Triceps Gains

[GymRat18]

I've tried close grip bench presses, 2 hand dumbell over head extensions, weighted dips,skull crushers, and pushdowns for tri's .... so far the only two things I feel I ever felt was like blasting my tris and would add mass is cable pushdowns and weighted dips... the other exercises I feel are highly over rated for tri's if you go to heavy with skull crushers or over head extensions which are supposidly two of the best exercises for tri mass just hurt my elbows like hell.... what do you guys think?

[Todd]

I would NEVER exclude skull crushers from my tricep workouts, they are the "bread and butter" of all tricep exercises...it would be like taking squats out of my leg routine...no way brother!

Perhaps it is you are doing them slightly incorrectly or your form is suffering without you even knowing it, and that is why it hurts your elbows so much? Perhaps you are hitting the triceps with skull crushers without warming up 100%? Perhaps using too much weight to get a full and controlled range of motion? It could be a number of things...so try to narrow down what is causing you pain there, instead of taking out the exercise, because it IS a great exercise.

Cable pushdowns and weighted Dips are both fantastic exercises as well, so that's awesome that you feel like they are working good for you...I would keep those in your tricep workout arsenal.

My tricep routine generally looks like this, but the exercises change once in a while because I follow Max OT, and the routine changes every so often...here is the usual tho more often than not...

Skull crushers
cable pushdowns
Behind the neck D-bell extensions

[bones]

try lighter skullcrushers, but s-l-o-w

[Gooseneck]

Originally Posted by bones

try lighter skullcrushers, but s-l-o-w

Exactly. Hitting the negatives or downward motion is just as crucial as the extension or upward lift when doing skullcrushers. Try a little bit lighter weight and really squeeze the triceps at the end of each ROM. Going slow is also a good idea, you dont want to lose the weight when its above your head.
I also find chair dips or benchdips another good one for mass. Find two benches about 4 feet apart or so and grab a 45 lb plate to put on your lap. These always blast my tri's to no end.
A third movement that works great but is often overlooked due to its "femine" stereotype are kickbacks. These really hit that long inner head of the triceps and give a good ROM. Use light weights, perfect form, and higher reps.

:

[synthetic1]

use a hammer grip bar for skullcrushers if u have one too, more neutral grip and eliminates elbow use and aggravation...close grip bench and skullcrushers are king of mass on the triceps

[LifterMike]

I've heard alot about the skullcrushers but arent the french curls pretty important?? Or maybe their another exercise but named differently here. What I'm referring to is the tricep exercise where you lay flat on a bench with your head a little over the edge enough to where you can almost look straight back, and using a ez bar bend your arms back behind your head and then straighten up at a diagonal, not straight over the head. I could have sworn that was one of the best for tricep mass as it worked the full range of motion, but your heavy defense of the skull crusher as a necessary part of tricep workouts has convinced me, and I'm going to add them into my tricep workout. :

[trHawT]

Do you mean french press? French press = skull crushers.

[kungfu74]

one exersize the I really enjoy doing for my tri's is DB kickbacks... if your using proper form and not swinging the weight you can really feel your tri work when your at the top of the movement... I love that feeling!