Twenty Triceps Exercises and the Heads of the Triceps Worked

[papi93]

There seems to be a lot of questions in regards to which heads of the triceps are stimulated by various exercises (skullcrushers, dips, etc.). Reading through some of Ian King's articles, I came across one that applies very well to this issue.

Heavy Metal
Q&A with the King of Strength Coaches
by Ian King

Horseshoes in Your Shirtsleeves

Q: What are your top triceps movements or protocols for putting on mass? I've heard a lot of coaches say that you just have to go heavy to get the tri's to sprout.

A: I agree that a no-brainer way to get general size in the triceps is to simply go heavy in the big pushing movements such as bench press, shoulder press, and the various triceps movements. However, from watching bodies over the years, I've concluded that certain movements may give your triceps a certain shape. So if you simply wanted a large upper arm circumference, going heavy is a great strategy. But if you want to exploit the unique "horseshoe'" shape that the triceps offer, you may want to investigate exercise selection and priority a little more.

For those wanting to gain further insights, I suggest the following resources: Target Bodybuilding, by Per A. Tesch, published by Human Kinetics in 1999 and How To Write Strength Training Programs, by myself and available at KingSports.net. Interestingly, Tesch devoted more pages to the "back of the upper arm" muscles than any other muscle group in his whole book! So you get the idea ? there are many options for training the triceps. This is influenced by the shape of the muscle (three heads) and their involvement in the movement around two joints (the elbow and shoulder).

In this book, Tesch reviewed twenty triceps exercises and identified which heads of the tricep were primarily trained by which exercises. The more a certain head is targeted, the more stars it gets. His summary is as follows:

French press with EZ bar:

Lateral Head: *

Long Head: **

Medial Head: *

French press with EZ bar on decline bench

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: **

Medial Head: **

Supine triceps extension with dumbbell and neutral grip

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: *

Medial Head: *

Overhead triceps extensions with dumbbell and neutral grip

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: **

Medial Head: **

Overhead triceps extensions with dumbbell and rotation

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: **

Medial Head: **

Overhead triceps extensions with reverse grip

Lateral Head: *

Long Head: **

Medial Head: *

Standing French press with straight bar

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: *

Medial Head: **

Triceps pushdown with straight bar and narrow grip

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: **

Medial Head: *

Triceps pushdown with rope

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: **

Medial Head: **

Triceps pushdown with angled bar

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: **

Medial Head: **

One-arm triceps pushdown

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: *

Medial Head: **

One-arm triceps pushdown with reverse grip

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: **

Medial Head: **

Bench press with narrow grip

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: *

Medial Head: **

Parallel bar dip with neutral grip

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: **

Medial Head: **

Bench dip

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: **

Medial Head: **

Pullover with EZ bar and narrow grip

Lateral Head: *

Long Head: **

Medial Head: *

Military press with straight bar, behind neck

Lateral Head: **

Long Head: nil

Medial Head: **

Standing dumbbell press

Lateral Head: *

Long Head: nil

Medial Head: *

For those not inclined to pull out the above reference material when determining their programs, I use a simple categorization based on elbow and forearm position. Basically, there are four different elbow positions:

1) Behind body (dumbbell kickbacks)

2) Beside body (pushdowns)

3) In front of body (lying tricep extensions)

4) Overhead (overhead extensions)

There are also three different forearm positions:

1) Palms up (supine)

2) Palms in/thumbs up (neutral)

3) Palms down (prone)

By combining different elbow and forearm positions, you should have plenty of options to choose from.

[Ajk_Lpool]

Interesting read Papi. I always do my skullcrushers on a decline bench, just feels a lot better targeting the triceps that way.

[trivium9]

good stuff

[hulkinout]

Interesting read Papi. I always do my skullcrushers on a decline bench, just feels a lot better targeting the triceps that way.

I think I'd mentioned here once, that my triceps were stalled on skullcrushers until I started doing them (and all my lying tricep work like CGBP's) on a decline. The pre-stretch is great, and no elbow issues.

[mike8190]

Good post. But what would be best though, as heavy weight as possible, or no? I try to go as heavy as possible, but really strict form. Im trying for mass by the way.

[papi93]

Good post. But what would be best though, as heavy weight as possible, or no? I try to go as heavy as possible, but really strict form. Im trying for mass by the way.

Weighted triceps dips are my favorite. I, also, like to add overhead db triceps extensions.

[Eclectic1]

See this link for the same MRI study on biceps exercises:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...1#post43308421

[papi93]

See this link for the same MRI study on biceps exercises:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...1#post43308421

Got it. Nice find Zachariya.

[Curl Master]

Weighted triceps dips are my favorite. I, also, like to add overhead db triceps extensions.

Weighted Triceps Dips are definitely the best exercise for me for increasing the thickness of my triceps. I also think skull crushers are a good addition to anyones program.

[Curl Master]

See this link for the same MRI study on biceps exercises:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...1#post43308421

Cool nice find.

[Kate~]

Great info from you papi as always..
i just started the decline SC's..makes a huge diff

[PansyLad]

Wow, thanks!

By the way, can a head be rated higher than two stars?

[Eclectic1]

Wow, thanks!

By the way, can a head be rated higher than two stars?

Josh,

No. On the MRI scans muscles show up in different shades of grey according to how much they are involved. The lighter they are the more they are involved. But the interesting thing about Tesch's study is that it showed not only what muscles are involved more than others but which heads of those muscles are used more or exclusively, depending on the exercise. For example, the MRI after 5 sets of 10 reps in barbell military presses (90 secs rest between sets) shows that the lateral and medial heads are worked but the long head is not. It is still black on the MRI. Black means little or negligible involvement (no stars). Grey means moderate involvement (1 star) and light grey means heavy involvement (2 stars). He uses star notation when summarising at the conclusion of each chapter which is organised by muscles. It is a very interesting book, Target Bodybuilding. It is just a shame he doesn't have a chapter on the back or shoulder muscles.

[Defiant1]

Josh,

No. On the MRI scans muscles show up in different shades of grey according to how much they are involved. The lighter they are the more they are involved. But the interesting thing about Tesch's study is that it showed not only what muscles are involved more than others but which heads of those muscles are used more or exclusively, depending on the exercise. For example, the MRI after 5 sets of 10 reps in barbell military presses (90 secs rest between sets) shows that the lateral and medial heads are worked but the long head is not. It is still black on the MRI. Black means little or negligible involvement (no stars). Grey means moderate involvement (1 star) and light grey means heavy involvement (2 stars). He uses star notation when summarising at the conclusion of each chapter which is organised by muscles. It is a very interesting book, Target Bodybuilding. It is just a shame he doesn't have a chapter on the back or shoulder muscles.

You might like (from Lorenzo Cornacchia/Bompa) :

**Important: Cornacchia says, these will vary between individuals:

*note from Defiant: The "Pectoralis Minor" is an obvious error. It should be Pectoralis Major, Clavicular portion (upper pecs) also, when noting the results, note the EXACT results, in terms of EXACTLY what was tested (example, "quadriceps" was ACTUALLY rectus femoris, triceps was OUTER triceps, biceps was LONG HEAD etc)::


(100% would signify maximum muscle fiber stimulation)

Pectoralis Major (Chest)
Decline dumbbell bench press ----------------93%
Decline bench press, Olympic bar(OB)---------89
Push-ups between benches --------------------88
Flat dumbbell bench press -------------------87
Flat bench press (OB) -----------------------85
Flat dumbbell flyes --------------------------84

Pectoralis Minor (Chest)
Incline dumbbell bench press ----------------91%
Incline bench press (OB) --------------------85
Incline dumbbell flyes -----------------------83
Incline bench press (smith machine) ---------81

Medial Deltoids (Shoulder)
Incline dumbbell (db) side laterals ----- 66%
Standing db side laterals -------63
Seated db side laterals -----62
Cable side laterals -----47

Posterior Deltoids
Standing db bent laterals ----- 85%
Seated db bent laterals -----83
Standing cable bent laterals -----77

Anterior Deltoids
Seated front db press -----79%
Standing front db raises -----73
Seated front barbell press -----61

Biceps brachii (long head)
Preacher curls (Ob) -------------------- 90%
Incline seated Db curls (alternate) ------ 88
Standing biceps curls (Ob/narrow grip)--- 86
Standing Db curls (alternate) ----------- 84
Concentration Db curls ------------------ 80
Standing curls (Ob/wide grip)------------ 63
Sta
ding E-Z curls (wide grip) ----------- 61

Triceps brachii (outer head)
Decline extensions (Ob) ------------------ 92%
Triceps pressdowns (angled bar) ----------- 90
Dips with a bench --------------------------87
One-arm cable extensions (reverse grip) - 85
Overhead rope extensions ------------------ 85
Seated one-arm Db extensions (neutral grip)- 82
Close-grip bench press (Ob) --------------- 72

Latissimus dorsi (back)
Bent-over Bb rows ---------------------------93%
One-arm Db rows -----------------------------91
T-bar rows ----------------------------------89
Lat pulldowns to the front ------------------86
Seated pulley rows --------------------------83

Rectus femoris (quads)
Safety squats (90 degree angle, shoulder width stance) ----88%
seated leg extensions (toes straight) -------86
Hack squats (90 degree angle, shoulder width stance) ----78
Leg press (110 degree angle) ----------------76
Smith machine (90 degree angle, shoulder width stance) ----60

Biceps femoris (hamstring)
Standing leg curls --------------------------82%
Lying leg curls -----------------------------71
Seated leg curls ----------------------------58
Modified hamstring deads --------------------56

Semitendinosus (inner hamstring)
Seated leg curls ----------------------------88
Standing leg curls --------------------------79
Lying leg curls -----------------------------70
Modified hamstring deads --------------------63

Gastrocnemius (calf muscle)
Donkey raises -------------------------------80
Standing one-leg raises ---------------------79
Standing two-leg raises ---------------------68
Seated raises -------------------------------61

[Defiant1]

Papi, wherever you got that from (I think it was T-nation?), it leaves out the Tricep Kickback for some reason:

Results on kickbacks (from Per Tesch's book)

Lat head: XX
Long: X
Medial: XX

[PansyLad]

Josh,

No. On the MRI scans muscles show up in different shades of grey according to how much they are involved. The lighter they are the more they are involved. But the interesting thing about Tesch's study is that it showed not only what muscles are involved more than others but which heads of those muscles are used more or exclusively, depending on the exercise. For example, the MRI after 5 sets of 10 reps in barbell military presses (90 secs rest between sets) shows that the lateral and medial heads are worked but the long head is not. It is still black on the MRI. Black means little or negligible involvement (no stars). Grey means moderate involvement (1 star) and light grey means heavy involvement (2 stars). He uses star notation when summarising at the conclusion of each chapter which is organised by muscles. It is a very interesting book, Target Bodybuilding. It is just a shame he doesn't have a chapter on the back or shoulder muscles.

I understand. Thanks Zachariya .

By the way, is your name pronounced like "diarrhea"? I've never heard it before.

[Eclectic1]

I understand. Thanks Zachariya .

By the way, is your name pronounced like "diarrhea"? I've never heard it before.

LOL, thanks. the -riya bit is pronounced like "eye" and then "ah"

[papi93]

Papi, wherever you got that from (I think it was T-nation?), it leaves out the Tricep Kickback for some reason:

Results on kickbacks (from Per Tesch's book)

Lat head: XX
Long: X
Medial: XX

T-nation. Thanks for the addition Defiant (reps).

[BBing_Addict]

Nice post mate... REPS

i actually going to do a little EMG study next for uni, it will look at the mean activity of the latissimus Dorsi during pull ups (pronated grip) at three different grip width (narrow, shoulder, and wide)


EDIT: i have to spread more reps before repping you again

[papi93]

Nice post mate... REPS

i actually going to do a little EMG study next for uni, it will look at the mean activity of the latissimus Dorsi during pull ups (pronated grip) at three different grip width (narrow, shoulder, and wide)


EDIT: i have to spread more reps before repping you again

Cool. I hope that you start up a new thread with the results. Good luck on your study.

[jwdjrs]

Nice job papi

[BBing_Addict]

Cool. I hope that you start up a new thread with the results. Good luck on your study.

thanks mate, i might do that...

[Jenk513]

Great post... Especially how you added to just combine all the different elbow and forearm positions because i dont think too many people are going to remember that first list but its still great to know.

[Hard Drive]

Papi and Defiant, both amazing posts. I'm enjoying your posts that I've been digging up as much as I would any good psychology textbook.

Defiant, what exactly is a: "Incline dumbbell (db) side laterals?"

I'm half-way imagining it's when you lay sideways on an inline bench, take the db and poin your thumb all the way to the ground(empty the can) and move it up and down thus. Or, it could be like reverse flyes, just at an incline. Whatever it is, I'm very interested in a method better than side laterals for the delts.

Furthermore, Papi, were these studies performed on more than a few people, male AND female, with a good age and body type variety?

[Denver Ice]

Papi and Zach- Thanks & reps!

[papi93]

Papi and Defiant, both amazing posts. I'm enjoying your posts that I've been digging up as much as I would any good psychology textbook.

Defiant, what exactly is a: "Incline dumbbell (db) side laterals?"

I'm half-way imagining it's when you lay sideways on an inline bench, take the db and poin your thumb all the way to the ground(empty the can) and move it up and down thus. Or, it could be like reverse flyes, just at an incline. Whatever it is, I'm very interested in a method better than side laterals for the delts.

Furthermore, Papi, were these studies performed on more than a few people, male AND female, with a good age and body type variety?

I found the information while reading an article by Ian King. Defiant has the book so he might be able to give you the details of the study.

Papi and Zach- Thanks & reps!

You're welcome and thank you.

[Defiant1]

I found the information while reading an article by Ian King. Defiant has the book so he might be able to give you the details of the study.

Side raises done sitting face down on an incline bench. You can mimic the effect by doing side raises bent forward at the waist 30-45 degrees.

Side delt exercise.

Not in the Tesch book Papi.

I suspect Kalt is thinking of the Cornacchia/Bompa EMG studies often quoted -these had the highest EMG activity for the side delt.

[Hard Drive]

Side raises done sitting face down on an incline bench. You can mimic the effect by doing side raises bent forward at the waist 30-45 degrees.

Side delt exercise.

Not in the Tesch book Papi.

I suspect Kalt is thinking of the Cornacchia/Bompa EMG studies often quoted -these had the highest EMG activity for the side delt.

Sweet, do you know appr. what incline? If it's too low it'd be hitting the side delts.

And I just wanted to know what kind of test group this study was done on. Men have different figures than women, so some of these might night work so well for one as another one would if it was only done on one gender. Same thing with ages, and I believe muscle works differently with age.

[hulkinout]

Side raises done sitting face down on an incline bench. You can mimic the effect by doing side raises bent forward at the waist 30-45 degrees.

Side delt exercise.

Not in the Tesch book Papi.

I suspect Kalt is thinking of the Cornacchia/Bompa EMG studies often quoted -these had the highest EMG activity for the side delt.

When I saw "incline db side laterals" listed, I immediately thought it was 1-arm db lateral raises lying sideways on an incline bench whereby your arm crosses your torso at the bottom. Steve Holman strongly advocates this move for its stretch-position value.

Then I saw your definition, and I thought, based on the name, yeah it could be that too. Is the book/study implicit as to which variation it is?

Thanks in advance. I love reading statistics like this -- appeals to the inner bodybuilding geek trapped inside.

[Defiant1]

Sweet, do you know appr. what incline? If it's too low it'd be hitting the side delts.

And I just wanted to know what kind of test group this study was done on. Men have different figures than women, so some of these might night work so well for one as another one would if it was only done on one gender. Same thing with ages, and I believe muscle works differently with age.

Even Cornacchia said all people are different.

It was about a 50-60 degree incline or so.

I don't want to hijack a tricep thread though with delt info....