tricep exercise choice

S_F_H

New Member
Yet I saw a lot of people doing skullcrushers, which i know is probably one of the best isolation exercise since it has a great extension.. but as for hst, shouldnt I be doing a compound one? if so, except for dips, would there only be CGBP left to do? and would CGBP be compound enough?

long story short.. should i switch my skullcrushers for CGBP.. :D

thx!
 
Skullcrushers have more stretch. CGBP really isn't much of a compound exercise. Dips and Bench Press are the compound exercises that hit the triceps. You will also get a little bit of work out of the tris from deadlifts and chins.
 
i disagree that cgbp isnt a good compound. it hits tris, shoulders and chest! sounds like a compound to me.

i found my best gains in tris came from cgbp, but my shoulders didnt like them much so i made the switch to skulls.


mike mentza actually did a shoulder width bench press, as he stated there was a better stretch for chest.




i highly recommend cgbp if your body doesnt mind (i know lots have problems with wrists and shoulders).
 
Your triceps will be growing from doing compound exercises like dips and shoulder presses (although they aren't the primary target muscle for these exercises), the idea of doing an isolation exercise is to use an exercise which subjects the muscle to more stretch. For triceps skullcrushers are excellent for this as are dumbbell extensions.
 
I was just saying that CGBP isn't much of a compound exercise such as dips or bench press are. CGBP didn't do much for me, and neither do skulls... it really lies with the big compound exercises. If I were to add an iso, it would be skulls. I am actually doing these on my iso days for this cycle... starting tomorrow.. oh boy!
 
ok... basically, is that i learned compound usually (specially for arms) allow heavier weight, which means "easier" growth (no?)... thats why.. cuz i havent noticed THAT much of progress with skulls yet.. thats why i thought about going towards the cgbp..
 
What's the rest of your routine like?

Because the bulk of your tricep growth should come from compound movements as I previously said...I don't personally see the point in doing close grip bench presses as there should be sufficient pressing movements involved in your chest and shoulder worrk.

The skulls are then a different way of working the muscle by utilising greater stretch (see vicious's pimp my hst e-book for further info on compound and stretch point exercises).

So in short your lack of progress with triceps is unlikely to be down to doing skulls instead of anything else.

Having said all that I doubt doing close grip benches will do any harm so by all means try it out...
 
I forgot to mention that when I typically do skulls, I automatically superset them with CGBP's using the EZ-Curl Bar.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]What's the rest of your routine like?

My 3rd Cycle

The original idea is at the top of the thread. The whole split of the compounds and isolations (and isos throughout the cycle) stays the same. The AM/PM split is shown near the bottom of the thread.

It's iso day today. :)

-Colby
 
can CGBP done in an incline?
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The triceps respond up to a limit with most exercises. It helps if you have the arms in a position where the elbows are raised thus stretching the triceps. If you modify an old Nautilus triceps machine and put the arm pads closer to the user so that the elbows do not contact the pads it should not cause any injury. Build a foot pad and you have a superb triceps machine. If you examine the photo you will see that this is a strong position and the cam of the machine gives some resistance in the extended position.

The Medx triceps machine is another machine I liked. It is the only machine I have used that really loads the triceps in the extended position. Arthur Jones knew how to build some great machines.
 
I've always loved doing skullz...but they stop working after time. So recently I started alternating them with cable pressdowns, using different grips and this has blown them up nicely. I think a bit of variety is a good way to prioritize them, but too many different exersizes on a muscle is counterproductive IMHO.
Another favorite of mine, and a mindblower, is reverse grip benching. It is a compound with emphasis on the triceps, can be done with a LOT of weight, and is best done in a full sweat and a tank top...so your tri's can slide up your lats and not stick. A t-shirt will tend to bunch up in the armpits on this one. I also suggest wrist wraps, as there is a danger in the bar destabilizing and rolling off your thumb and kissing your neck. Hard.
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As far as I can see, when you do cable press-downs you are actually using about the same ROM for your tris as when you do dips only the resistance curve is different. When you do dips your pecs are working hard too and help your tris through the sticking point that you get with press-downs. This allows you to use far more weight with dips than with press-downs. I reckon that if you can do heavy dips and then for an iso do skulls or overhead extensions (my personal favourite) you have a killer combo.

IMHO, whilst press-downs are a 'nice' exercise to perform and will give you a good pump, if you are already doing heavy dips then I feel they are a bit of a waste of energy which could be better spent doing skulls or over-head extensions (or saved for something else entirely!).

One particularly good reason for compounds like dips with HST is that the higher loads allow for better progression through a cycle.
 
In my experience triceps pressdowns can help you get a 17 inch arm. Over that size you will need to do other things that do not let the other muscles contribute as much. That is why I recommend doing things where the triceps are in a stretched position and stabilized in two directions. Even on the best of equipment fellows manage to cheat and therefore are not targetting the triceps. The lying extensions with cable are almost as good as that Nautilus modification I posted. I haven't designed a triceps machine yet but I have a good idea what it would be like. Most of the commercial triceps machines were designed by non-bodybuilders and are not very effective. To test various machines work up to a heavy weight and see how it feels on that machine. You cannot handle heavy weights in a seated position and extending your elbows in front of you. That is why I recommend doing the exercise with the body in a straight position so that you can direct more force where it is needed.

The photo shows the lying extensions. I have since modified the apparatus to include adjustable side pads that stop the arms from going sideways during the exercise.
 
That looks very cool Vince, but for most of us it is not going to be possible unless the gym we use thinks it will pull in extra clients. So that's where skulls or overhead extensions (with db or EZ-curl bar) come in. Anything to get a good stretch!
 
Yeah, and after all, 17 inch arms is over my genetic limit. I'm just a small dude like faust and dan.

I wanted to be a 200 pound monster years ago, but then found that with my genetics and without AAS, my max would be 176 pounds at 8%bf.
 
vince i did that exercise 32years ago with an old english bbr called basil grant..we use a lat pulldown machine with a bench side on.
 
I do a similar one on my lat machine at home, can't lie down so nicely though!

Sure looks like a real ass kicker!

By the way, I somehow still believe and am cahsing a 17" arm, lots of chasing though as I am still 15.5".
 
I just realized the other night that when I do Skull Crushers, I naturally use a false grip. Never planned to do it, it's just what I instinctively do. Anything wrong with that, do you suppose?
 
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