Fitness Experts Highlight Underrated Triceps Moves
Three underrated triceps exercises—close-grip bench press, overhead triceps extension, and the "JM press"—are essential for real arm growth according to fitness experts. These moves can accelerate muscle development and break through plateaus when combined with proper form and progressive overload.
- The triceps muscle, which makes up about two-thirds of the upper arm's mass, is composed of three heads: the lateral, medial, and long head. The long head is unique because it crosses the shoulder joint, meaning its activation is affected by arm position. - Overhead triceps extensions are especially effective because they place the long head of the triceps in a fully stretched position, which can lead to greater muscle growth. Studies have found that overhead extensions can stimulate significantly more growth in the long head compared to exercises like pushdowns. - The close-grip bench press shifts the emphasis from the chest to the triceps, allowing for heavier loads than typical isolation exercises. This increased weight can lead to greater strength and size gains. - The JM press is a hybrid exercise that combines elements of a close-grip bench press and a skull crusher. It was created by and named after powerlifter J.M. Blakley to specifically build triceps strength for a more powerful bench press lockout. - Strengthening the triceps is critical for improving performance in other compound lifts. Strong triceps are essential for the "lockout" phase—the final extension of the arms—in movements like the bench press and overhead press. - Progressive overload involves more than just adding weight. To stimulate muscle growth, one can also increase the total number of reps or sets, slow down the lifting tempo to increase time under tension, or decrease rest periods between sets.
