Developing triceps long head

[Island]

I want to develop the long head of my triceps so my arm looks thicker from the side. Right now I'm primarily using wide and close grip bench presses for that. My arm development looks uneven. Ideally, I want an exercise that would work out all three tricep heads.

Also, my biceps look okay when viewed from the side, but when viewed from the front they're kind of thin. Any tips for that?

 

[Aresx]

Triceps:
Wide Grip Benches are working your pecs more than your triceps. Close Grip Benches work your triceps more than your pecs.
Cable Pushdowns are, IMO, one of the best isolation exercises for the Triceps. Use the fullest range of motion you can to work all 3 heads of the triceps - as long as your elbows remain locked.
For a little extra thickness, try dips/bench dips.

Biceps:
If you're talking about basically the overall width of your upper arm, then do this:
Add Hammer Curls to your biceps training. This works the brachioradialis (top of forearm that connects to the biceps) and the brachialis (responsible for the "width" of the biceps, visually) more intensely than regular curls.

If you're talking about specifically your biceps, then do this:
Do Barbell Curls with 2 variations. Use a Wide Grip to work the inner (short) head, and then use a Narrow Grip to work the outer (long) head.

 

[NEWBIE101]

Skullcrushers

Close Grip Bench Press

Dips

That's all you need for complete tricep development.

 

[Island]

I'm still too weak to do dips. In fact, I can barely shift any substantial weight in kickbacks. Do you guys have a substitute for dips? I'm doing my triceps on the same workout as chest.

When doing cable pushdowns, I find it works out the lateral heads more. Is it supposed to be a complete tricep workout? I also do not have access to a cable machine. Is there a substitute using dumbbells/ barbell?

 

[TyTe`EyEs]

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/ArmWt.html#anchor122387


Take your pick.

 

[Island]

Excellent!

 

[Centaurion]

dont do triceps kickbacks. theyr'e the most ridiculus excersise out there.

 

[Aresx]

Originally posted by TyTe`EyEs
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/ArmWt.html#anchor122387


Take your pick.

excellent f.ucking link, man. good site. gonna use that.

 

[DJBen]

Skullcrushers

Close Grip Bench Press

Dips


Hit the nail on the head, well done.

Build mass... so many people do isolation exersizes when they're small. It's pointless. Build mass, then refine. Not the other way around.

 

[NEWBIE101]

Originally posted by Centaurion
dont do triceps kickbacks. theyr'e the most ridiculus excersise out there.

Bump

It's for the old ladies who think that they are "toning" their arms.

 

[rudygee2]

Originally posted by DJBen
Skullcrushers

Close Grip Bench Press

Dips


Hit the nail on the head, well done.

Build mass... so many people do isolation exersizes when they're small. It's pointless. Build mass, then refine. Not the other way around.

Wait... so quick question about that. Doing dumbbell tricep extensions wont help with building mass? And are skull crushes named something differnt on that exrx.net site?

 

[TyTe`EyEs]

Originally posted by rudygee2
Wait... so quick question about that. Doing dumbbell tricep extensions wont help with building mass? And are skull crushes named something differnt on that exrx.net site?

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



Skullcrusher

 

[rudygee2]

OH, ok, thanks for the clarification of what skullcrushers were. So if what DJben said is true, since skull crushers are isolated movements, then they wont lead build mass?

 

[DJBen]

Skullcrushers

Close Grip Bench Press

Dips

Stick to those three excersizes for a while. The general idea is, the more weight you can handle on a certain excersize, the more mass you'll build.

 

[Duke Togo]

triceps require 3 different movements to grow equally.

to hit the triceps at all 3 heads; overhead extensions, skulls and either kicks, bench dips or pushdowns. close bench is a personal preference. i didnt see anything productive from them so i dont do them. however, if theyre working for you, alternate them weekly with overhead ext.

dont just go for the mass building excercises, when shaping a muscle with various heads it requires special attention to stimulate growth in the whole area, and not neglect a certain area/head.

 

[rudygee2]

Alright, thanks alot for the tips.

 

[Alpine]

If you can't even do one bodyweight dip, you need to forget you have biceps and triceps. Took me years of disbelief and wasted time before I caught on.

Benches and overhead press, then dips/weighted dips when you can.

Combine with squats or deadlift and bent over rows or chins.

No cables no machines and no spandex.

EAT more than is comfortable.

PS I shouldn't give advice cos I'm still skinny, but I put a stone on in 12 months following this sort of thing, prior to that very little happened arms wise.

Good Luck

 

[DJBen]

"triceps require 3 different movements to grow equally.

to hit the triceps at all 3 heads; overhead extensions, skulls and either kicks, bench dips or pushdowns. close bench is a personal preference. i didnt see anything productive from them so i dont do them. however, if theyre working for you, alternate them weekly with overhead ext.

dont just go for the mass building excercises, when shaping a muscle with various heads it requires special attention to stimulate growth in the whole area, and not neglect a certain area/head."

A newb doesnt know equal head development anyway. You'd might as well put the size you want on first, and THEN shape the muscles when you're nice and cut. But to be honest I think that making a nice peak on the blahedeximal head is just pure masterbation.

Close bench isnt a personal preferance, it works for a hell of a lot of people when you do it right. Just like loads of people are nowhere near wide-grip benching...

 

[Duke Togo]

ah but if you dont work each head in proportion at the beggining, and concentrate on pure mass building, while neglecting the smaller head, not pertaining to finnesee you will end up with different growth, various heads being too big for the others, thus creating an abormal growth.

if you cant appreciate, or percieve one arm that has total conditioning with each head equally worked, then one that has grown from compound movements then dont bother, join the masses.

 

[rudygee2]

Originally posted by Alpine
If you can't even do one bodyweight dip, you need to forget you have biceps and triceps. Took me years of disbelief and wasted time before I caught on.

Benches and overhead press, then dips/weighted dips when you can.

Combine with squats or deadlift and bent over rows or chins.

No cables no machines and no spandex.

EAT more than is comfortable.

PS I shouldn't give advice cos I'm still skinny, but I put a stone on in 12 months following this sort of thing, prior to that very little happened arms wise.

Good Luck

Hey guys, this is sorta off topic, but what is everyones opinion on this? Ive seen this occasionally, when a person is new (ive only been working out for a month) they should just stick to compounds and forget about all the small muscles cause they will grow from the overall mass that is gained from compound movements. Oh yeah, what do you mean you put on a stone?