Exercise for the long head of the triceps

Jake LaMotta · Aug 20, 2007

Is this a good exercise to work the long head of the triceps?:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/CBBentoverTriExt.html

oldfella · Aug 21, 2007

Yes that will work it. Any exercise which places the tricep in a stretch position ie overhead and behind the neck will nail the long head. The reverse grip pushdown really digs in to this area also.

Chrysler · Aug 21, 2007

It's good, but in my opinion there are better. Both overhead ez-curl extensions and overhead dumbbell extensions (using both hands) are (again IMO) more mass specific if that is what you are after. Just remember to go through a full range of motion, you want a good stretch. I take it all the way down to where I can't bend at the elbow anymore. You can really feel the long head lifting the brunt of the weight the further you go down. It's also something I always do as my second exercise, as it puts your tricep in a compromised position and it's something I want to be really warmed up for to avoid possible injury.

qbkilla · Jun 10, 2022

This is an old one, found in a search. I've been seeing alot of stuff (alot from Paul Carter and nipped) about bringing up the long head is what really adds mass to the triceps.

Close grip, which ive always done, and normal press downs don't hit it.

Kickbacks
PJR Pullover/OverHead DB extension (whats the difference).
Even rippetope skulls and DB skulls in the same fashion.

I started doing this and my tris are sore in the back for the first time in a long time. I know most here are about progression on heavy exercises but has anyone's had success specifically hitting the long head vs just trying to move more weight for triceps?

lookslikesausage · Jun 10, 2022

I have pretty long arms and I can press until I'm blue in the face. I'll get zero long head activation, or at least none that I can feel (this is well know now but it wasn't in the mags or on the net in the 90's). The only thing that really does the long head right for me are any overhead extension variation. I prefer to use a full ROM (biceps meets forearm).

These days in my advanced age I prefer overhead cable extensions with a long rope (short rope is not as good) or overhead extensions but on a high inclined bench. I won't actually sit on the bench though because there won't be room for my arms to go all the way down (top of the bench will be in the way). I will stand and lean into it so my head is slightly higher than the top of the bench and I will use kettlebells. If my arms were a little shorter I might opt for rolling extensions done on the floor and again, with kettlebells but DBs are ok too. I still do this exercise but it's slightly less effective than the overhead moves I mentioned earlier.

I'm a pretty small guy but at one time I had like no muscle on the long head. It took me awhile to figure out how to really hit them hard and good. At my biggest I had close to 17 inch arms and such a small amount of muscle back there, imagine that.

Also, every bodybuilder who had a great set of arms always has/had giant long heads of the triceps. I can only think of one bodybuilder who's triceps long head did not stick out and that's Arnold but everyone else who gifted in the arms all had exception development of the long head. I haven't seen too many shots of Arnold in a Side Triceps pose and he definitely wasn't know for it, but everyone else...yeah big long heads. Probably a little harder for the long armed guys to get that part of the triceps huge.

ninetynineHGH · Jun 10, 2022

Single arm dumbbell over head extensions, with a slight twist throughout the motion. Play around with angle of your humerous. I find slightly in towards the head and back helps.

xpoc · Jun 10, 2022

qbkilla said:
This is an old one, found in a search. I've been seeing alot of stuff (alot from Paul Carter and nipped) about bringing up the long head is what really adds mass to the triceps.

Close grip, which ive always done, and normal press downs don't hit it.

Kickbacks
PJR Pullover/OverHead DB extension (whats the difference).
Even rippetope skulls and DB skulls in the same fashion.

I started doing this and my tris are sore in the back for the first time in a long time. I know most here are about progression on heavy exercises but has anyone's had success specifically hitting the long head vs just trying to move more weight for triceps?

I get sore after doing these. I started doing them after Paul Carter praised them for the long head. I was surprised when Coach Kassem dismissed them as being effective. You can see more on his IG post but he makes an argument that the body mechanics involved in this movement are not ideal for triceps (you will have to hear him explain it as I can't do it justice). But this is on his FB page regarding PJR pullovers and Paul Carter. All of us here @n1.education love you Paul, regardless of the screenshots people send us. I don’t however love PJR pullovers. If you’d like to discuss the particulars of the exercise, you know how to contact me.

qbkilla · Jun 10, 2022

lookslikesausage said:
I have pretty long arms and I can press until I'm blue in the face. I'll get zero long head activation, or at least none that I can feel (this is well know now but it wasn't in the mags or on the net in the 90's). The only thing that really does the long head right for me are any overhead extension variation. I prefer to use a full ROM (biceps meets forearm).

These days in my advanced age I prefer overhead cable extensions with a long rope (short rope is not as good) or overhead extensions but on a high inclined bench. I won't actually sit on the bench though because there won't be room for my arms to go all the way down (top of the bench will be in the way). I will stand and lean into it so my head is slightly higher than the top of the bench and I will use kettlebells. If my arms were a little shorter I might opt for rolling extensions done on the floor and again, with kettlebells but DBs are ok too. I still do this exercise but it's slightly less effective than the overhead moves I mentioned earlier.

I'm a pretty small guy but at one time I had like no muscle on the long head. It took me awhile to figure out how to really hit them hard and good. At my biggest I had close to 17 inch arms and such a small amount of muscle back there, imagine that.

Also, every bodybuilder who had a great set of arms always has/had giant long heads of the triceps. I can only think of one bodybuilder who's triceps long head did not stick out and that's Arnold but everyone else who gifted in the arms all had exception development of the long head. I haven't seen too many shots of Arnold in a Side Triceps pose and he definitely wasn't know for it, but everyone else...yeah big long heads. Probably a little harder for the long armed guys to get that part of the triceps huge.

great post. what you described on the incline bench I can relate. I used to do that exercise and would sit on a 30lb dumbbell (up and down) so my arm wouldn't bang the bench, lol. but once I started to progress in weight it didn't feel stable enough, so id just sit on the bench press and lean my back agains the bar and do them upright.

qbkilla · Jun 10, 2022

xpoc said:
I get sore after doing these. I started doing them after Paul Carter praised them for the long head. I was surprised when Coach Kassem dismissed them as being effective. You can see more on his IG post but he makes an argument that the body mechanics involved in this movement are not ideal for triceps (you will have to hear him explain it as I can't do it justice). But this is on his FB page regarding PJR pullovers and Paul Carter. All of us here @n1.education love you Paul, regardless of the screenshots people send us. I don’t however love PJR pullovers. If you’d like to discuss the particulars of the exercise, you know how to contact me.

I didn't know N1 was against them, the pJr pullovers you mean? I follow both.

I never understood the purpose of the PJR, you can just do a regular overhead dumbbell extension and use heavier weight. I guess being able to lift it forward over your head has some benefit to the short head so its a more well rounded exercise?

xpoc · Jun 10, 2022

qbkilla said:
I didn't know N1 was against them, the pJr pullovers you mean? I follow both.

I never understood the purpose of the PJR, you can just do a regular overhead dumbbell extension and use heavier weight. I guess being able to lift it forward over your head has some benefit to the short head so its a more well rounded exercise?

I can't explain the nuances...but Kassem posted a vid on IG that indicated PJR pullovers were not an optimal exercise. Which was in conflict with Paul Carter. So he addressed it in quote I posted. That said, I still do them and the long head of my triceps gets really sore the following day so I know they must be getting some stimulation from the movement.

alfresco · Jun 10, 2022

Like so many have said before me and which I will reinforce, is any triceps
exercise with your elbows pointed up, straight up if possible. The closer you
get to straight up and your arms as close to your head as possible, stands
the best chance of activation the long heard of the triceps.

A rope works best for me. Go all the way down, pause, extend up as far
as possible, hold, contract, slowly lower. This particular exercise has
tremendous potential to build muscle but also has huge potential for injury.
Just keep the weight modest, 20 or so reps, slow and steady will go
a long ways to preventing injury and building muscle.

FYI . . . complete contraction of the triceps muscle can only occur if
your arm, in a contracted position, is past midline of you body. That
is why pushdowns with a long rope and kickbacks are the only exercises
that work the muscle in a fully contacted position.

A bit off topic put still related . . .

The opposite (position) is true for the biceps muscle. This muscle can
only reach full contraction if your hand is fully supinated and your
elbow is pointed up as straight up as possible, then contract the
biceps. (Close to duplicate with conventional equipment.) This is
a full contraction.

Most people are not aware of this but the biceps muscle has three
primary functions. First, supination of the hand, second is raising the
elbow overhead and lastly contracting the biceps. If you have ever
come close to this position and contracted your biceps, you have
missed a contraction of your biceps you will never forget. It will tie
it in knot that will be difficult to untie.

BLang · Jun 10, 2022

xpoc said:
I can't explain the nuances...but Kassem posted a vid on IG that indicated PJR pullovers were not an optimal exercise. Which was in conflict with Paul Carter. So he addressed it in quote I posted. That said, I still do them and the long head of my triceps gets really sore the following day so I know they must be getting some stimulation from the movement.

Yeah, Kassem is wrong about this one. He's just taking the simple "the weight doesn't line up perfectly with the directly of the muscle so its suboptimal" line for content.

PJR Pullovers are fantastic.

For long head work it's as much about figuring out what doesn't mess with someone shoulders and elbows.

For people who struggle, DB and EZ Bar dead-stop skullcrushers are great.

For people who can make them work, besides the PJR Pullovers, Rope overhead extensions (seated) and Smith JM Presses are great too.

And kickbacks as mentioned.

There's a video out there of JM Blakeley explaining how a pushdown can activate the long head if you do it while holding a shrug. Still meaning to try it and blew my mind, but made sense.

FK86 · Jun 10, 2022

The JM press is the best exercise for the long head, and the triceps in general, period. If you want to learn how to do it, watch these two videos and only these two videos. Every other person does it wrong. It's unbelievable how butchered this exercise is. Even Dave Tate does it wrong. It's frustrating to see people teach this exercise incorrectly and all the comments praising that it's right. It's only a JM press if JM instructs how to do it.

He describes it as a close-grip bench merged with a skullcrusher. It is and it's to be done as one fluid motion. Every video online has people doing it wrong as two motions. They drop the elbows like a press, shift the barbell towards their face, and press it like an extension. Wrong. I also think that lift was named a California press by some people. Anyway, the two most important parts of the exercise are to keep the elbows up, and to cock the wrists. JM advises strong people to only start with 95 lb and for multiple sets of 10 so you can adjust to the mechanics, range of motion, and make sure with certainty that your elbows don't drop because they will want to. I'm not strong so I started with just the bar.

Once you nail the form it feels incredible. The day after you do them you will feel a chunk of your triceps right at the elbow that no press, extension, or pushdown can replicate. It really is a unique movement.

qbkilla · Jun 10, 2022

FK86 said:
The JM press is the best exercise for the long head, and the triceps in general, period. If you want to learn how to do it, watch these two videos and only these two videos. Every other person does it wrong. It's unbelievable how butchered this exercise is. Even Dave Tate does it wrong. It's frustrating to see people teach this exercise incorrectly and all the comments praising that it's right. It's only a JM press if JM instructs how to do it.

He describes it as a close-grip bench merged with a skullcrusher. It is and it's to be done as one fluid motion. Every video online has people doing it wrong as two motions. They drop the elbows like a press, shift the barbell towards their face, and press it like an extension. Wrong. I also think that lift was named a California press by some people. Anyway, the two most important parts of the exercise are to keep the elbows up, and to cock the wrists. JM advises strong people to only start with 95 lb and for multiple sets of 10 so you can adjust to the mechanics, range of motion, and make sure with certainty that your elbows don't drop because they will want to. I'm not strong so I started with just the bar.

Once you nail the form it feels incredible. The day after you do them you will feel a chunk of your triceps right at the elbow that no press, extension, or pushdown can replicate. It really is a unique movement.

The JM press confuses me. It seems like a cross between skulls and close grips, both of which exercises do not hit the long head? From what I read the arm over head (oh DB press) and arm behind the body (kickbacks) hit the long head ....but the arm just pushing in front of the body (close grips) don't hit the long head well?

And skulls only hit the long head when you do enough of a rom to where the arm goes back over the head (picture laying on a flat bench then lowering it over your head close to the floor then exploding up).

If that is true (I may be wrong) then confused how the JM press hits them? Not saying it doesn't just trying to understand, I'm not an expert on anatomy trying to process lol.

BLang · Jun 10, 2022

qbkilla said:
The JM press confuses me. It seems like a cross between skulls and close grips, both of which exercises do not hit the long head? From what I read the arm over head (oh DB press) and arm behind the body (kickbacks) hit the long head ....but the arm just pushing in front of the body (close grips) don't hit the long head well?

And skulls only hit the long head when you do enough of a rom to where the arm goes back over the head (picture laying on a flat bench then lowering it over your head close to the floor then exploding up).

If that is true (I may be wrong) then confused how the JM press hits them? Not saying it doesn't just trying to understand, I'm not an expert on anatomy trying to process lol.

This is actually a fantastic breakdown of the biomechanics, might be exactly what you're looking for:

kastro · Jun 10, 2022

BLang said:
This is actually a fantastic breakdown of the biomechanics, might be exactly what you're looking for:

Gotta love JM Blakley,his bulking diet is legendary.

FK86 · Jun 10, 2022

BLang said:
This is actually a fantastic breakdown of the biomechanics, might be exactly what you're looking for:

I didn't watch the whole thing. But the video is over 20 minutes long to explain the biomechanics of it and him and Terrence both dropped their elbows and did it wrong.

BLang · Jun 10, 2022

FK86 said:
I didn't watch the whole thing. But the video is over 20 minutes long to explain the biomechanics of it and him and Terrence both dropped their elbows and did it wrong.

They definitely do, but interestingly his biomechanical breakdown is based on the "correct" form.

Doctordave42 · Jun 10, 2022

BLang said:
Yeah, Kassem is wrong about this one. He's just taking the simple "the weight doesn't line up perfectly with the directly of the muscle so its suboptimal" line for content.

PJR Pullovers are fantastic.

For long head work it's as much about figuring out what doesn't mess with someone shoulders and elbows.

For people who struggle, DB and EZ Bar dead-stop skullcrushers are great.

For people who can make them work, besides the PJR Pullovers, Rope overhead extensions (seated) and Smith JM Presses are great too.

And kickbacks as mentioned.

There's a video out there of JM Blakeley explaining how a pushdown can activate the long head if you do it while holding a shrug. Still meaning to try it and blew my mind, but made sense.

PJR?
Well, cross bench pullovers as we have always done maximize elongation of the long head of the triceps when there is little of NO flexion of the elbow. While it was touted as being a serratus and lat exercise (as well as a pec finisher), the pump and direct isolation of the long head (largest head) will blow up your upper triceps!