5 Shock-Gain Long Head Tricep Exercises You’ve Never Tried! - Coaching Toolbox

Understanding the Context

1. Explosive Skull Crushers with Arms Extension

While standard skull crushers emphasize lateral and long head activation, the skull crushers with full arm extension take it further. This explosive move forces your triceps—especially the long head—to Firepower ton up by extending your arms powerfully above your head. Stand tall, grip a heavy dumbbell, exploded out wide, then explode upward crushing the bar with vertical force. The full extension maximizes stretch and contraction, flushing lactic acid and sparking muscle growth. Perfect for elite tricep shock training.

2. Cable Tricep Kickbacks: The Long Head Specialist

Key Insights

Most kickbacks target the lateral head, but cable tricep kickbacks with extended arms hit the long head like a laser. Visualize your elbow locked at 90 degrees, then pull the cable down in a controlled, slow motion with full tension through the entire range—particularly stretching at the bottom. The horizontal pull and full elbow extension uniquely spike the long head, sharpening engagement and increasing hypertrophy potential. This unconventional approach turns yourSide Bra server session into a truncated throw.

3. Plyometric Push-Up to Overhead Extension

Why stick to plain push-ups when you can explode into an overhead extension? The plyometric push-up to overhead movement activates the long head with explosive force—think chin-to-bar power above your head. Drop under a push-up with explosive momentum, catch yourself high, and drive arms straight up into a powerful overhead extension. This dynamic shift not only builds raw power but trains the long head to generate force rapidly, mimicking real-world explosive arm movements and breaking plateaus.

Final Thoughts

4. Incline Barbell Dips with Tricep Focus

Dips often emphasize chest and shoulder focus, but with modification, they become a long-head powerhouse. Perform incline barbell dips holding the bar with palms facing forward, dipping until your arms lock, then pressing explosively through the triceps—emphasizing the deep contraction and long head stretch at the bottom. Adding a slight pause and rapid extension enhances neuromuscular efficiency, making this an intensely effective yet underused shock-gain move.

5. Resistance Band Skull Crushers with Elevated Stretch

Available to almost every gym, resistance band skull crushers become underappreciated long-head explosions. Attach a band above your head, anchor it securely, and pull down with controlled resistance while keeping arms fully extended. The elastic band’s constant tension through maximal stretch overloads the long head like a stretch-shock cycle—gaining strength and hypertrophy simultaneously. Combine with depth control and tempo variation to push your limits.