The Best & Worst TRICEPS Exercises (Ranked Using Science)

Summary

This video ranks 20 popular triceps exercises from best to worst based on three criteria: high tension, comfort, and progression ease. The overhead cable triceps extension is crowned the best exercise for its ability to target all three heads of the triceps effectively. Conversely, the dumbbell kickback is deemed the least effective due to its limited tension distribution. The video emphasizes the importance of incorporating a variety of exercises to ensure balanced triceps development and provides detailed insights into the mechanics and benefits of each exercise.

Takeaways

• 🏋️‍♂️ The video ranks 20 popular tricep exercises on a tier list from S (super) to F (fail), focusing on muscle growth.
• 🤔 An ideal tricep exercise should provide high tension, feel good without causing pain, and have a simple progression for adding weight or reps.
• 💪 The triceps consist of three heads: lateral, medial, and long, each contributing to different aspects of arm shape and function.
• 🔥 The rope press down is ranked in B tier due to its mind-muscle connection but limited tension compared to other methods.
• 🏋️‍♀️ The bar press down is recommended for its stability and even tension, ranking it in A tier despite not stretching the tricep as much as other exercises.
• 👎 The reverse grip press down is considered the worst of the three press down variations due to its reduced strength output and grip limitations.
• 🌟 The overhead cable triceps extension is the first exercise to be ranked in S tier, emphasizing the long head's role in shoulder extension.
• 🤔 The katana tricep extension is a personal favorite but requires more setup and has a learning curve, placing it in A tier.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Dumbbell French press is effective for stretching the long head but can be bulky and awkward, earning it a B tier ranking.
• 💥 Skull crushers are highly effective for tricep growth, offering high tension and easy progression, ranking them in S tier.
• 🔧 The close grip bench press is great for progressive overload but may not develop the long head as effectively, placing it in A tier.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on ranking 20 popular triceps exercises on a tier list from S to F, based on their effectiveness for muscle growth.

What are the three criteria for ranking the triceps exercises?

The criteria are high tension in the stretched position, a good feel without causing pain and a smooth resistance profile, and a simple progression for easy weight or rep increase over time.

What are the three heads of the triceps and what do they contribute to the arm's shape?

The three heads are the lateral head, which gives the triceps a rounded shape; the medial head, which adds shape to the arm as a whole; and the long head, which beefs up the triceps from the rear.

Why are press-downs a popular triceps exercise?

Press-downs are popular because they hit all three heads of the triceps, with a slight emphasis on the medial and lateral heads, and they have various grips and attachments that can alter the feel and effectiveness of the exercise.

What is the advantage of using a rope for press-downs?

Using a rope allows for driving the handles apart at the bottom, potentially increasing the contraction in the triceps, but it is more of a mind-muscle connection and doesn't add as much contractile benefit.

How does the overhead cable triceps extension benefit the long head of the triceps?

The overhead cable triceps extension benefits the long head by moving the arms overhead, which stretches the long head more than the other two heads, and provides high tension in the stretched position.

What is the main drawback of using a rope for overhead cable triceps extensions?

The main drawback is that the rope limits the ability to overload the triceps due to its less rigid and stable nature, resulting in some tension loss through the need to stabilize the rope with the forearms.

Why does the video consider the overhead cable triceps extension an S-tier exercise?

The overhead cable triceps extension is considered an S-tier exercise because it effectively targets all three heads of the triceps, especially the long head when the arm is overhead, and has been validated in studies for superior hypertrophy results.

What is the issue with the reverse grip press-down according to the video?

The reverse grip press-down is considered less effective because turning the palms up doesn't significantly change the biomechanics for the triceps but can limit strength output and cause grip to be a limiting factor.

Why does the video suggest that cable triceps kickbacks are better than dumbbell kickbacks?

Cable triceps kickbacks are better because they provide even tension throughout the range of motion and bias tension toward the stretched aspect of the triceps, unlike dumbbell kickbacks which offer no tension when the triceps are stretched.

What is the video's final verdict on the best and worst triceps exercises?

The video crowns the overhead cable triceps extension as the best exercise for triceps growth and suggests that the dumbbell kickback might be the least effective option compared to others.