You DON"T NEED "extension" type movements to fully develop the triceps.
By extension movements I mean those triceps exercises where the upper
arm remains stationary while only the forearm and hand LEVER UP AND DOWN
(skull cushers, triceps pressdowns on the lat machine, etc.) Those
types of motions are very hard on the elbow joint, and most older body-
builders I've talked to suffer from constantly sore elbows and regret
having done them.
Strict, "MUSCLED UP" seated presses with a hand-pacing slightly NARROWER
than shoulder width, done in the higher rep range (12-20), will hit your
triceps every bit as hard as isolated work without the elbow trauma.
Better yet, do your presses with an EZ CURL BAR. When I do these, it
seems as if I am "LEADING WITH THE LITTLE FINGER" side of the hand, thus
throwing more of the workload on the triceps. One-arm presses with a
kettle-bell have the same effect.
Unfortunately, bench presses -- EVEN CLOSE GRIP BENCHES -- never worked
for me as far as triceps development, not like overheads. There just
didn't seem to be the same kind of STRETCH at the bottom, which reminds
me: on the EZ BAR presses you must lower the bar all the way to your
clavicles each rep.
As many of you know, the primary function of the long or "INNER HEAD" of
the triceps is actually shoulder extension (pulling the upper arm down
and back). Think of the long head as the back half of the "HORSESHOE."
Rowing and pulldowns with a relatively close grip are good for this head,
as are STRAIGHT-ARM PULLDOWNS on the lat machine. Take a good look at
ERNEST CADINE'S TRI'S. He was primarly an Olympic-style lifter, active
between 1910 and 1930, which meant lots of overhead pressing. He was
NOT A BODYBUILDER, and when questioned about his exceptional arms always
claimed he didn't have time for isolated arm work, like extesions.
Probably didn't, as it must have taken lots of work on his presses,
snatches and clean & jerks to be the best heavyweight in the world at
only 5'8 and 200 pounds!
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