You've probably spent hours hammering away at the cable machine, chasing that elusive "horseshoe" look. But honestly? Most people are just making their triceps look flat from the side. It's frustrating. You’re doing the work, but the mass isn't showing up where it counts.
The secret isn't more reps. It’s the long head.
See, the triceps brachii consists of three distinct heads: the lateral, the medial, and the massive long head. While the lateral head gives you that "flare" when viewed from the front, the long head is the only one that crosses the shoulder joint. It is the absolute king of arm volume. If you want arms that actually look thick in a T-shirt, you have to prioritize tricep long head exercises that account for its unique anatomy.
Most gym-goers stick to standard pushdowns. Those are fine for the lateral head, but they leave the long head starving. Because the long head attaches to the scapula (your shoulder blade), it only reaches full "stretch" when your arm is over your head. If you aren't training overhead, you aren't training your full potential. Period.
Why Your Current Routine is Failing the Long Head
Muscle hypertrophy isn't just about moving weight from point A to point B. It's about tension. Specifically, it's about putting a muscle in a position where it is mechanically disadvantaged so it has to work harder to produce force.
When your arms are at your sides—like during a standard cable pushdown—the long head is in a shortened position. It’s "slack." Biomechanically, this is known as active insufficiency. In this state, the muscle can't generate maximum tension because the actin and myosin filaments within the muscle fibers are already overlapping too much. You’re basically trying to fire a cannon that’s already been compressed.
To fix this, we have to look at the research. A landmark study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that overhead extensions produced significantly more long-head activation compared to movements where the arm stayed at the side. It’s not just "bro-science." It's physics.
The Mystery of the "Stretch-Mediated" Growth
Recent sports science has pivoted hard toward "stretch-mediated hypertrophy." This is the idea that muscles grow more when they are loaded in their longest possible state. Since the long head is the only part of the tricep that stretches when you lift your elbow toward your ear, it stands to reason that overhead movements are the gold standard.
If you're only doing kickbacks and pushdowns, you're leaving about 60% of your tricep mass on the table. Think about that for a second.
The Best Tricep Long Head Exercises for Raw Mass
Let's get into the weeds. You don't need twenty different movements. You need three or four that you can progress on for years.
1. The Overhead Dumbbell Extension (The Classic)
This is the bread and butter. You can do it seated or standing. I prefer seated with a slight incline or a back support to prevent your lower back from arching like a banana.
Grab a heavy dumbbell with both hands. Lower it behind your head until your elbows are fully bent. You should feel a deep, almost uncomfortable stretch in the back of your arm. That's the long head screaming for help. Drive the weight back up, but don't worry about "locking out" perfectly if it causes elbow pain. The magic is in the bottom half of the rep.
2. Cable Overhead Extensions with Ropes
Cables are better than dumbbells for one reason: constant tension. When you use a dumbbell, the tension disappears at the top of the movement because gravity is just pushing the weight down through your bones. With a cable, the weight is pulling back and down throughout the entire range.
Pro tip: Use two rope attachments instead of one. This allows you to pull your hands further apart at the top, which accommodates your natural "carrying angle" and saves your elbows from getting cranky.
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3. The "Incline" Smith Machine JM Press
If you haven't heard of the JM Press, you're missing out on the secret weapon of elite powerlifters. Named after JM Blakley, this move is a hybrid between a close-grip bench press and a skull crusher.
When you perform these on an incline, you increase the stretch on the long head.
- Lay on an incline bench set to about 30 degrees.
- Lower the bar toward your upper chest or neck.
- Let your elbows flare slightly and tuck them back.
- Explode up.
It feels weird at first. Kinda like you're doing a tricep extension but with the stability of a press. It allows for much heavier loading than a standard extension, which is a recipe for growth.
Stop Making These Mistakes
I see people in the gym everyday ego-lifting on extensions. Their elbows are flaring out to the sides like they're trying to take flight. Stop it.
When your elbows flare excessively, you're shifting the load onto your chest and shoulders. Keep those elbows tucked relatively close to your head. They don't have to be perfectly parallel—everyone's anatomy is different—but they shouldn't be pointing toward the walls.
Another big one? Range of motion.
If you’re only going down halfway, you aren't hitting the long head. You’re just doing a heavy, ego-driven partial rep. If you want the long head to grow, you must descend until the forearm makes contact with the bicep. That full flexion is what triggers the stretch.
The Role of Compound Movements
We can't talk about tricep long head exercises without mentioning the heavy hitters. Dips and Close-Grip Bench Press are phenomenal, but they have a limitation.
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In a study by Dr. Bret Contreras, often called "The Glute Guy" but an expert on all things EMG, it was noted that while the long head is active in a close-grip bench, it isn't the primary driver. Why? Because as you press the bar up, you are also bringing your arm down relative to your torso. This causes the long head to shorten at both ends simultaneously.
It’s still a great builder. You should do it. But don't rely on it as your only tricep movement. Think of the close-grip bench as the foundation and the overhead extensions as the architecture that builds the peak.
A Sample "Long Head Focused" Workout
If you’re serious about fixing your arm proportions, try this specific sequence once a week.
- Incline JM Press: 3 sets of 6-8 reps. Focus on the heavy load and a controlled negative.
- Dual-Rope Cable Overhead Extensions: 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Go for the pump here. Don't let the weight rest at the bottom.
- Cross-Body Cable Extensions: 2 sets of 20 reps. This is a "finisher." By crossing your arms in front of your body, you can align the cable perfectly with the long head's fibers.
Why the High Reps?
The triceps have a high percentage of Type II muscle fibers (the fast-twitch ones that grow big), but they also respond incredibly well to metabolic stress. That "burn" you feel? That's lactic acid and ions pooling in the muscle, which signals the body to release local growth factors. Mixing heavy sets (6-8 reps) with high-volume sets (15-20 reps) covers all your bases.
The Recovery Factor
You can't smash your triceps every day and expect them to grow. The long head is a large muscle group and takes time to recover. If you're doing a "Push/Pull/Legs" split, your triceps are already getting hit during your shoulder presses and chest work.
Give them at least 48 to 72 hours of rest between dedicated sessions. Also, watch your elbows. If you start feeling a sharp pain on the "point" of your elbow, you likely have olecranon bursitis or tendonitis. This usually happens from too many skull crushers with a straight bar. Switch to dumbbells or a neutral grip (palms facing each other) to take the stress off the joint.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
The path to bigger arms isn't complicated, but it requires intent. Next time you hit the gym, don't just go through the motions.
Start your workout with an overhead movement while you’re fresh. Most people save overhead work for the end when they’re gassed, but that’s the most important part! By flipping the script and prioritizing the long head first, you ensure you have the nervous system energy to move significant weight in that stretched position.
Focus on the eccentric (the lowering phase). Take three full seconds to lower the weight. Feel the muscle fibers stretching under the load. This eccentric tension is the primary driver of the micro-tears needed for hypertrophy.
Lastly, track your lifts. If you did 50 lbs on overhead extensions last week for 10 reps, try for 11 reps this week. Or 52.5 lbs. Incremental progress—what we call progressive overload—is the only way to turn small arms into pillars. Forget the "fancy" TikTok exercises. Stick to the basics, load them heavy, and prioritize the stretch. That is how you actually build a tricep that commands respect.