Exercises and Tips to Master the Long Head of Triceps: Know More!

*Collaborative Post

The triceps consist of three heads: the long, lateral, and medial. Among the three heads, the long head is the hardest one to activate completely. As the long head of the triceps crosses the shoulder joint, you can position your arm behind your torso or overhead to stretch and work it more effectively.

Here, we will discuss how to target and master the long head effectively for better precision.

The need to focus more on the long head of the triceps

If you are trying to improve the thickness and shape of your arms, you have to focus on the long head of the triceps. This is the biggest portion of the triceps and plays a big role in shaping the arm. When the long head remains under-trained, the arms usually lack fullness. As the long head of the tricep spans the shoulder joint, you can leverage various arm positions. For instance, you can put your arm overhead or put it under more tension and stretch.

Best exercises for targeting the long head of triceps

Mentioned below are some effective long head of tricep exercises to improve the muscle’s strength and definition:

Compound and pushdown variations

You can try some compound and pushdown variations to work on your long head of triceps.

• Close-grip bench press – You can use a narrow grip to shift extra load to the triceps, including the long head.
• Triceps pushdown – You can choose from a straight bar pushdown or a reverse grip pushdown. Both the pushdowns tend to emphasise the long head more than the rope version.
• Weighted dips – These dips are difficult, but they are very effective. The best thing is that this exercise engages all tricep heads, including the long head.

Lying and overhead extensions

The overhead extensions and lying extensions are great for building the long head of the triceps.

• Lying triceps extension – This exercise is also known as skull crushers. You have to lie flat on a bench with dumbbells, a barbell, or an EZ bar. Lower the weight towards your forehead or behind the head. Keep the upper arms stationary and then extend back up.
• Overhead rope extension – For the overhead rope extension, use a rope attachment or a cable pulley set high. Now push your arms in an upward direction. This keeps the tension even at the top.

Tips to get the most from the long head training

Follow these tips to get the most from the long head training:

• Try to maintain elbow stability. See that the elbows don’t swing or flare and keep them relatively fixed.
• Maintain moderate rep ranges. Try for 8-12 reps on heavier lifts and 12-15 reps for lighter movements and more isolation.
• Start exercises with heavier compound movements and then gradually move to isolation. For instance, start with close-grip presses or dips, and then move on to overhead extensions.
• With a proper exercise regimen, you can also add some supplements to your diet from crownsupplements.com for a better output.

Wrapping it up

Training the long head of the triceps is a combination of art and science. You need the right combination of pushing motions, overhead stretches, and solid technique. With consistency, you can add more strength to your triceps.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.