Lower tricep exercises

[KTCKSports]

Hi,

My biceps are more impressive then my triceps. Like many other muscle groups have grown much better with less work.

In particular I would like to target the lower tricep. The couple of inches right above the elbow is the area of concern. When I do dips, I get a good pump but it soon goes away.

Please provide some assistance with me hitting this lower tricep area.

thanks!
K-

 

[Neodavid]

Bad news is tendon length and muscle belly shape are genetic and you can't change the shape or length of a muscle.

If you've never heard of POF (point of flexion), it contends that a muscle will adapt specifically to the area of tension.

In most tricep exercises, the muscle is being used the LEAST, when the arm is straight.

But with tricep kickbacks (the one most guys think look gay), the tension is greatest when the arm is straight.

It's like the difference between the squat and the leg extension.

You could try adding a few sculpting sets of tricep kickbacks, or some other exercise the stresses the tri at lockout.

Hi,

My biceps are more impressive then my triceps. Like many other muscle groups have grown much better with less work.

In particular I would like to target the lower tricep. The couple of inches right above the elbow is the area of concern. When I do dips, I get a good pump but it soon goes away.

Please provide some assistance with me hitting this lower tricep area.

thanks!
K-

 

[KTCKSports]

Good info Neo. Kickbacks, lying french press I assume are two good ones.

Do pushdowns work more up the upper tricep?

 

[Neodavid]

My guess is they work the middle of the belly the most, but quite honestly even this POF thing is genetic, and you can't change the muscle shape really, just force it to adapt as much as possible.

Frank Zane and some of the older guys who were more interested in shape, than the size thing of today, believed in this stuff, but I really don't know how much truth there is to it.

But hey, try it for 2 months and see if it helps...

I know when I did kickbacks, the muscle shape seemed to come out more. But it's all so subjective... I need to do what Zane did, take detailed progress pictures every month. That's the only way to really know for sure.

Some guys would say this is all bullshit, and they might be right, but for me it seems to work. Who knows, with differences in CNS and what not genetically, maybe it works for some guys and not so much for others.

Good info Neo. Kickbacks, lying french press I assume are two good ones.

Do pushdowns work more up the upper tricep?

 

[borderbound]

i alway believed arm shape was 100 percent genetics until a few weeks ago i borrowed a freinds coppy of larry scotts book " loaded guns"

and he really did totally change the shape of his arm
looking at the pics of him at about 50 years old versus the old classic pics of him

 

[Aku]

Hi,

My biceps are more impressive then my triceps. Like many other muscle groups have grown much better with less work.

In particular I would like to target the lower tricep. The couple of inches right above the elbow is the area of concern. When I do dips, I get a good pump but it soon goes away.

Please provide some assistance with me hitting this lower tricep area.

thanks!
K-

Believe it or not, my genetics suck ass, and I had the hardest time getting my triceps to even bulge out or even be seen....But (for me) doing lying overhead pullovers targeted the tri's more than when I isolated them...and the burn I got was way different than that of the lactic acid feel, when doing the isolation....and now many months later, I do have triceps and I have that long piece that connects to the outer elbow joint that everyone has, and many say that only geneticly incline individuals have those...I don't believe that hype.....but then again....there is that anabolic/androgenic thing in my system....lol

 

[Aku]

wait let me elaborate...

It was not just the overhead that made my tri's popout, but it was adding the overhead pullovers, in conjuntion with the other tricep workout that help shape my triceps....but, who listens anyways.....

 

[KTCKSports]

Thanks for the info. I get a nice little pump doing dips. Im going to try and start doing them much more often.

It was not just the overhead that made my tri's popout, but it was adding the overhead pullovers, in conjuntion with the other tricep workout that help shape my triceps....but, who listens anyways.....

 

[Joker]

Bad news is tendon length and muscle belly shape are genetic and you can't change the shape or length of a muscle.

If you've never heard of POF (point of flexion), it contends that a muscle will adapt specifically to the area of tension.

In most tricep exercises, the muscle is being used the LEAST, when the arm is straight.

But with tricep kickbacks (the one most guys think look gay), the tension is greatest when the arm is straight.

It's like the difference between the squat and the leg extension.

You could try adding a few sculpting sets of tricep kickbacks, or some other exercise the stresses the tri at lockout.

Try the kickbacks with flex-bands--either the minis (pink) or monster minis (black). I also use the bands with dumbells, or with cables to do kickbacks. Kickbacks don't make up a large portion of my tricep training, but they are far from useless or gay. Sometimes I'm surprised that some of the most knowlegable vets on this board come up sadly mistaken about certain exercises. Conversely, I see passionate endorsements of some of the TRULY gay and outright destructive exercises. Makes me wonder....

Anyway, a personal favorite of mine is the one-arm reverse pushdown. Rotate your palm inward toward your body on the concentric contraction. You will no doubt bomb your lower tri and increase your bench. Louie Simmons loves em. You can do these with bands and bands/weight as well. Mix it up and watch em grow!

Joker

 

[KTCKSports]

Thanks Joker. How come you dont have a Joker avatar? Great screen name by the way!

 

[dzl66]

The best overall tricep excercise for me always has been the skull crusher but i think it is also the most destructive to the elbow joint especially when you are in the bottom of the movement near your head and pushing heavy weight. I did weighted dips along with skull crushers for a year and a half and got great results. Unfortunately I can no longer hook up the heavy weights on that weighted belt on a consistent basis.
Off topic a bit but the best advice i could give anyone in there first few years of lifting is be patient and don't burn out your joints using consisitently heavy weights.You need to cycle the heavy stuff with lighter work. If you want to pack on a lot of muscle it takes years--it's literaly a marathon and not a sprint.
Gee can you tell I feel like a banged up old man??

 

[Neodavid]

This is horribly true...

I'm sure some guys can get away with it, but not me. I just switched to 8 reps with a lighter weight and more sets because of this. Had too, the pain was way over acceptable limits. When I walk away from a set grimacing and holding my elbows like they've been beaten with ball peen hammers, even I get it.

The best overall tricep excercise for me always has been the skull crusher but i think it is also the most destructive to the elbow joint especially when you are in the bottom of the movement near your head and pushing heavy weight. I did weighted dips along with skull crushers for a year and a half and got great results. Unfortunately I can no longer hook up the heavy weights on that weighted belt on a consistent basis.
Off topic a bit but the best advice i could give anyone in there first few years of lifting is be patient and don't burn out your joints using consisitently heavy weights.You need to cycle the heavy stuff with lighter work. If you want to pack on a lot of muscle it takes years--it's literaly a marathon and not a sprint.
Gee can you tell I feel like a banged up old man??

 

[Sir Lifts-a-Lot]

Ya skull crushers used to be my bread and butter but now they destroy my elbows. I try reverse grip bench now to try to bring my tri's out.

 

[Neodavid]

Okay, this will sound stupid and like I'm flaming, but I'm being serious.

How the HECK can twisting your wrist matter? I mean, it might change how it affects the tri a little, but it can't be that much, can it?

What up?

Ya skull crushers used to be my bread and butter but now they destroy my elbows. I try reverse grip bench now to try to bring my tri's out.

 

[dzl66]

This is horribly true...

I'm sure some guys can get away with it, but not me. I just switched to 8 reps with a lighter weight and more sets because of this. Had too, the pain was way over acceptable limits. When I walk away from a set grimacing and holding my elbows like they've been beaten with ball peen hammers, even I get it.

I used to love to bang out sets of of 4-5 but not any more...ya need those elbows and shoulders healthy as they are so imp. to any upper body work.
Me 2 Neo i usually hang in around 8 reps using slower speed and good form. Milos Sar. has always said that 8 reps was the best number for building muscle, I always thought he had a great physique and looked well conditioned.