10 Best Long Head Tricep Exercises In 2024 for Athletic Arms

Hello Guys, Thanks for visiting our website. Today we will talk about “10 Best Long Head Tricep Exercises for Athletic Arms” and the proper way to do these exercises. You can use these ten exercises to draw attention to your long head, strengthen your triceps, and add thickness and size to your upper arms. So let’s dig into the topic and read in brief.

The term “triceps” refers to the three-headed arm muscle of the same name. The triceps has the same long head, medial head, and lateral head as the biceps. Each muscle “head” that originates in the upper arm has one tendon that connects to the bony portion of your elbow.

Long head tricep exercises will help you build mass because they make up the majority of the tricep muscle. The long head also helps with shoulder extension and overall health.

Tricep Anatomy

The triceps are located behind the humerus, between your elbow and shoulder, and are made up of three muscle heads: long, medial, and lateral.

Lateral Head

The lateral head of the triceps is located on the humerus’s outer side. This is the horseshoe shape that appears on the upper back of your arm.

Medial Head

The triceps medial head is located in the middle of the back of the upper arm. It runs from the humerus to the elbow and is opposite the long head.

Long Head

The triceps long head is the largest part of your triceps and runs down the back of your arm. Because it crosses the shoulder joint and aids in shoulder extension, the long head differs from the medial and lateral heads.

While knowing where each is on your arm is important, knowing how to target and each of the tricep heads is critical. We’ll concentrate on the long head, which accounts for the majority of the mass in your triceps.

Best Long Head Tricep Exercises for Athletic Arms

Here are the Best Long Head Tricep Exercises for Athletic Arms.

Cable Overhead Triceps Extensions

Cable overhead triceps extensions stretch the long head of your triceps, increasing the range of motion and muscle activation. This exercise can be done with a straight or EZ bar, but a rope handle is usually more comfortable and practical.

The disadvantage is that this exercise necessitates good shoulder mobility. If you can’t keep your arms vertical and your biceps close to your ears, this exercise will be uncomfortable and difficult to complete correctly. This exercise includes in best long head tricep exercises.

How to do:

• Attach the double rope to a point on the cable system above or near your head.
• Grip the handles overhead, hinge forward at the hips at approximately 45 degrees, and take a step or two away from the pulley. You can get into position by leaning your buttocks against the pulley system.
• For maximum stability, take a split stance with one foot forward and the other in the back. Maintain a firm grip on your core muscles.
• Keep your elbows close to your chin.
• Flex your triceps and rotate your hands out.
• Bend your arms until you feel a triceps stretch, then repeat.

Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks

Triceps kickbacks aren’t typically thought of as a mass builder, but they’re hard to beat for emphasizing your triceps long head. Because it has to work hard to keep your upper arm extended, the long head of the triceps is especially active in this exercise.

This exercise works best with light to moderate weights and medium to high reps; it does not work well with heavy weights or low reps. Use kickbacks as a finishing exercise to get a great pump.

Kickbacks can also be done with a cable, which keeps your triceps under constant tension.

How to do:

• Grab a dumbbell with your left hand and hold it with a neutral grip, then step forward with your right leg and back with your left.
• Then, with your right hand, grasp something, bend your knees, and lean your torso over while keeping your back straight.
• Bend your left arm 90 degrees so that your upper arm is parallel to the floor and your forearm is perpendicular.
• Now, flex your triceps and extend your forearm back until your arm is parallel to the floor. During this part of the exercise, exhale.
• Then, again at a 90-degree angle, bend your left arm.
• Repeat with your right arm after completing the desired number of reps. Change your leg position.

Overhead EZ Bar Triceps Extensions

The EZ-Bar overhead triceps extensions strengthen the triceps while strengthening the shoulders. The EZ-Bar allows for better hand positioning, reducing strain on the wrists and elbows. It also allows for more range of motion on the lower portion, which stretches the triceps and promotes muscle growth.

The key to this exercise’s success is to keep your biceps close to your ears. If you swing your arms out and away from your head, what should be a triceps isolation exercise becomes more of an overhead pressing exercise.

As a result, good shoulder mobility and flexibility are required to perform overhead EZ bar triceps extensions properly.

How to do:

• Hold an EZ curl bar overhead with your hands shoulder-width apart under the curved grooves while sitting upright on a bench.
• Then, with your elbows slightly tucked in, slowly lower the bar behind your head until your forearms are parallel to the floor. During this part of the exercise, inhale.
• Now, flex your triceps and extend your forearms back to the starting position, but don’t lock out at the top. During this part of the exercise, exhale.
• Rep until you’ve completed the desired number of reps.

Dumbbell Incline Triceps Extensions

Skull crushers are one of the best triceps mass builders available. They use all three heads fairly equally. Superset them with close-grip bench presses to really bulk up your triceps!

Skull crushers can be performed with a straight barbell or an EZ bar, as well as dumbbells and a neutral or palms-inward grip.

To emphasize the long head of your triceps, however, simply raise your bench to a 30 to 45-degree angle. This exercise’s main advantage is that it requires less shoulder flexibility than more upright overhead extensions, making it a good compromise for fewer mobile lifters. This exercise includes in best long head tricep exercises.

How to do:

• Stand with your feet on both sides of the bench, your head and shoulders above the backrest.
• Then, with a neutral grip, hold the dumbbells straight above your head.
• Reduce the weights until your forearms are parallel to the floor. During this part of the exercise, inhale.
• Now, without moving your upper arms, use your triceps to extend the dumbbells back up. During this part of the exercise, exhale.
• Rep until you’ve completed the desired number of reps.

Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extensions

The seated dumbbell tricep extension is a dumbbell tricep extension variation that is used to isolate the tricep muscles.

Overhead extension exercises are especially effective for targeting the triceps’ long head. A larger and dense long head will give the appearance of a larger tricep.

Isolation exercises for the triceps are especially beneficial for those seeking aesthetic results. They can also help those who want to improve their strength in other pressing motions.

How to do:

• While seated on the bench, hold one side of the dumbbell with both hands.
• Then, return to the starting position by pressing the dumbbell overhead.
• Keep your upper arms stationary and only bend your forearms parallel to the floor until the dumbbell is behind your head.
• Flex your triceps to bring your forearms back up, but don’t lock out your elbows.
• Complete the recommended number of reps, then repeat for the desired number of sets.

Close-Grip Push-ups

It’s easy to forget that you don’t have to use barbells, dumbbells, or weight machines to build muscle; bodyweight exercises can also be effective. Pull-ups and chin-ups, after all, are great back and biceps builders, and dips are a good alternative to decline bench presses.

Another great bodyweight exercise is the humble push-up, which can be easily modified to emphasize the long head of your triceps. This simple but effective bodyweight exercise, also known as diamond push-ups, is one of the most effective long head exercises. This exercise includes in best long head tricep exercises.

How to do:

• Put your hands and feet in a push-up position. Tuck your arms into your sides.
• Then, bend your arms and lower your body until your chest is a few inches from the floor. Maintain a straight back. Do not round or arch your back. During this part of the exercise, inhale.
• Exhale after pushing your body back up with your triceps.
• Rep until you’ve completed the desired number of reps.

Cable Triceps Pushdowns

Most people’s go-to triceps exercise is cable triceps pushdowns. It is simple and convenient to do. This exercise is included in the majority of triceps workouts. With a simple modification, you can use this movement to target the long head of your triceps.

Take 1-2 steps back and then pull your upper arms back and into your sides to accomplish this. This increases shoulder extension, which is one of the long head’s functions.

Experiment with triceps pushdowns using a straight bar, a V-shaped bar, or a rope handle to see which one feels the best. You can also perform triceps pushdowns with one arm rather than two.

How to do:

• Attach the V-shaped bar to the cable machine by sliding the cable pulley to the top or a high notch.
• Face the pulley and use an overhand grip to grab the handles with both hands. You can take a split stance, a hip-width stance, or close your feet together.
• With your core tight and your chest up, fully extend your arms by flexing your triceps and squeezing for a second while keeping your elbows by your sides.
• Repeat for the desired number of reps by slowly bending your elbows until your forearms are slightly above parallel to the floor.

High Cable Overhead Triceps Extensions

This overhead triceps extension exercise is far more forgiving than most others. Despite being gentler on your shoulders, it’s just as effective at hitting the long head of your triceps.

This exercise is ideal for supersets because it uses the same setup as triceps pushdowns. Do high cable overhead triceps extensions first, then turn around and do regular triceps pushdowns for a killer, time-efficient workout that focuses on the long head.

How to do:

• Connect an overhead pulley to a straight bar, rope handle, or V-shaped bar. Take an overhand grip on it. For balance, take a split stance with your back to the pulley machine. Lean forward so that your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
• Extend your arms and push the handle forward until your arms are straight but not locked, with your biceps close to your ears.
• Repeat by bending your elbows as far as you can without raising your upper arms.

Standing Barbell Kickbacks

Elbow extension is used in almost all triceps exercises. That’s not a bad thing because the triceps brachii’s primary function is elbow extension. On the other hand, the triceps’ long head contributes to shoulder extension.

This old-school exercise is all about shoulder extension, so it’s the closest thing to a triceps long head isolation move. It feels strange, and the movement is small, but if you want to work the long head of your triceps while ignoring the other two heads, this is the exercise for you. This exercise includes in best long head tricep exercises.

How to do:

• Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Use a pronated or palms-down grip to hold a barbell behind your back. Hold your abs in place.
• Lift the bar away from your body while keeping your arms straight but not locked. It won’t get very far if you don’t lift it as high as you can.
• Repeat by lowering the bar.
• Perform this exercise with a lightweight and for a high number of reps to maximize the burn and pump.

Behind the Neck Overhead Presses

This exercise is ideal for time-crunched lifters who want bigger shoulders and triceps but don’t have time to train them separately.

Of course, behind the neck pressing is debatable and can result in shoulder pain and injuries, especially if you have poor posture or lack the necessary shoulder mobility. Regular overhead barbell presses may be equally effective while being easier on the shoulders.

How to do:

• Hold a barbell across your upper back while seated or standing. To maximize triceps recruitment, use a shoulder-width or slightly narrower grip. Pull your shoulders back and down, tighten your abs, and lift your chest.
• Raise the weight to arm’s length and press it up and overhead. Extend your elbows fully but do not lock them.
• Lower the weight slowly back to your neck and repeat.
• Do not thrust your chin forward. Instead, practice pulling your arms and shoulders back.

Final Words

While all triceps exercises work the long head, focusing on this muscle will help you build bigger arms. After all, it accounts for roughly two-thirds of your triceps mass, so it’s pivotal not to overlook it.

It is, however, more than just an aesthetic muscle; it is also essential for shoulder stability. Strengthening your triceps long head could improve your overhead and bench press performance. It is also critical for pulling exercises such as chin-ups and T-bar rows.

Use these ten exercises to draw attention to your long head, strengthen your triceps, and add thickness and size to your upper arms.