# Triceps



## jfarnsworth (Jan 29, 2003)

What exercises do you use to develop the tricep muscles? Do you hit them heavy with less reps or lighter with more reps? I use the close grip bench press, followed by a superset of pushdowns with reverse grip pushdowns. I'll then use the kickbacks and a cross-body tricep extension exercise. Any other exercises out there you find is better than others?


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## arnisador (Feb 2, 2003)

I do a handful of basic dumbbell exercises for them but I do find them hard to work. The biceps respond quickly and easily but not so the triceps.


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## Baoquan (Feb 2, 2003)

A mate of mine with good arms reckons u can go past the French Press, AKA Skull Crusher. 

Use an EZ Bar and start with ur arms straight vertical, then bend your elbows to bring the bar down to ur forehead - or if you're inclined to do it hard, to your nose. Keeping ur elbows as stationary as physics and physiology allow is central - just bend ur elbows and move ur forearms....

...and don't drop the bar. 


I've never done this personally - i also do the close grip bench et al.

Cheers

Baoquan


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## theneuhauser (Feb 2, 2003)

i likem french press too, bq.


jfarns, if youre talking about dips when you say "pushdowns" than i like those, too. but only as a finisher on days when im doing some chest excercises also. just me.


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## jfarnsworth (Feb 8, 2003)

No the pushdowns are on a straight bar with a cable from above. Maybe I should have called it the cable pressdown or something. Also, I've heard about the french press but never seen one performed. Anybody care to explain how to do them.


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## Elfan (Feb 9, 2003)

What is a "super set?"


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## jfarnsworth (Feb 9, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Elfan _
> *What is a "super set?" *



Here is a superset that I perform on tricep day.  While executing 10 overhand cable pressdowns, I immediately switch to the reverse grip pressdowns and do as many as possible. Or the biggest killer is doing close grip bench presses then immediately go over and use the tricep extension machine in the gym. It basically comes down to doing 2 or maybe 3 exercises using the same muscle group in immediate succession.


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## Wmarden (Mar 23, 2003)

Bench day I do 2 sets of 6-10 reps in the regular bench, do 2 sets of 8 DB Decline, and then 2 sets of roughly 5-8 reps in the close grip incline.

Arm day is 2 sets of 5-8 in the close grip flat bench, then maybe push downs.  But I don't do the arm day every week.  It is on my workout schedule though. Have considered doing the tricep hell routine, but don't have a place for it in my routine at the moment. Once I get my training integration idea fully fleshed out, it may have a place. 

I am just now getting my strength back to the point where dips can start to be useful.  At 240 pounds dips ain't the easiest thing for me to do.  I figure on adding them in maybe a couple of months.


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## MartialArtist (Mar 23, 2003)

DIPS!!!  Weighted dips (with varied grips in terms of width) are pretty much the best tricep exercise.

Close-grip bench press

Skullcrushers

French press

Tricep pulldowns (with rope)
Overhead tricep pulldowns (with rope)
Reverse grip tricep pushdowns (with bar)


I do more of a powerlifting workout.  6 sets of 5 for the compound exercises, and 3 sets of 8 on the isolation exercises.


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## progressivetactics (Mar 23, 2003)

Tri's are a great exercise and alot of fun. You can get a great burn from them!

Skull crushers are to the tri's (and arms) as Bench press is to the chest and squats are to the legs.  YOU NEED SKULL CRUSHERS IN YOUR DIET.  They are staple of triceps.

This is the way i do them. Lay flat on a bench, use an easy curl bar and have a partner hand it to you at the locked out/top position.  Bend your elbows only bringing the bar down to the top of the head and push straight back up. DO NOT LET YOUR ELBOWS TRAVEL TOWARDS YOUR MIDSECTION.  3 sets of those, and superset with some rope pushdowns (same as cable pushdowns but with the rope attachment for final extension) and you will be crying 'no mas'!!!

Technically, the close grip bench was shown to have the least growth effect on your tri's when compared to skull crushers (#1), dumbell kickbacks (#2), and pushdowns (#3).

But I do them all!


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## MartialArtist (Mar 24, 2003)

> _Originally posted by progressivetactics _
> *Tri's are a great exercise and alot of fun. You can get a great burn from them!
> 
> Skull crushers are to the tri's (and arms) as Bench press is to the chest and squats are to the legs.  YOU NEED SKULL CRUSHERS IN YOUR DIET.  They are staple of triceps.
> ...


That's good, but one thing on the chest for most people...  It's more tricep, shoulder, and lat work than pec work.  Strengthening your chest by doing flies, etc. won't make your bench go up drastically.  There was a study on it, I'll try to find the articles.


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## Jill666 (Mar 25, 2003)

I do triceps twice a week- right now I'm happy with my bicep and shoulder strength and definition, but not with the triceps and chest. I'm working on those routines- so this is helpful. 

Dips! love them- or love to hate them, your choice. I do the cable pushdown, kickbacks, extensions. Then finish with dips, which I also do for chest.

I'm still a bit unclear on French press and skull crusher- elaborate please?


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## progressivetactics (Mar 25, 2003)

Forget about the french press.
Stick to the skull crushers, kick backs, and those dips are excellent!!!

Find the biggest guy in the gym, and ask him what a skull crusher is.  They will demonstrate for you.
Some gyms have a version of it.  You sit with your back on a 22.5deg angle, and there is a small knurled bar behind you.  YOu reach over your head to grab the bar, keep your elbows bent near your ears, and extend your arms straight out over your forehead.  Same basic motion as the laying verision i explained earlier, but in a sitting position.


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## Jill666 (Mar 26, 2003)

Seen it- looks sadistic. I'll have to try it- maybe I'll go naked bar first to see how I do.


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## progressivetactics (Mar 26, 2003)

I'm not sure what going to the bar naked will do for your tri's, but it may get you a new workout partner!!!


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## Wmarden (Mar 27, 2003)

> _Originally posted by progressivetactics _
> *I'm not sure what going to the bar naked will do for your tri's, but it may get you a new workout partner!!! *



Whether you like it or not.


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## Jill666 (Mar 27, 2003)

:rofl: 

I must be getting old.


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## jfarnsworth (Mar 27, 2003)

That was actually pretty funny after I read it a few times. :rofl:


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## MartialArtist (Mar 29, 2003)

Don't underestimate dips.  Do some weighted dips, with a 45 plate on and do it with a full ROM.  Your bench will bust right through the roof.  Lean forward a bit when you do dips so it also works the chest (but takes some weight off the triceps)


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## progressivetactics (Mar 29, 2003)

Dips are a good exercise for average size men, and ladies.  You will rarely see big people doing them. And I don't mean big fat people. I mean big body builders.  Dips place an enormous amount of stress on joints.  I recommend them to many people, who are of average size.


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## Jill666 (Mar 29, 2003)

Now that is a very interesting point- I would not have thought of that, being lean. But joint safety is truly paramount.

I have just moved up on my bench and maybe I will also try leaning forward a bit on alt. sets.


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## Wmarden (Mar 30, 2003)

Truth is dips are ok if you watch your range of motion and don't go too deep.  How deep that is varies for each person, but your shoulders will let you know when you go too far.  

As for why big people don't do them, it is damn hard work.  I am at a little over 240 right now.  And let me tell you dips are a challenge because of my weakness and laziness the past couple of years.  Back when I was in good shape I would do them from time to time.  Often if my back was acting up I would do them in place of bench.  But first I would warmup my shoulders by doing benches with the bar for a couple of sets of 20-30 reps.  

That brings up another problem, some people don't warmup properly for them.  If you look at dips, they are very similar to bodyweight benches.  And most people would warmup for those, at least most of us north of 135 pounds anyway.  Point being dips are a good exercise, but you just can't jump right into them and expect everything to be ok right away.

Oh BTW, most of the above applies to parallel bar dips.  Not a big fan of bench dips because I almost never have a workout partner.  So certain things I do not do.


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## jfarnsworth (Aug 8, 2004)

Bump


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