🚨Triceps training & How to Emphasize Different Heads
The triceps makes up about 2/3 of your arm and is made up of 3 heads, the long head which originates at the scapula and the lateral and medial which originate at the humerus. They all attach at the olecranon process of the ulna (elbow). Since the long head cross 2 joints the shoulder and the elbow it acts on both joints, extension at the elbow and extension/abduction at the shoulder. Crossing two joints leaves it susceptible to passive/active insufficiency.
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When is activation of the long head diminished, when the shoulder is flexed, like in over head extension, skull crushers, the length of the long head is increased this causes passive insufficiency this limits its activation by limiting ROM of it and cross bridge formation. While having the arm extended like it kick backs put the long head in active insufficiency since its acting as an extensor of the shoulder, this means the muscle length is limited and how cross bridges are able to form between actin and myosin.
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This means that performing over head extensions exercise will emphasize the medial and lateral head of the triceps more. While a neutral shoulder should equally emphasize all heads, putting the arms into internal rotation diminishes its ability to adduct and extend the shoulder joint. When performing push downs to target the long head, keeping the arms adducted to the side can help emphasize it.
Lastly when training triceps it’s important to know the position of your hand does not affect activation, since they attach at the ulna, using a reveres grip does not do anything to the insertion position to alter activation. Doing this just puts you in an unfavorable position causing your wrist extensors to fatigue. Comment your favorite triceps exercises?
