushing and pulling around. Deadlifting 400 pounds is not something you can easily recover from without gear.

True. AAS users routines completely differ from natural guys routines.

Originally Posted by Livebig14

True. AAS users routines completely differ from natural guys routines.

Routines don't really differ, recovery is improved in AAS users if all things are equal.

Even while on AAS, at the intensity and amount of weight that I lift, any more than 3 times per week just sets me up for injury. It's just too much wear on the joints when you are lifting so god damn heavy. Once reason, is that I do real squats, ass to the ground. If I do those more than one day per week, my knees get fucked because of how heavy I am at now.

Originally Posted by chronicelite

Even while on AAS, at the intensity and amount of weight that I lift, any more than 3 times per week just sets me up for injury. It's just too much wear on the joints when you are lifting so god damn heavy. Once reason, is that I do real squats, ass to the ground. If I do those more than one day per week, my knees get fucked because of how heavy I am at now.

I squat 3 days a month now, ass to the grass. But I drop out squats from one full leg session a month and just do leg presses in their place. For me, it works.

I've never been afraid to change my training, skip a bodypart, do something different. I think it's that outside the box thinking that allowed me to get where I am. I'm my own lab rat, I test on mysef, be it training, diet, gear etc.