You've probably spent hours chasing that "horseshoe" look. It’s the hallmark of a developed arm. But honestly, most people spend way too much time doing overhead extensions and wondering why the side of their arm still looks flat. If you want that thick, wide appearance from the front and side, you have to nail your tricep short head exercises.
The triceps brachii has three heads: the long, the medial, and the lateral (often called the short head). While you can't truly "isolate" one head—the muscle works as a unit—you can absolutely shift the emphasis. The short head is what provides that lateral flare. It’s the muscle that pops when you’re standing relaxed. If you're only doing movements where your elbows are over your head, you're primarily hammering the long head. That’s great for overall mass, but it’s not how you build width.
To get the lateral head to grow, you need to change your mechanics. We're talking about elbow position and grip. It's about physics, really.
The Science of the Lateral Flare
Most gym-goers think a tricep is just a tricep. Wrong. The long head is the only part of the muscle that crosses the shoulder joint. This means its tension changes depending on where your arm is relative to your torso. The lateral head (the short head) and the medial head only cross the elbow.
Because the short head doesn't care about your shoulder position, it becomes the primary mover when the long head is "shortened" or placed in a mechanically disadvantaged position. Basically, when your arms are at your sides, the short head has to do the heavy lifting. This is why standard pushdowns are so effective for that outer sweep.
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Research, like the classic studies by Boeckh-Behrens and Buskies, has used EMG (electromyography) to show that movements with the arms at the sides or even slightly behind the body tend to recruit the lateral head more effectively. It’s not about "turning off" the other heads. That’s a myth. It’s about making the lateral head the star of the show by putting the long head in a position where it can’t produce maximum force.
Why Your Current Tricep Routine Is Failing You
Stop doing five variations of the same thing. If your routine is French presses, skull crushers, and overhead dumbbell extensions, you are overworking the long head and neglecting the lateral sweep. You're building a "deep" arm, but not a "wide" one.
You also need to look at your grip. While the tricep doesn't rotate the forearm (that’s the biceps' job), the way you hold a bar changes how you flare your elbows. Pushing with a slightly wider-than-shoulder-width grip on a straight bar often forces the elbows out. That's a good thing for the short head.
Many people also cheat on tricep short head exercises by using their shoulders. If you're leaning your entire body weight into a cable pushdown, you're essentially doing a weird standing chest press. Your triceps are taking a backseat. You have to keep those shoulders pinned. If they move, you've lost the tension on the lateral head.
The Heavy Hitters: Best Exercises for the Short Head
Let’s get into the weeds. If you want results, you need to pick movements that maximize tension at the side of the arm.
1. Weighted Dips (Chest Up Version)
Dips are the king of tricep builders. But for the short head, you want to stay as upright as possible. Leaning forward hits the pecs. Staying vertical forces the triceps to drive the weight. This is a massive compound movement. It allows for heavy loading, which is essential for hypertrophy. If you aren't doing these, you're leaving gains on the table.
2. Close-Grip Bench Press
Don't go too narrow. If your hands are touching, you're just begging for a wrist injury. Shoulder-width is the sweet spot. When you lower the bar, keep your elbows tucked but focus on the "push" at the top. The lockout phase is where the lateral head screams.
3. Rope Pushdowns with a Twist
This is the "secret sauce" for many pro bodybuilders. Don't just pull the rope down. As you reach the bottom of the movement, pull the ends of the rope apart. Imagine you're trying to snap the rope in half. This extra "flare" at the bottom targets the lateral head intensely. It’s a short range of motion at the very end, but it makes a world of difference.
4. Diamond Pushups
Simple. Effective. Brutal. By bringing your hands together under your chest, you're putting the triceps in a position where they have to handle the bulk of your body weight. Because your arms are at your sides, the lateral head is heavily engaged. These are great as a finisher after your heavy sets.
The Role of Intensity and Frequency
You can't just do three sets of ten and expect to look like a pro. The triceps are composed of a high percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers. This means they respond incredibly well to heavy weights and explosive (but controlled) movements.
However, they also need volume.
Try a "mechanical dropset" approach. Start with a heavy set of close-grip bench presses. When you hit failure, immediately drop the weight and go into diamond pushups. This keeps the lateral head under tension for a longer duration, forcing blood into the muscle and stretching the fascia.
Mind-Muscle Connection
It sounds like "bro-science," but it's real. In a 2018 study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers found that focusing on the specific muscle being worked significantly increased EMG activity. When you're doing tricep short head exercises, literally visualize the outer part of your arm doing the work. Don't just move the weight from point A to point B. Feel the squeeze at the bottom.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Flaring the elbows too much: While a little flare can help target the lateral head on some movements, excessive flaring during exercises like skull crushers can lead to "elbow tendonitis" (lateral epicondylitis).
- Neglecting the Medial Head: The medial head sits under the other two. It provides the "base" for the tricep. If it’s weak, the lateral head won’t pop as much.
- Too much volume too fast: Your elbows are sensitive joints. If you go from zero to twenty sets of triceps overnight, you’re going to end up with inflammation.
Sample Short Head Dominant Workout
If you’re looking to prioritize that lateral sweep for the next 6-8 weeks, try structured sessions like this.
The "Width" Session:
- Close-Grip Bench Press: 3 sets of 6-8 reps. Focus on a controlled 3-second descent.
- Weighted Dips: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Keep your torso as vertical as a Greek column.
- Cable Rope Pushdowns: 4 sets of 12-15 reps. Remember the "flare" at the bottom.
- Dumbbell Kickbacks: 2 sets of 20 reps. Yes, they’re old school. No, they aren't useless. If you keep your upper arm parallel to the floor, the peak contraction is almost entirely lateral head.
Nutriton and Recovery Factors
You can't train a muscle into existence if you aren't eating. Protein is the obvious one, but don't ignore carbohydrates. Carbs replenish muscle glycogen, which makes your muscles look "full." A flat muscle doesn't show off the short head flare nearly as well as a glycogen-loaded one.
Also, sleep. Your muscles don't grow in the gym; they grow when you're knocked out in bed. Aim for 7-9 hours. If you're cutting, be aware that the lateral head is often one of the first places to "disappear" as you lose intramuscular water and fat. Don't panic; it's still there.
Actionable Next Steps
To actually see progress in your lateral tricep development, you need to track your lifts. Start today by auditing your current arm routine. If more than half of your exercises involve your elbows being above your shoulders, you're neglecting the short head.
Immediate Adjustments:
- Swap one overhead movement for a heavy pressing movement (like close-grip bench).
- Add a "flare" to your cable pushdowns by using a rope and pulling it apart at the bottom.
- Prioritize form over weight. If you can't feel the lateral head working, the weight is too heavy or your ego is too big.
- Increase frequency. If you only train arms once a week, try adding a second "mini-session" focusing exclusively on the short head after a chest or shoulder day.
Consistency is the only thing that actually works. Stop searching for "magic" exercises and start executing the foundational ones with more intensity. The horseshoe is waiting.
Real-world tip: If you have access to an EZ-bar, use the outer "cambered" grips for your tricep work. This slight angle often feels better on the wrists while allowing you to drive through the pinky side of your hand, which many lifters find helps them "feel" the lateral head more effectively during extensions.
Expert Insight: Don't ignore the "medial" head either. While the lateral head provides the width, the medial head (the deep part of the tricep) adds thickness that pushes the lateral head outward, making it look even more prominent. It’s a game of layers. Focus on the short head for the sweep, but stay strong on the basics to build the foundation underneath it.