A Unique Triceps Movement That Guarantees Great Guns!
Everybody has their favorite exercises. There's always that one movement for each bodypart that seems to produce the best results, or in some cases, it can simply be that a particular exercise just FEELS better than the others. In either situation, the assumption can be misleading. So is the case with tricep training. MORE WEIGHT =3D MORE MASS The consensus on tricep training is that it's the heavier, and often, the more uncomfortable movements, that produce the most mass.
Lying barbell extensions (skull crushers) head the list in that they're a heavy movement that place a distinct and direct stress onto the three heads of the triceps. On the other end of the spectrum, you have tricep kickbacks. They're thought to be more of a sculpting movement but they've all but fallen out of favor due to the fact that the weight necessary to perform kickbacks correctly is too light to adequately stress the muscles, at least enough to stimulate growth. The leverage factor, considering the angle of the body, doesn't allow for a great deal of exertion. In that regard, kickbacks isolate the triceps almost TOO well. Some bodybuilders may throw in a set or two at the end of their regular tricep routine (when no one is looking) just as a finisher -- something to contract the tri's and get a little extra pump. But almost no serious lifter would make them the crux of their tricep training.
A MUSCLE ONLY KNOWS GRAVITY This preference over heavy movements versus isolation movements brings up an interesting point. Is it the EXERCISE that is superior or inferior or is it a matter of the POUNDAGE that is being lifted? With skull crushers, you may be able to handle 100 pounds but with kickbacks, a pair of 30s would be a challenge. But what if there was a way of duplicating the intense contraction of a tricep kickback with the heavy poundage of a mass building movement like the lying tricep press? There is. And when you hear how simple it is, you'll wonder why you've never done it before. As a matter of fact, you may wonder why you've probably never seen ANYONE doing it! And once you try it, you'll realize it's a tremendously effective exercise which not only packs on mass but brings out knife-sharp detail throughout the three heads of the triceps. It does so by combining the heavy weight of a barbell exercise with the isolation of the tricep kickback. The exercise is the BARBELL KICKBACK!
LOOKS WEIRD. WORKS GREAT! At first glance, this move may appear awkward but it's actually quite comfortable. The usage of a barbell not only allows for more weight, it also prevents cheating so prevalent with the triceps kickbacks. Even when using two dumbells at a time, the arms can swing the bells back, yet this isn't the case with a barbell. Grab a hold of one and you'll see what I mean.
How It's Done - The barbell will be held behind your back with your arms down at the sides, palms facing backward. (If possible, it's easiest to back up to a barbell rack or have someone hand you the bar.) Use a "false" grip (thumbs the same side as the other fingers) to prevent overuse of the wrists and to keep the stress on the back of the arms.
- Take a shoulder width grip. (Note: You may also want to experiment with some slight variations in width.)
- Bend forward until your torso is parallel to the ground. Bend the knees slightly.
- Place the barbell so it falls into the mediolateral axis (the crook of the back of your knee where your leg bends).
- Now, bend the arms and raise the bar up as high and as far back as you can. You can even heave a little if you have to. After a few reps, you'll start to get the feel for it.
- Hold the bar in the contracted position for a count of two. Slowly lower back to the original position. Use a weight that will allow for no more than 12 reps.
"TRI-ING" FOR MORE MUSCLE If you execute this correctly, you'll feel a major flushing in all three heads of the triceps. They'll swell and get pumped up quickly. It should also produce a deep down ache that you normally don't get with isolation movements.
Tricep training isn't unlike working any other bodypart in that it requires new stimulus to instigate growth. This can come from a variety of techniques but nothing shocks those dormant muscle fibers more than an exercise it's never experienced, and the barbell kickback should fill the bill perfectly.
