Call this an addition to the "big arms" thread. What are some good exercises to increase mass and definition in triceps?

I'm currently doing cable pressdowns, raised dips and overhead triceps extensions. I've actually heard of these last ones called a lot of things - it's dumbell in both hands over your head, lower to back of neck, pushup up to start position. I'm also benching (my weight - another thread [;)]) but with a wide grip, so I don't know how much the triceps are getting hit. When I get bored, I usually bang out some narrow-grip pushups. What else would be good to add in?

Also, what's the best way to isolate the triceps during dip? Bending the elbows out to the sides or straight back behind you?

Thanks,
Keith C.

this is certainly heresy, and it may be unrelated, but my tri's have gotten real defined lately and i think it's because of upright rows with a barbell.  i know that's an upper back exercise but i think that it's hitting some of the secondary muscles of the tricep or something.  it certainly has pushed that nub or whatever it's called out on the side of my arm

i'm doing 3 sets of 10 with 90 pounds.

it's a good back exercise, regardless.  give it a whirl, see if it makes a difference.

another tri exercise to kill the boredom is the rearward extension.  lean over a flat bench with same knee as working arm on bench and grip forward with opposite hand.  have the weight arm perpendicular to your body, down by your knee on the bench, and bring the weight up behind you until your forearm's parallel with the floor.

basically: H for head, W for weight, B for bench
H-----|--
 |   |  |  |   W  | \----|
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

to

H------------W
 |      |  |      | \----|
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

hurray for ascii art.

[edit:  screw it, stupid formatting - you get the point]

IMO "dips" with your head looking straight ahead concentrate more on your tri's than w/your head poised looking down. So I've been told. Another exercise called skull crushers, easily done w/a easy curlbar ,hands close together in the middle of the bar, are good tri mass builders.

I wish there was a way to search past the last 6 months, because a year or so ago there was a good thread on this.

Here's a few I like:
lying tricep extention-lye on a flat bench, keep your upper arm perpendicular to the ground and press a curl bar from your forehead up.  You can also do these on a decline bench.  For me, this is the best tricep exercise, but it's hard on your tendons.  After doing this for years, my tendons finally had enough and won't let me do them anymore.  So, I don't think I'd recommend doing them every workout.

close grip presses-just like bench presses, but with your hands close together.

cable pushdowns with the rope-hold one end of the rope in each hand and push down.  When you get to the bottom of the movement, press out.

reverse grip cable pushdowns-same as pushdowns, just hold the bar from the bottom with your palms facing up instead of down.

Keep your elbows close to your body when doing dips.  It works your tricep better and it's easier on your rotator cuff.

If you're doing bench press, dips, and mil press, you might already be doing more than enough for your triceps.  All three of those will hit your triceps pretty hard.

When doing dips, elbows to the back work the triceps hardest.z

the exercise where you touch your forehead w/ the bar is called a french press.  thought y'all would enjoy that.

It was designed to promote endurance for keeping your arms raised above your head during zee long marches to zee detention camps.

Thanks for the tips, guys. And yeah, _twist, gotta dig that "ascii art". [:D]

Close grip bench press, hands a little less than shoulder width apart. Very slow and precise to isolate the Tri's.

Reverse grip single arm cable extensions from a high pulley.

HEAVY tricep pushdowns from a high pulley. VERY slightly lean forward and come up no higher than mid chest, while keeping the elbows locked into your hips. Coming up higher than low-mid chest takes the pressure from the triceps and makes it more of a shoulder/back movement.

2 hand single dumbell overheads like you are doing are very good, but be VERY careful on this exercise. Use strict form and lock the elbows into the side of your head, remember it is a tricep movement, not a shoulder/back movement. I did it for years and went very heavy with it(3/4 bodyweight, that I used to have to get someone to hand the dumbell to me). Then one day, both elbows at the same time said....F*ck you!! I felt tremendous pain and was out of lifting ANY weight for at least 6 months. The elbow ligaments and muscles are not the strongest ones you have and can only take so much punishment. I paid for it big time.

Dips done slow with extra weight are great too.