Before you point me toward threads like this “Targeting Different Tricep Heads?” http://tnation.tmuscle.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding/tricep_heads , please hear me out.
I’ve got a minuscule lateral head on my triceps. Long head is pretty good and has a decent sweep.
I think part/all of the problem/reason for this is/could be elbow Range of Motion (ROM) issues, as I think reaching full ROM on tricep extension is paramount to lateral head development. ROM issues could be due to baseball? tennis? wrestling? etc. not really sure what caused this but I’ve been living/lifting with it for quite some time and always – since high school – have been convinced I had a congenital defect and needed surgery, or something. Suffice to say it’s bothered me bad at times due to inability to straighten my arms when laying down/exercising/etc.
About my elbows:
Right elbow/arm stops short ~20 or more degrees of full extension (doesn’t even reach anywhere near straight position let alone any degree of hyper-extension as some people’s elbows do… I guess my elbow is gay since it’s fighting me so hard not to want to go straight. Bad joke. Sorry.
my left stops short about 5 or 10 degrees. I’m pretty sure that full elbow extension is a big part of lateral head stimulation.
I’m not sure the best course of action as the doc was never any help… Been to the doc; can’t remember what type of doc. I believe X-rays were taken, but was like when I was in HS or so – x rays of course are not the most reliable source. Upon inspection, I was told that there was no foreign bodies or defects in the elbow, but I wasn’t really left with a course of action. I do feel my chest and biceps tendon are a bit tighter on that side at all times. So, most likely that’s got something to do with it all, but I’m no expert so I’m unsure if this is a cause, symtom, or is unrelated.
Would self-ART/self-myofacial release of the following areas help eventually help to relive the tension in the right side ligaments, and perhaps also eventually help me to eventually develop the lateral head(s) as well?:
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Forearm flexion and pronation: flexor carpi radialis: just below the elbow near the bicep insertion (I knew this was a classic ART move for forearms, so I just started researching it. I was just looking at a forearm anatomy chart, and realized that i have an incredibly tight flexor carpi radialis. Performing ART along this feels great – pressing hard with opposite thumb and moving hand through ROM – even forcing hand flexion stretch by pressing my hand knuckles into the opposite leg (hard to describe, and I’m beginning to ramble). I will see if this helps and report back). Focusing on the increasing the length of this via stretching and ART (removing potential scar tissue. Also possibly also possibly the insertion of the pronator teres – which is essentially the same as the flexor carpi radialis insertion I think?)
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biceps (got any tips for biceps ART or other ways to permanently increase biceps length… I’m thinking something like antagonist activation prior to stretch. Thoughts are appreciated)
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pec tendon near the shoulder insertion. (possible rolling on a baseball in the area (when warmed up of course), as well as ART – can anyone point me to a good video for this?
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teres major
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lats (also contributes to internal rotation)
That’s just my educated guess (not very) on the plan of attack from some limited stuff I’ve read on ART before. I know that an ART practitioner would help the most, but if anyone has any knowledge and can point me in the right direction that would be much appreciated.
OR would a best course of action have more to do with something like just sticking to exercises that target the lateral head? I’m looking for a more pro-active approach than this though. Thanks for your thoughts and time reading all this.
I’m pretty sure elbow ROM issues are common so I thought I’d throw this question out there. I hope this is able to help someone besides myself.
BushidoBadBoy? Anybody?
…FYI I frequently HAD popping/locking (not dance moves) in both elbows in the past, but this has gone away for a variety of reasons (possibly due to increasing shoulder and forearm tissue quality) so I think foreign bodies is out of the question. I think this tends to point to short tendon and biceps muscle length as well as perhaps scar tissue along some of the inserting muscle/tendons due to throwing related injuries. Also a host of other tension issues throughout the body if left unchecked, but self myofacial release helps with those areas.
I’ve only not (consistently) performed those techniques on this area because I didn’t know the correct methods for biceps, pecs, teres major (which I think is implicated in tight pecs??). Foam rolling/tennis ball rolling the quads, hips, back, shoulder girdle, etc (and taking them through ROM while doing so) is much easier to self perform on those areas as applying body pressure is much easier to those areas). I hope that helps.
Also I’ve tried some DC stretching for this but gave it up because it hurt in a tearing feeling way – not just an intense stretch sort of way.
Also, I know I suffer from classic upper (and lower) crossed syndrome (self diagnosed – pretty confident about this). Am now learning to foam roll the tight muscles, and am activating the classically weak inhibited muscles as per the syndrome.
I’m sure this all adds to it, so any more general suggestions in that arena are very welcome too. FYI though I’m making great progress on this with foam rolling and other self-myofacial release techniques, as well as increasing shoulder/rotator cuff external rotation (for upper crossed), and stretching hip flexors activating glutes for lower crossed. I hope you got through all that. Thanks for your time. I’m glad to hear your thoughts on all this and my theory that it is in part due to my lateral head inadequacy 
BTW I increased my overhead lifting recently which I think is helping to some degree.
Anyways, this has run away from the original intent of the piece, but itâ??s been a good chance to collect some thoughts all in one place.
I know there’s not an overnight cure, but I appreciate any feedback on both my original question (about lateral head of tricep) as well as thoughts on anything else.
Thanks.
Best,
BT