Ultimate Guide to Tricep Muscle Long Head Workout

The quest for sculpted arms often leads fitness enthusiasts to focus on the tricep muscle long head workout.  Achieving that coveted “horseshoe” tricep look requires more than just generic tricep workouts.

The triceps aren’t a single muscle but a group of three triceps muscles with distinct heads:  the long head triceps, the lateral head, and the medial head. Tricep muscle long head workouts demand targeted head tricep exercises. Example of long head tricep exercises are the tricep dips or lying triceps extension.

While all three contribute to overall arm aesthetics and strength, it’s the often-underdeveloped long head triceps exercises that plays a crucial role in creating that impressive horseshoe shape.

Table Of Contents:

• Understanding the Tricep Muscle Long Head
  
  • Why Targeting The Long Head Matters – Tricep exercises
• Designing Your Optimal Tricep Muscle Long Head Workout – Upper Arms, Bigger Triceps
  
  • Exercise Variations and Techniques – Fully Extended
• Additional Tips For Maximum Growth – Elbows Bent
• Optimizing Your Entire Arm Routine – Upper Arm Starting Position
• FAQs About Tricep Muscle Long Head Workout
  
  • What tricep exercise hits a long head?
  • What is the best exercise for the long head starting position?
  • How to hit all three heads of the tricep?
  • Are tricep kickbacks a long head exercise?
• Conclusion

Understanding the Tricep Muscle Long Head

The long head gets its name from originating higher up on the shoulder blade than the lateral and medial heads, attaching solely to the humerus bone. This origin difference means the long head is involved in elbow and shoulder movement, giving it a unique advantage for growth. The most effective tricep muscle long head workout considers this anatomical difference and incorporates exercises that maximize its stretch and engagement.

Why Targeting The Long Head Matters – Tricep exercises

While a well-rounded tricep routine should work all three heads, prioritizing the long head in your workout has advantages. Research shows training a muscle when stretched leads to more muscle growth. Tricep exercises that stretch the long head are skull crushers, tricep dips and triceps extension.

Triceps exercises that fully stretch the long head promote hypertrophy, leading to a more significant increase in muscle mass. This results in greater tricep head size and that sought-after horseshoe look.

Additionally, the tricep muscle long head plays a significant role in shoulder stabilization, a benefit often overlooked in arm training.  A strong and developed long head can improve shoulder health, enhance pushing power, and help prevent injuries, particularly in compound exercises such as the chest presses or overhead press.

Designing Your Optimal Tricep Muscle Long Head Workout – Upper Arms, Bigger Triceps

So, you understand the significance of targeting the long head, but what tricep workouts actually accomplish this?  Here’s where that anatomical distinction comes in handy.

The long head’s attachment to the shoulder blade requires exercises that incorporate shoulder extension for maximal activation.  Movements that bring your arms overhead or behind your torso place the long head in a stretched starting position before elbow extension, maximizing muscle fiber recruitment.

Here’s a sample of triceps exercises.  Perform sets of six to 12 reps for optimal muscle growth, as concluded in this study by Schoenfeld et. al. 2019 , looking at maximizing muscle hypertrophy. Rest for around 60 seconds between sets and exercises.

Exercise Variations and Techniques – Fully Extended

A crucial aspect of maximizing your tricep workout involves understanding exercise variations.  You’ll want to avoid stagnation and constantly challenge your triceps to stimulate continued muscle growth.  The good news is that several effective exercises directly target the long head.  Remember those overhead and behind-the-torso movements we talked about?

Multiple studies, including a recent study by the European Journal for Sports Science , found that overhead triceps extensions produce a significant increase in muscle activation and growth.  This study determined overhead tricep extensions to be more effective than exercises with a neutral elbow position like cable machine rope attachment or bar attachment.

• Overhead Dumbbell/EZ-Bar Extensions : These isolate the triceps muscle while maximizing the long head stretch. Lateral Head.
• Skullcrushers: Another highly effective isolation exercise.
• Close-Grip Bench Press: A compound exercise that effectively works the long head triceps muscle.  Ensure you maintain a narrow grip to maximize tricep engagement.
• Overhead Cable Extensions: This variation utilizes the cable machine and a rope handle for consistent tension throughout the movement. Many bodybuilders recommend this exercise for targeting the tricep muscle long head.
• Incline Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks : Research from an EMG study suggests that incline dumbbell tricep kickbacks elicit the highest long head activation among ten common tricep exercises building bigger triceps.

Additional Tips For Maximum Growth – Elbows Bent

Achieving your fitness goals goes beyond just picking the right exercises. Incorporating a few training techniques can enhance your gains:

• Mind-muscle Connection : Focusing on consciously contracting your tricep during the exercise helps maximize muscle fiber recruitment, making the exercise more effective. Performing tricep exercises with a resistance band can help improve your mind-muscle connection. Lateral Head.
• Progressive Overload: Your muscles adapt, so should your workouts. Gradually increasing either weight, reps, or sets helps promote continuous muscle growth. Studies on maximizing hypertrophy have shown this is the best method for consistent and continuous muscle growth. Upper Arm.
• Proper Form: Executing each exercise using proper form helps prevent injury and maximizes results. Pay close attention to elbow and shoulder positioning to target the right muscle groups. Overhand Grip.
• Rest and Recovery : While consistently hitting the gym is important, providing enough time for rest is just as vital. Ensure you’re giving your triceps at least 48 hours to recover after an intense tricep muscle long head workout. Prioritizing proper sleep and nutrition is crucial for optimal muscle recovery and growth.

Optimizing Your Entire Arm Routine – Upper Arm Starting Position

You may have the best tricep muscle long head workout plan, but you’re leaving gains on the table without considering a holistic approach to arm training no matter your starting position triceps bring the same requirements as any muscle.

Research published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport showed that for optimal growth in smaller muscle groups (biceps and triceps), working them out at the beginning of a training session, before larger muscle groups, like chest and back, proved to be more effective for muscle growth. Consider this approach when structuring your workout routines for maximal impact.

FAQs About Tricep Muscle Long Head Workout

What tricep exercise hits a long head?

Overhead dumbbell extensions are excellent for targeting the tricep long head. Other effective exercises include skullcrushers, rope pushdowns, and close-grip bench presses. Diamond push-ups are another great bodyweight exercise that can effectively target the tricep long head.

What is the best exercise for the long head starting position?

While various opinions exist, many fitness experts and studies, including those in peer-reviewed publications like the European Journal for Sports Science, advocate for overhead extensions as being highly effective in maximizing long head activation. It’s always good to include various exercises that target the long head from different angles for optimal development, like lying tricep extensions, to properly work all the tricep heads.

How to hit all three heads of the tricep?

Incorporating a diverse range of exercises is key. Prioritizing compound movements like close-grip bench presses and dips alongside isolation exercises like overhead extensions, tricep pushdowns, and kickbacks helps hit all three heads of the tricep. Changing the degree angle of your hand placement during these exercises can target specific tricep heads more effectively. For example, a close grip with palms facing each other on the close-grip bench press will place more emphasis on the tricep muscle long head.

Are tricep kickbacks a long head exercise?

While tricep kickbacks do activate the long head, the level of engagement isn’t as significant as in exercises like overhead extensions or skull crushers, as evidenced in this extensive EMG analysis by researcher Bret Contreras. Consider these after heavier compound exercises, or incorporate incline dumbbell triceps kickbacks, to adequately fatigue all three triceps heads.

Conclusion

Building those sought-after horseshoe triceps requires understanding that not all tricep exercises are created equal. Targeting the long head of the tricep through strategically designed tricep muscle long head workout routines that emphasize overhead extensions, along with exercises incorporating both elbow and shoulder extension, is key for maximal tricep development and aesthetic results. Adding weight plates to your routine can accelerate your gains and increase the size of your upper arms.