Tricep exercises

Fausto

Fausto

HST Expert
Hi All

My turn to ask a question or two.:D

Regarding the overhead extension using a cable.

I am on my second workout of fives, and even though I know that I can (only training twice a week) still add weight and do it, however the exercise is getting increasingly unconfortable.

What I am getting at is, what alternatives are people using out there?

I feel that the o/h extension is excellent for the inner/bottom part of the tricep, yet the exercise is bothering me.

What do you people suggest?

I know my cable machine is not the best around (lot of friction) because the weight I am using just feels too heavy
+/- 70 pounds or could it be that the friction is making it a bad choice all in all?

I have heard that some of the guys with incredible triceps use a kind of single o/h d/b extension on a incline bench, or should I just go for the good ol' french curl???

Help
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would be greatly appreciated.

Fausto
 
Fausto,

I don't know if I have incredible tricep development.
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but I had to switch to a CG BP/JM press hybrid for my tri's. I developed some medial epi. during the 15's :mad: I easily develop medial epi so I try to get away with tri ext until I develop pain. I try to do lots of FA flexion.extensions to stretch the area too. I saw fair/good results from the CG's/JM's. Hope this helps.

Cline
 
Hi, Fausto!

I stick with skull crushers for as long as my elbows will tolerate it. Over head extension from the cable is what I usually switch to when needed. I like using a rope so that I can rotate my hands out as I extend. Be sure to keep the wrists locked tight.... motion at the wrists can create or exacerbate forearm and elbow problems.

For negatives, I switch to one arm DB french press because they are easy to self spot and because they put the triceps in the best prestretched position.

Thanks to HST, my triceps now make up 2/3 of my arm. No grandma arms for this old gal.
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Happy hypertrophy!
Kate
 
Think about dropping the tricep work.If you're doing benches and overhead presses chances are your triceps are getting plenty of work.You might even get some new growth.
 
Hi, shakeel!

I like to do these standing. Start with a DB in one hand with the arm straightened overhead, thumb pointing behind you. Without moving the shoulder or letting the elbow wander, lower the DB down behind your head. Be sure to lower slowly and miss your head on the way down ;) Your elbow should be pointed toward the ceiling (or as close as you can get depending upon your flexibility).

Try to rotate around the elbow and focus on squeezing the tricep to straighten the arm. If the elbow is moving around a lot, you are using muscles other than the tricep to move the DB.

Problem shoulders may not be happy with this motion, especially when you are lifting heavy, so discontinue if your shoulders start complaining.
 
Also, Fausto:

When it comes to direct arm work -- for biceps and triceps -- it's a good idea to rotate your exercise, even if it means you don't use your preferred exercise as often as you like. Using the same exercise over and over will generally lead to problems, long-term.

In the compound exercises, your body can naturally change the movement a little bit over time, or change the balance of muscle tensions a little bit, which makes it less repetitive. (In fact, this happens over the course of a single set, since different muscles have different fatigue rates, etc.)

But in the direct exercises, your body can't do much to change it. If you don't, you end up with some sort of repetitive motion complications.

You may have to back off on the weights and do a lot of high-rep "therapy" lifting to completely get rid of the problem. Then, in the future, make sure to switch up the exercise frequently and, as Kate does, immediately switch off of whatever version is causing you trouble right now.
 
i think kate has the right idea. usually switching to something like a behind the shoulders(but bad for the shoulders) bench dip, or a triceps kickback or underhand pushdown grip will help. The best alternative if it is really giving you fits is to just not work those triceps for a few weeks. Arms can go for about 3 months of no direct work without any significant atrophy according to poliquin.
 
Thanks Kate, Morded and all

Some might not have understood the question completely!

I am not exactly suffering from elbow problems, but I might as well find out what the other guys and gals are doing as an alternative...and yes...before I definitely hurt my elbows.

So Kate, I'll take you up on the "frenchies" they sound like a good idea, I think I'll do them on the incline bench, and maybe afterwards a quick change over to the pushdowns!

I am doing a kind of superset without rest, from one exercise to the next, it is kind of like the last 20 or so metres in a 100 metre race LOL
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I will not drop the tricep exercise because as I said earlier on it is just the load that is starting to hurt, and well my triceps are really what makes the bigger part of my arm.

I am still thinking of doing a full 8 week cycle without any arm work, and mostly just compound exercises, but I'll have to work on my faith to get there, if you know what I mean
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.

Anyway great set of posts from all and more than enough alternatives to get me going, once again HST forum proves itself on sorting out issues!

Thanks Guys
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Fausto
 
I've been using close grip (2-3 inches apart) flat bench press as my meathod of training triceps for now. So far I'm seeing them continue to grow. I might switch to a tricep machine next cycle just for a change but this seems to be working just fine.
 
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