Shoulder training often receives insufficient attention for the triceps. For most people, training the biceps is their priority. When you walk into most gyms, you'll see people doing close-grip bench presses, and triceps training is not as common.

However, the triceps contribute a larger percentage to arm circumference.

When you view a person from the side, the triceps muscle is readily apparent. How much your arm circumference impresses others depends largely on the development of your triceps.

Therefore, in the following content, I will analyze the triceps muscle training.

Anatomy of the Triceps Muscle

The triceps muscle, from its name, we know that it consists of 3 heads, namelyShort head, long head and lateral head.

As you can see, when the three heads are well-developed, they form a horseshoe shape:

Moreover, the long head is the largest of the three heads and is the only one that crosses both the elbow and shoulder joints, soIt can not only extend the elbow but also extend the shoulder.The remaining two heads, the short head and the lateral head, are single-joint muscles, which can extend the elbow.

To maximize the development of the triceps, we must ensure that we train each head evenly.

Scientific Triceps Training

There are many theories online regarding the best training methods for the triceps. Some say you need to do high-rep training to achieve pump, while others say you need to train it once a week. After combining extensive practical experience and interpretations of scientific research, I have summarized the following three key points.

First, most people need to arrange triceps training separately.

I believe everyone has seen the point that as long as you do compound movements such as bench presses and overhead presses, you don't need to train your triceps separately.

However,Unless you have no training experience, it is still necessary to add single-joint exercises, especially the training of the long head, to maximize the development of the triceps, because many compound movements provide little stimulation for the long head.

A recent study published in the Strength & Conditioning Journal by Schoenfeld et al. compared the effects of single-joint exercises and compound exercises on the cross-sectional area of the triceps. The results showed thatWhen compound exercises and single-joint exercises are combined, the growth of the three heads of the triceps is fastest.

Interestingly, the lateral head benefits more from incline presses, the long head benefits more from lying triceps extensions, the specific results are as follows: ABC represents lateral head, long head and medial head, MJ represents compound movements, SJ represents single-joint movements.

Therefore, for people who pursue maximum triceps growth, you must train both types of exercises.

Second, large-weight compound movements are still the best for increasing muscle and strength.

I used to think that large-weight low-rep training could only increase strength, not muscle, especially for arms. But with years of experience and reading research, I found that this is not the case.

As a natural trainer, your long-term primary goal is to increase overall strength.

As long as you make strength increase your primary focus, you don't have to worry about your triceps not growing.So, in terms of the triceps, it refers to weights between 75-85% 1RM vertical presses and horizontal presses. As long as you gradually increase strength in these movements, your triceps will 100% grow.

Third, 10-30 sets of triceps training per week is sufficient for most people.

Currently, the research conclusions are clear:

As long as there is a certain point, muscle growth and training sets have a clear dose-response relationship.Here, the sets refer to sets to fatigue or near fatigue, and the repetition range should be 5-30 repetitions.

If the repetitions are too low, the training volume is insufficient, and if the repetitions are too high, it is difficult to achieve complete fatigue, and the training effect will also be affected.Moreover, this set range includes multi-joint and single-joint exercises. For example, doing 1 set of barbell flat bench press also counts as a triceps training. 1 set of rope down press, of course, also counts as a triceps training.

Many people only consider single-joint exercises as one set, which is not feasible.So, in triceps training, we must focus on compound movements and appropriately arrange single-joint movements.

OK, after understanding the basic scientific training, let's take a look at some good exercises.

Recommended Triceps Training Exercises

The triceps training exercises are very diverse, but some exercises are highly efficient and can comprehensively train the triceps.

1. Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

Close-grip barbell bench press is a variation of the standard barbell bench press, which shifts the emphasis to the triceps. It is one of the best exercises to stimulate the triceps.

Researchers have compared overhead presses, different angles (incline, flat, decline) barbell presses with wide and narrow grips, and the muscle activity of the triceps. Subjects performed these exercises with 80% 1RM weight, and the results showed that

The triceps was the most active in barbell flat bench press, and narrow grip was 25% more active than wide grip.It is necessary to note that the narrow grip refers to a grip width equal to the width of the shoulders, not the narrow grip that most people imagine.

Therefore, when you do close-grip bench press, make sure you don't grip it too tightly, otherwise it will affect the weight you push and make your movements less coordinated.

Pay attention to performing the movement with the triceps elbow pressed tightly, the barbell landing point is at the lower chest position, then push upwards along a curved trajectory, not a straight line.2. Close-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press

Close-grip dumbbell bench press is a great self-weight exercise. According to different practices, we can focus on the chest or triceps.

If you want to train your triceps more, then adopt

a more upright body positiona smaller forward leanso that the elbow joint is closer to the body, not opened

If your shoulder flexibility allows or you don't have injuries, then at least reach the arm with the triceps parallel to the ground.

3. Lying Triceps Extensions

This movement belongs to the 180-degree shoulder flexion movement. At this time, the triceps is in a passive stretch state, the length-tension relationship is optimal, so it stimulates the long head more. If you can only do one single-joint exercise, then you must do the 180-degree shoulder flexion triceps extension.Pay attention to keeping the triceps elbow pressed, but don't completely lock your arms during the extension, so that the triceps is stimulated more.

4. Rope Pushdowns

Generally, this movement is completed on a cage. You can use V-shaped handles or ropes.

Pay attention to performing the movement, leaning forward slightly, do not completely straighten, only move the elbow joint, do not move the shoulders.

How to design a triceps training plan?

Many people like to separate the arms and train them for one day, but this is not necessary.

From the current research on training volume, each muscle needs a maximum set of training per time.

More than this set will not further increase muscle growth, but may even make it worse.

Therefore, I suggest that you arrange triceps training in compound movement days or upper body training days. In the arrangement of the actions, we must first arrange compound movements, and then use single-joint exercises to wrap up.

In a whole week's training

We must not only arrange compound exercises, but also arrange different shoulder angles for single-joint exercises, such as 1 portefeuille of the triceps at 180 degreesFinally, ensure nutrition. To grow triceps, you'd better create a caloric surplus, ingest enough protein.

SummaryThe triceps accounts for most of the volume of the arms, and it is necessary to have well-developed triceps.Large-weight compound movements and multi-angle single-joint exercises are essential for maximizing triceps development. In addition, ensure weekly training volume and gradually improve in these movements, then you can finally have a horseshoe-shaped triceps.

This is the end of today's sharing. Do you have any questions or thoughts about triceps training? If you find the article useful, please like, praise and follow.

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