I have been working out for years< I am not a bodybuilder nor a powerlifter, just yer average joe trying to look and feel better. The issue is, my triceps never seem to grow.
I currently close grip bench 230lbs for 3-4 sets of 6 reps, push downs with either the straight or v- bar 3 sets of 8 reps, 90 lbs, and skull crushers, 3 sets of 8 reps t 70-80 lbs. Any advice?
Go heavier and do more
Do seated overhead dumbbell extensions with one dumbbell using two hands on a low back bench. Keep reps in the 8-15 range. Up the reps on the pushdowns to the 15-20 range with only 30 sec rest between sets every now and then.
ALWAYS squeeze the hell out of every rep, max contraction is the key here.
Overhead moves work the triceps from a stretched position recruiting more fibers and gives a harder contraction, just try and you’ll see what I mean.
When upping the reps and keeping the rest periodes short on the pushdowns, you get one helluva pump and stretches the fascia surrounding the muscles paving the way for new growth.
I have also every now and then used drop sets on the bench dip, having my partner load 3 45’s on my lap and removing one by one when I can’t get another full rep for one painfull long drop set that toasts the tri’s completely 
I just explained this on other form, but I’ll try to clarify. Find a rail or bench about waist height, put your hands togeather on top of rail, step back 3-5ft,(farther away the harder) now drop your head between your arms down under the rail,straighten your arms and push yourself erect(rocking on your toes)it’s kind of a standing skullcrusher, you get a great stretch and pump, it blows up the long head,I don’t do these on arm day thats when I lift weights, but I can do these on off days between rows works well because they stretch the lats aswell,
I’ve found throwing these in a couple times a week on off days for a while really fattens up the tri’s, this has worked for me aswell as several clients.These just force blood in the tri’s but thier not hard enough to take away from other pressing moves.Your workout looks fine mabey a little higher reps on some stuff,and try throwing these in a couple times through the week for a while, goodluck
[quote]medic35 wrote:
I currently close grip bench 230lbs for 3-4 sets of 6 reps, push downs with either the straight or v- bar 3 sets of 8 reps, 90 lbs, and skull crushers, 3 sets of 8 reps t 70-80 lbs. Any advice?[/quote]
That’s a lot of heavy triceps work. Are you having any elbow pain at the triceps insertion point?
I agree with Roy M, higher reps and short rests. My favourite is the overhead cable extension with a rope-grip. Just kneel down in front of a low pulley and do 4 sets of 15-20 reps.
Go for as full a ROM as you can, pause at the top.
The pump is ace and you’ll quickly add size to the meaty long head. For the second exercise just pick one of your favourites, again for high reps and short rest.
I spent so long learning how to bench to build my pecs that I struggle to work my triceps even with a close-grip.
Heavy pushdowns have always given me a great ab workout, but they’ve rarely done much for my triceps.
Close-grip bench always fatigues my shoulders. I don’t think I have ever had a good triceps pump with those (or even dips). My two favorites are seated dumbbell overhead extensions (2 hands on 1 dumbbell) and wide/medium grip skull crushers. Anything else seems to neglect the long head.
2 posts in 6 years… That’s freakin awesome!
I’m not really old enough to be in here… But triceps are a strong point of mine, and they’ve really exploded lately.
So the things that work for me (in addition to just standard bench pressing of course) are as follows:
close grip bench (you’re already doing this obviously)
close grip floor press
close grip board press
slingshot benching (paused for reps; buy a reactive slingshot (the blue one), that’s great for us raw lifters imo)
weighted dips (don’t gotta go crazy with the ROM, these can be a little tough on the shoulders)
and if your tendons can handle it, band pushdowns
I got a lot of tricep strength from doing boatloads of average band pushdowns for sets of 20, light band pushdowns for backdown sets, and mondo sets of 100-200 with a miniband. You probably won’t be able to keep that up a whole lot without straight up developing elbow tendonitis though, so just go by feel. I’m only 24 and I had to take a break from the band work after about a month because it was so rough on the joints. But like I said, if you can take some of it, I found them highly effective.
Also, just something to keep in mind, compared to most parts of your body, your triceps are pretty darn hard to injure. I mean compared to the number of injuries to pecs and shoulders and hamstrings and lower backs and so on, triceps are practically invincible (waits for everyone to post their tricep injury stories…). Anyway the point of that is don’t be afraid to work them like 3 times a week if you like. Probably should make one of those days just like a lighter bodybuilding pump kinda day, but you get the idea. They need a lot of work and can take a fair amount of punishment.
Just some food for thought. That stuff worked for me. I’ve always been a big time chest bencher, but after really putting in work with the above, my close grip strength is literally almost equal to my competition grip benching now (and they’ve certainly grown as well).
Good luck you lurking son of a gun!
Scott tricep extensions, 5x20
I’ve given the same advice several times here, i don’t know if anybody understands, but over the years I’ve tried everything, and nothing pumps up long head like these standing head cavers. If you’ve read any of my posts you’ll know I’m telling the truth about learning these years ago in the pen, anyway here goes, stand about 3-5ft away from a bench or rail at aprox. waist height (I just used bathroom sink) put hands togeather on rail, now bend at the waist so your leaning on your hands, pivoting on your toes, put your head through your elbows and down under your hands and rail, now you should be standing bent over with hands behind head like cable ext. at this point flex tris and extend your arms so your back to the start,(the distance away from the rail controls the resistance - further away your feet are the harder the exercise is) As a trainer I’ve been using these for 15yrs, and everyone love them, they pump up your long head like crazy, it takes a couple tries to get the movement down but it’s worth it. Now we don’t use these on tricept day, I like heavy training that day, but use these on off days, they work real well on back day, because they streatch out the lats, but you can even do them at home, I like 3-5 sets of 20reps, 2xweek, plus a tricept day
If you do nothing else for your tricepts but what I’m telling you, in 6-8 weeks you’ll be back here telling me I’m a genius, people are going to laugh and bash on this, but the jokes on them, this is an amazing streatch and pump that won’t bother CNS, I’ll try to get some pics, goodluck
stupid vid, but he demonstrates the standing head caver in there at about 1:33 goodluck, hope vid is’nt to painful
Frequency! Do something for triceps 3 times a week at least. Maybe five times a week. Spend some time doing very light weight stuff going slow and feeling the contraction and some time going very fast doing explosive work. Also find a way to do something for triceps around the house. Like pressing against a wall. It all adds up. Good luck!
If the issue is not being able to activate the triceps during heavier bench press variations then this oughta help a lot.
A. Your Form
Try really tucking in your elbows hard and touching really low while doing close grips or any variation you’re trying to target your triceps with whether it be board pressing, chain pressing, bands, floor, or any other variation or combination. Also focus hard on making your bar path a straight line. The J bar path seems to target the chest and shoulders more.
B. Mind-Body connection with tris
Do some really light isolation work with your tris before the heavy work. Make sure you can really feel a pump and a little burn so you can really feel the tris working with the heavier stuff
Personally, I as far as strength and growth go I’ve never gotten anything out of isolation exercises for my tris but they have kept my elbows healthy and are good for pre-fatiguing.
Also, if your comfortable with your form, try using a false grip. This will allow a straighter bar path and more tuck. Start out light so you can get some practice in without smashing your face. Overtime it’ll become no less dangerous than a thumbs around grip (if you dump a bar with heavy weight on it, is having your thumb there really going to help or or is it just going to break and dislocate your thumb along with your ribs or face?).
I think there has been some good advice in here and some not so good advice as well. I’m not looking to get into any arguments so I won’t comment further on that.
If your in a spot to observe people working triceps look at those doing pushdowns, extensions or body weight tricep movements for reps. I’m willing to bet while you may see some with large triceps you will also see many people who fit this category who don’t have a lot of tricep size.
Now watch those close gripping near or above 300 pounds with their elbows tucked or anyone doing dips with at or near body weight added for reps. I promise you any one who you find doing either of these things will have large triceps.
I’ve done all of the above movements and I’m not saying any are bad but some of them serve purposes other than size building in my opinion. The latter two movements mentioned above are the ones I feel have added the most size for me. There are others who may be more qualified to comment, but my arms are right at 18 inches flexed at 195 pounds so I feel pretty comfortable talking about this topic.
[quote]DBasler wrote:
I think there has been some good advice in here and some not so good advice as well. I’m not looking to get into any arguments so I won’t comment further on that.
If your in a spot to observe people working triceps look at those doing pushdowns, extensions or body weight tricep movements for reps. I’m willing to bet while you may see some with large triceps you will also see many people who fit this category who don’t have a lot of tricep size.
Now watch those close gripping near or above 300 pounds with their elbows tucked or anyone doing dips with at or near body added for reps. I promise you any one who you find doing either of these things will have large triceps.
I’ve done all of the above movements and I’m not saying any are bad but some of them serve purposes other than size building in my opinion. The latter two movements mentioned above are the ones I feel have added the most size for me. There are others who may be more qualified to comment, but my arms are right at 18 inches flexed at 195 pounds so I feel pretty comfortable talking about this topic. [/quote]
This is wisdom.
Dblaster wrote;
I think there has been some good advice in here and some not so good advice as well. I’m not looking to get into any arguments so I won’t comment further on that.
If your in a spot to observe people working triceps look at those doing pushdowns, extensions or body weight tricep movements for reps. I’m willing to bet while you may see some with large triceps you will also see many people who fit this category who don’t have a lot of tricep size.
Now watch those close gripping near or above 300 pounds with their elbows tucked or anyone doing dips with at or near body added for reps. I promise you any one who you find doing either of these things will have large triceps.
I’ve done all of the above movements and I’m not saying any are bad but some of them serve purposes other than size building in my opinion. The latter two movements mentioned above are the ones I feel have added the most size for me. There are others who may be more qualified to comment, but my arms are right at 18 inches flexed at 195 pounds so I feel pretty comfortable talking about this topic.
I didn’t post anything about an actual tricept day above, and this pretty much sums it up, we train mostly PL style, so close grips, board press, dips, land mine press, no real isolation stuff for tris on press day, kinda like 531, so my post abouve is more about keeping blood in the area through out the week, let us know how you make out.
just because…
