Triceps extension

Josh · 05-10-2004, 07:23 AM

Hi all, I have been doing kneeling triceps extension (one leg kneeling on a bench and 1 hand supporting on the bench, upper body parallel to the floor, start with upper arm parallel to the floor and forearm perpendicular, then extend the forearm to parallel the floor). Using increasingly heavy dumbells, it became increasingly difficult to maintain strict form, I began to twist my upper body while extending the forearm.

And then an idea came to my mind. I thought, this triceps extension exercise seems to be very similar to leg extension, with upper arms corresponding to upper legs, and extending the forearms corresponding to extending the lower parts of the legs. The only difference, I thought, is that in leg extension the upper legs are supported by the bench, so the weight is supported only by the lower legs while extending. In triceps extension, the upper arms are not supported when the forearms are extended, so I thought the weight is shared between upper and lower arms, making it more difficult to maintain proper form and to isolate the triceps. Why not support the upper arms? So I tried doing triceps extension by lying across a bench, resting the upper arms on the bench and the lower arms hanging, and then while keeping the upper arms on the bench I extend the lower arms. I find that the weight which was too heavy before now become quite light.

My questions: Is the above triceps extension on a bench an acceptable form of triceps extension? Would doing it this way be effective for training triceps?

Any advise is greatly appreciated.

- Josh

stencil · 05-10-2004, 08:49 AM

I think you're trying to hard to isolate the triceps while there are much better tricep exercises you could be doing.

What you're doing are actually called "kickbacks" and are not the best tricep exercise for the reasons you mentioned.

Try the following:

Skullcrushers (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...ingTriExt.html)
Close-grip press (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...enchPress.html)
Cable pushdowns (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...BPushdown.html)
Dips (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/.../ASTriDip.html)

Josh · 05-11-2004, 06:42 AM

Stencil, thanks for your reply. Yes, "kickbacks" is the proper name.

So, this exercise is not the best for triceps. But would doing it on a bench like I described help improve it and increase its effectiveness for triceps?

- Josh

plouffe · 05-11-2004, 06:44 AM

Over-the-Head Tricep Extension ( Dumbell / Cambered Bar )

gmontem · 05-11-2004, 02:52 PM

This link speaks of an exercise named "Elbows-Out Extensions". Has anyone tried that one?

05-10-2004, 07:23 AM	#1
Josh Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Indonesia Posts: 337	Triceps extension Hi all, I have been doing kneeling triceps extension (one leg kneeling on a bench and 1 hand supporting on the bench, upper body parallel to the floor, start with upper arm parallel to the floor and forearm perpendicular, then extend the forearm to parallel the floor). Using increasingly heavy dumbells, it became increasingly difficult to maintain strict form, I began to twist my upper body while extending the forearm. And then an idea came to my mind. I thought, this triceps extension exercise seems to be very similar to leg extension, with upper arms corresponding to upper legs, and extending the forearms corresponding to extending the lower parts of the legs. The only difference, I thought, is that in leg extension the upper legs are supported by the bench, so the weight is supported only by the lower legs while extending. In triceps extension, the upper arms are not supported when the forearms are extended, so I thought the weight is shared between upper and lower arms, making it more difficult to maintain proper form and to isolate the triceps. Why not support the upper arms? So I tried doing triceps extension by lying across a bench, resting the upper arms on the bench and the lower arms hanging, and then while keeping the upper arms on the bench I extend the lower arms. I find that the weight which was too heavy before now become quite light. My questions: Is the above triceps extension on a bench an acceptable form of triceps extension? Would doing it this way be effective for training triceps? Any advise is greatly appreciated. - Josh

05-11-2004, 06:44 AM	#4
plouffe is bulking Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,786 Photos: 6	Over-the-Head Tricep Extension ( Dumbell / Cambered Bar )
	These are my favorite faces : - - - Personal Bests: Bench - 235 Deadlift - 315 X 17 Squat - 315 X 11 40 yrd. - 4.65

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05-10-2004, 08:49 AM	#2
stencil Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New York, NY Posts: 135 Photos: 1	I think you're trying to hard to isolate the triceps while there are much better tricep exercises you could be doing. What you're doing are actually called "kickbacks" and are not the best tricep exercise for the reasons you mentioned. Try the following: Skullcrushers (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...ingTriExt.html) Close-grip press (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...enchPress.html) Cable pushdowns (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...BPushdown.html) Dips (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/.../ASTriDip.html)

05-11-2004, 06:42 AM	#3
Josh Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Indonesia Posts: 337	Stencil, thanks for your reply. Yes, "kickbacks" is the proper name. So, this exercise is not the best for triceps. But would doing it on a bench like I described help improve it and increase its effectiveness for triceps? - Josh

05-11-2004, 02:52 PM	#5
gmontem Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: California, USA Posts: 34	This link speaks of an exercise named "Elbows-Out Extensions". Has anyone tried that one?