Triceps: How to Effectively Train the Long Head for Mass and Strength

How to Train a Long Head of Triceps?

Targeting the long head of the triceps brachii requires understanding its unique anatomical attachments and functions, primarily emphasizing movements that involve shoulder flexion and extension to maximize its stretch and engagement during elbow extension.

Understanding Triceps Anatomy and Function

The triceps brachii, meaning "three-headed arm muscle," is the primary extensor of the elbow joint. It comprises three distinct heads: the lateral head, the medial head, and the long head. While all three contribute to elbow extension, their varying origins dictate their specific roles and how they can be preferentially targeted.

• Lateral Head: Originates from the posterior surface of the humerus, superior to the radial groove. It's primarily involved in powerful elbow extension.
• Medial Head: Originates from the posterior surface of the humerus, inferior to the radial groove. It's considered the "workhorse" of the triceps, active in all elbow extension movements, especially at lower loads.
• Long Head: This is the only head that originates from the scapula, specifically the infraglenoid tubercle. Its unique origin crosses the shoulder joint, making it a bi-articular muscle. This anatomical distinction is crucial for understanding how to specifically train it. Besides elbow extension, the long head also assists in shoulder extension (moving the arm backward) and adduction (moving the arm towards the midline of the body).

Due to its origin on the scapula, the long head is placed under a greater stretch when the arm is overhead or extended behind the body. This stretch allows for greater force production and activation, making it a key target for overall triceps mass, strength, and the appearance of a fuller, more developed arm.

Biomechanics of Long Head Activation

To effectively target the long head, the principle of active insufficiency and passive insufficiency comes into play. When a muscle crosses two joints, its ability to produce force at one joint can be influenced by the position of the other joint.

• Shoulder Position: For optimal long head activation during elbow extension, the shoulder joint needs to be positioned in a way that places the long head under stretch. This typically means:
  • Shoulder Flexion (Arms Overhead): When the arm is raised overhead (e.g., during overhead extensions), the long head is stretched at the shoulder joint, allowing it to contribute more significantly to elbow extension.
  • Shoulder Extension/Hyperextension (Arms Behind the Body): While less common for direct triceps exercises, movements that bring the elbow behind the body can also engage the long head through its shoulder extension function.
  • Shoulder Adduction (Elbows Close to Body): Maintaining the elbows close to the body, as in close-grip pressing or specific pushdown variations, can also emphasize the long head's role in shoulder adduction.

Key Principles for Targeting the Long Head

To maximize long head activation and growth, incorporate these principles into your training:

• Prioritize Full Range of Motion: Ensure a complete stretch at the top of the movement (when the triceps are lengthened) and full contraction at the bottom. The eccentric (lowering) phase is particularly important for muscle growth.
• Emphasize Shoulder Position: Select exercises that position your arms overhead or slightly behind your torso to put the long head under optimal stretch.
• Control the Movement: Avoid using momentum. Focus on a slow, controlled eccentric phase and a powerful, deliberate concentric (lifting) phase. This enhances the mind-muscle connection and reduces injury risk.
• Progressive Overload: Like any muscle, the long head responds to progressive overload. Gradually increase weight, repetitions, sets, or reduce rest times over time to continue challenging the muscle.

Effective Exercises for the Long Head of Triceps

Here are several exercises proven to effectively target the long head, along with biomechanical explanations:

• Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension (Single or Two-Arm):
  • Execution: Sit or stand, holding one or two dumbbells with arms extended overhead. Slowly lower the weight behind your head by flexing your elbows, keeping elbows pointing forward. Extend your arms back to the starting position.
  • Why it works: The overhead position places the long head under maximum stretch at the shoulder joint, forcing it to contribute significantly to elbow extension.
• Overhead Cable Triceps Extension (Rope or Straight Bar):
  • Execution: Face away from a high pulley, grasping a rope or straight bar. Step forward to create tension, bringing your hands overhead. Extend your elbows, pushing the rope/bar forward and up, then slowly return.
  • Why it works: Provides constant tension throughout the range of motion, similar to the dumbbell version, maximizing long head engagement due to the overhead arm position.
• Lying Triceps Extension (Skullcrushers - EZ Bar or Dumbbells):
  • Execution: Lie on a bench, holding an EZ bar or dumbbells with arms extended over your chest. Keeping your upper arms stationary, lower the weight towards your forehead or behind your head by flexing your elbows. Extend back up.
  • Why it works: While not strictly overhead, allowing the weight to travel slightly behind the head or using an incline bench can increase the stretch on the long head by putting the shoulder into a slight degree of flexion.
• Close-Grip Bench Press:
  • Execution: Lie on a flat bench, grasping a barbell with a narrow grip (hands inside shoulder-width). Lower the bar to your lower chest, keeping elbows tucked in, then press back up.
  • Why it works: While a compound movement, the close grip and tucked elbows emphasize the triceps, particularly the long head, due to the increased demand for shoulder adduction and extension during the press.
• Dips (Bodyweight or Assisted):
  • Execution: Use parallel bars. Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping your torso relatively upright but leaning slightly forward. Push back up to the starting position.
  • Why it works: Leaning slightly forward during dips puts the shoulders into a degree of extension, which can increase the stretch and activation of the long head, especially as the elbows move behind the body.
• Cable Triceps Pushdown (Rope Attachment):
  • Execution: Stand facing a high pulley, grasp a rope attachment with a neutral grip. Keep elbows tucked close to your sides. Extend your elbows, pulling the rope down and slightly apart, then slowly return.
  • Why it works: While many pushdown variations primarily target the medial and lateral heads, using a rope attachment allows for external rotation and slight shoulder adduction at the bottom of the movement, which can subtly increase long head engagement. Keeping elbows close to the body is key.

Programming Considerations

Integrating long head training effectively requires thoughtful programming:

• Placement in Workout: Consider starting your triceps workout with a compound movement like close-grip bench press or dips, followed by isolation movements that specifically target the long head (e.g., overhead extensions).
• Volume and Frequency: A typical approach might be 2-4 exercises for triceps per session, with 3-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions each. Aim for 2-3 triceps-focused sessions per week, allowing for adequate recovery.
• Warm-up: Always perform a proper warm-up including light cardio and dynamic stretches, especially for the shoulder and elbow joints, before triceps training.
• Balanced Training: While targeting the long head is beneficial, ensure you don't neglect the lateral and medial heads. A well-rounded triceps routine will include exercises that hit all three heads for comprehensive development.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using Excessive Weight: Sacrificing form for heavier weight often leads to momentum-driven movements, reducing long head activation and increasing injury risk.
• Neglecting Full Range of Motion: Shortening the range, especially the eccentric stretch, limits the long head's potential for growth.
• Ignoring Shoulder Position: Performing all triceps exercises with arms fixed by the sides (e.g., standard pushdowns with a straight bar) will primarily work the medial and lateral heads, under-utilizing the long head.
• Relying Solely on Isolation: While isolation exercises are crucial, compound movements like close-grip presses and dips provide a foundational strength and mass base for the triceps.

Conclusion

Training the long head of the triceps is not about reinventing the wheel, but rather intelligently selecting and executing exercises that leverage its unique anatomical position and function. By incorporating movements that place the arm overhead or involve shoulder extension and adduction, maintaining strict form, and applying progressive overload, you can effectively target this crucial muscle head for enhanced arm mass, strength, and definition. Consistency and attention to biomechanical detail are paramount for optimal results.