Triceps activation, overhead presses for long head?

[Wintermaul]

Hi!

I was reading up on this article on training by Dorian Yates, and according to a book he read back in the days the only exercise that activates the long head of the triceps was overhead extension.

The book showed that the only type of triceps movements that stimulate the long head of the muscle is an overhead extension. So your triceps would have a different look to them if you included an overhead extension regularly or not. But the key point here is that you do need both types of exercises for best growth results.

from muscular development site article with Dorian Yates.

What is your thoughts on this? I've been avoiding this exercise lately and use closegrip-benchpress and pushdowns instead. Should i go back to overhead presses to give my arms a even better workout?
Because the triceps is more than half of the arm (maybe even 2/3 of the arm), and the long head is giving the arm the right look i guess so including overhead presses would maybe boost the overall size of the arm a bit.
I just want your thought and experience on this subject.

[Khazima]

The long head is also the largest of the 3 heads on the tricep. Personally I generally avoid overhead extensions because it gives my dodgy shoulders/wrists problems, but I do use other overhead exercises like skull krushers and one arm overhead extensions.

Overhead exercises put more emphasis on the long head because it's already stretched when reaching overhead, however it's definitely not the only way to work the long head.

Close grip bench is one of the best overall tricep builders, and doing things like keeping your wrist in a neutral position during rope pushdowns puts more emphasis on the long head as well.

[crazy_rocks]

The long head is also the largest of the 3 heads on the tricep. Personally I generally avoid overhead extensions because it gives my dodgy shoulders/wrists problems, but I do use other overhead exercises like skull krushers and one arm overhead extensions.

Overhead exercises put more emphasis on the long head because it's already stretched when reaching overhead, however it's definitely not the only way to work the long head.

Close grip bench is one of the best overall tricep builders, and doing things like keeping your wrist in a neutral position during rope pushdowns puts more emphasis on the long head as well.

I always head that those put more stress on the lateral (outer) head.

[Khazima]

I always head that those put more stress on the lateral (outer) head.

Yeah rope pushdowns generally do, but if you keep your wrists neutral and basically push the ends of the rope together and down (I find) there more emphasis on the long head than there is when you split the rope. Not sure about anyone else that's just something I've picked up.

[Wintermaul]

The long head is also the largest of the 3 heads on the tricep. Personally I generally avoid overhead extensions because it gives my dodgy shoulders/wrists problems, but I do use other overhead exercises like skull krushers and one arm overhead extensions.

Overhead exercises put more emphasis on the long head because it's already stretched when reaching overhead, however it's definitely not the only way to work the long head.

Close grip bench is one of the best overall tricep builders, and doing things like keeping your wrist in a neutral position during rope pushdowns puts more emphasis on the long head as well.

Thanks for the answer. Do you think skull crushers would to nearly the same as overhead extensions in this matter? I like the overhead extensions, and im strong at that movement, but somehow i feel that i dont do it right because it seems so light. Is it okay if i get my elbows out? Or should they stick to the ears while i lift? I also get this problem with the skull crushers, when its getting a little more heavier, my arms go out, like my elbows leav the side of my face if you know what i mean. So lately ive been doing rope pushdowns and close-grip benchpress instead.

[Khazima]

Thanks for the answer. Do you think skull crushers would to nearly the same as overhead extensions in this matter? I like the overhead extensions, and im strong at that movement, but somehow i feel that i dont do it right because it seems so light. Is it okay if i get my elbows out? Or should they stick to the ears while i lift? I also get this problem with the skull crushers, when its getting a little more heavier, my arms go out, like my elbows leav the side of my face if you know what i mean. So lately ive been doing rope pushdowns and close-grip benchpress instead.

Close grip bench, rope pushdowns and skull krushers is a complete tricep workout, hitting each head nicely.

With skull krushers I let the bar go deep behind my head instead of just going to my nose/eyebrows, I feel a much better stretch that way and it makes more of an overhead movement.

Your arms should stay parallel and try to keep your elbows pinned (that's the textbook way lol) I like to let my elbows go down a bit and really let my long head stretch, then on the way up I stop my elbows at about a 30 degree angle.

Athlean-x on YouTube made a really good video about skulkrushers a little while ago, just go to YouTube and type in 'athlean-x skullkruser'.

[crazy_rocks]

Yeah rope pushdowns generally do, but if you keep your wrists neutral and basically push the ends of the rope together and down (I find) there more emphasis on the long head than there is when you split the rope. Not sure about anyone else that's just something I've picked up.

Alright I see what your saying.