Extension of arms on a block simulator. How to do triceps extensions while standing? We'll tell you! Isolation exercises for triceps

In extensions in the simulator, the main part of the load goes to the medial head of the triceps. They turn on at the very beginning of the exercise, when it is necessary to straighten the elbow. Then it smoothly moves to the side of the muscle, which is responsible for extending the arm when the strength of the previous part of the triceps is not enough.

Finally starting to work rear end a muscle that fixes the top of the arm, preventing it from falling behind the head. Additionally, the elbow muscle is involved in this exercise. It takes some of the load off the triceps as it extends the elbow.

This simple exercise can be done by athletes of any fitness level. It doesn't require special physical training. Enough to know correct technique performing extensions.

Correct technique

It is necessary to take the correct starting position. It depends on what simulator it will be performed on. this exercise. Most of them have a comfortable buttock and knee pad. The athlete should kneel on the pillow and grab the levers with their hands.
Some machines have special pads for the elbow joints. In this case, the hands are placed on them so that the elbows rest completely on the pillows.
By relaxing the shoulders and inhaling, the athlete places the spine in a neutral position. After this, you can begin to unbend the handles of the simulator. They rise smoothly as you inhale, and then fall as you exhale.
The required number of repetitions is performed. On average, it is recommended to do 15 to 20 curls. The working weight for male beginners does not exceed 20 kg, and for female beginners – 10 kg.

Safety

This exercise may seem too simple, but this does not mean that you should forget about safety precautions. As with many other triceps exercises, the entire load should go only to the working muscle. To do this, you need to reduce the number of movements made by your elbows. They must stand motionless on the exercise pad. If your elbows move, then when working with heavy weights, the risk of injury to them will increase.

Also very it is important to keep your back straight, otherwise the spine will receive additional stress. In addition, cheating is not appropriate for beginners, as it does not allow the triceps to fully feel the load.

Common mistakes

The majority of errors are related to incorrect body position. For beginners, the back often begins to round in the last repetitions. This negatively affects the development of the triceps and can also increase the risk of injury. If you can’t do a quality repetition, then you need to ask a friend who will push the weight a little and reduce the load on your arms.

Some athletes mistakenly believe that this exercise can be done at the beginning of training. It is very important to remember that this is an isolation exercise for the triceps. In other words, it should be used to “finish off” the working muscle, and not to warm it up. If the exercise is performed at the very beginning of the workout, the athlete will not be able to fully feel the load, since the triceps will not be ready to receive it.

Another common mistake is decrease in range of motion. It is observed among amateur athletes who want to complete the exercise as quickly as possible. There is no need to rush here. The arms at the elbow joints must be fully extended, otherwise the desired effect will not be achieved.

Equipment

To perform triceps extensions you will need special simulator. It is available in almost any gym, but can have a different design. Additional equipment can include elastic bandages for previously damaged elbow joints, as well as sports gloves. They are especially relevant when working with heavy weights.

With all triceps machines, it is important to consider the stretch of your elbow joint. If he does not stretch well enough, then he needs to be prepared with the help of basic stretching exercises. To do this, the arm is bent at the elbow and placed behind the back. You can apply light pressure in the elbow area until you feel a stretch.
Elbows must be fixed in one position. On some machines this can be done easily, but on others the athlete may have difficulty.
If there is no such simulator in the gym, then you can train using the lower crossover block. To do this, you need to sit on a bench, turning your back to the machine.
This exercise should be performed after two basic triceps exercises. It is important to feel a slight burning sensation in the muscles.
The arms are always fully extended to allow the triceps to stretch better.

Principles and technique of performing the exercise

Extension of the arms in the simulator is a fairly popular exercise that is equally suitable for both beginners and experienced athletes. It can be performed with various lever designs, which allows you to change the level of difficulty, work the muscles from different angles and use the exercise in almost any gym.

Benefits of exercise and muscles involved

Arm extension - isolated exercise, aimed at working only one muscle group. The main part of the load goes to the triceps.

The exercise also indirectly involves deltoid, wrist flexor muscles, large pectoral muscle, but if the technique is incorrect, part of the load may shift to the biceps.

The exercise helps you work out effectively triceps muscle shoulder, increase its volume. Girls also should not be afraid of this exercise: with regular practice, their arms will acquire a toned and athletic appearance.

It is most convenient to perform arm extensions in a crossover, using an upper or lower block. There is also a special exercise machine for arm extension, but, unfortunately, it is not available in all gyms. TO general rules performing triceps extension down or up can be attributed to:

In the gym, people are often concerned not only correct technique execution, but also a training plan:

It is enough to perform triceps exercises 1-2 times a week. Don't forget that muscles need recovery.
The number of repetitions depends on your goal: for mass, 8-10 repetitions with maximum weight are enough, for relief - from 12 to 15 repetitions, if your goal is fat burning, perform the exercise at least 20 times in each approach.
For greater effectiveness, block arm extensions can be combined in a set with another triceps exercise.

Working out the triceps in a crossover usually occurs in the middle or end of a workout, after performing basic exercises. If the triceps is your lagging muscle, you can move the extension to the beginning of the workout.

Technique

It is worth separately analyzing the execution of extensions from the upper and lower blocks.

When extending from the lower block The long head of the triceps brachii muscle is more involved in the work. This subtype of exercise is more complex and traumatic.

To perform it, you need to stand with your back to the machine. With your palms facing up, bend your arms in elbow joint and grab the handle of the block. Turn your arms so that the shoulder axis and forearm are parallel. Try to keep your elbows as close to your head as possible. From the starting position, begin to straighten your arms completely, without moving your elbows to the side, but fixing them. Then return to the original position.

Attention: for greater convenience, extension of the arms from the lower block can be performed while sitting, leaning on the back of the bench.

- an easier version of the exercise, which is great for beginner athletes.

To perform it, stand facing the machine, take a balanced position, straighten your back. Grasp the handle with an overhand grip with your palms facing down. Press your elbows towards your body and lock them. Bend your arms at an angle of more than 90 degrees, and then, using the force of the muscle group being worked, lower the weight down. Top link The triceps block engages its lateral head more.

The easiest option is to work the triceps in a crossover using a straight handle. You can make the exercise more difficult by using a rope handle or straps. In this case, you will additionally have to move the ropes to the sides at the point of greatest extension of the arms - this will help ensure greater contraction of all triceps heads.

It is also possible to alternately straighten the right and left hand, using a special handle for this. The exercise technique remains the same. This option isolates the work of the hands, which allows you to work out the muscles equally effectively, since when extending with two hands, most of the load is taken on by more strong hand. In this case, you need to start performing alternate extensions in the block with the weaker hand.

Contraindications

Since the exercise is isolated and involves only one muscle group, it has almost no contraindications. There is only one main contraindication - injury to the elbow or shoulder joints. In this case, it is better to wait until the body recovers and only then begin full training.

Arm extensions on a block can be easily replaced with analogues: French press, push-ups on parallel bars, extensions of arms with a dumbbell.

By performing extensions and other triceps exercises 1-2 times a week, you will soon notice positive results.

My respect, dear readers, admirers and all those who came to see us! It’s Wednesday on the calendar, which means it’s time for a technical note on And today we’ll talk about arm extensions on a block. After reading, you will learn everything about the muscle atlas, the advantages and technique of execution; the second part will be devoted to the practical aspects of training and assessing the effectiveness of the exercise.

So, make yourself comfortable, let's begin.

Extension of arms on a block. What, why and why?

It is one of the most popular women's manual exercises and many ladies use it to get rid of the “jelly” at hand. As we all know, young ladies are not very fond of equipment such as barbells and dumbbells, but various blocks and exercise machines cause wild delight in them, which is why extension of arms on a block is so popular among the female audience gyms. However, you often see how each beauty tries to bring something of her own to the exercise, so to speak, to add a special twist, to add her own unique charm. Is it necessary to do this and how, in general, should it be done correctly? block extensions we'll talk about it in this post.

Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Muscle atlas

The exercise belongs to the class of isolating, single-joint exercises. Target muscle group is the triceps, a component 2/3 manual volume and responsible for cosmetic, i.e. “chatty-cold” :) look of the hand.

Muscle ensemble exercise includes:

target muscle - triceps brachii;
stabilizers – latissimus muscles back, teres major, rear deltoid, pectoralis major (sternal head), pectoralis minor, lower trapezius, rectus abdominis/obliques, wrist flexors;
antagonist-stabilizers – spinal extensor muscles.

Advantages

By performing arm extensions on a block, you will receive the following benefits:

development of triceps strength;
targeted and isolated training of the triceps brachii muscle;
more toned arms/more sculpted arm muscles (reducing “jelly”);
greater arm volume;
increasing bench press characteristics in basic exercises.

Execution technique

The arm extension exercise on a block is not technically difficult, but it is not without its subtleties. Step-by-step technique execution represents.

Step #0

Go to the top block and install the corresponding handle (straight or inclined bar), then equip the machine with a certain weight of weights. Place your hands, with a grip shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower, on the handle from top to bottom. Standing up straight with a slight tilt of the body forward slightly bent knees, lower the handle until right angle forearms with shoulder. Keep your elbows close to your body. This is your starting position.

Step #1

Using only the strength of your triceps, in an isolated movement, bring the plank down until it touches your front thigh and your arms are fully extended, exhaling through this part of the movement. Linger on 1-2 counts in a shortened position, additionally squeezing the triceps. From the compressed position, slowly and under control, return the bar to the IP position while inhaling. Complete the prescribed number of repetitions.

In the picture version, all this disgrace looks like this:

In motion like this...

Variations

In addition to the classic version of arm extensions on a block, there are several variations of the exercise, in particular:

with rope handle;
reverse grip;
With different types handles (straight, EZ, V).

Secrets and subtleties

To get the most out of the exercise, follow these guidelines:

squeeze the projectile down exclusively due to the isolated work of the triceps;
V lowest point fully straighten your arms and maintain the contraction 1-2 sec;
do not throw the weight back up, but slowly and under control accompany it throughout the entire trajectory of movement;
keep your elbows tightly pressed to your body;
do not stand on straight legs, but slightly bend your knees and lean your body forward;
use the exercise last in the PT arms as a finisher;
on initial stage do not use too heavy weights;
if your shoulders hurt (anterior delta), then do not use this exercise;
numerical training parameters: number of approaches 3-5 , reps 10-15 .

Actually, this is all theoretical information, now let’s look at some practical points.

Extension of arms on a block effective exercise for triceps?

A team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin, led by Dr. Porcari, decided to identify the best women's exercises for triceps, from an electrical point of view muscle activity. During the experiment, it was revealed that of the 8 most popular exercises, arm extension on a block takes 5 (with rope) and 6 (with straight handle) places with EMG values 74+-22.64 And 67+-20.48 . The push-up exercise was voted the best narrow grip hands in triangle position.

Thus, we can conclude that arm extensions are quite effective, but they are best used at the end of manual training.

Handle VS rope. What to choose?

In fact, it all depends on the athlete’s goals and different handles affect the triceps differently. In particular, the rope allows you to “reach” the deepest muscle fibers triceps and has a fuller range of motion.

Different handles target the triceps from different angles, for example the v-bar is more focused on the outer triceps while the straight bar is more focused on the long head. Conclusion - choose a handle based on your hand goals (pulling up lagging areas).

Well, that’s probably all, now let’s sum it up and say goodbye.

Afterword

Another technical note has come to an end.

Today we dealt with arm extensions on a block and there is one more exercise in your hand toolkit. Of course, theory is nothing without practice, so let’s finish reading the article and head into the hall for a run-in, let’s get going!

PS. do you use block exercise machines in your arm training - yes, no?

P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it as your status social network- plus 100 points for karma, guaranteed :).

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Which is present in every room. Depending on the grips and handles, you can effectively work each triceps bundle, isolated from the rest of the muscles. Everyone can choose exercise options for themselves - beginners and professionals.

This exercise is good loads all triceps bundles: medial, lateral, long, and also ulnar muscles. This is a simple variation of the triceps pull-down exercise with a regular grip because it uses fewer muscles than other variations. This technique allows a beginner to effectively work out the triceps by learning to feel the muscle; other options can be included in the training of more prepared athletes, or after a month of introductory classes.

Technique and options for block extensions

Extension of the arms of the upper block with a regular grip

Face the Crossover, take the straight handle upper block with an overhand grip on the edges.
Place your feet hip-width apart and press your elbows toward your body. The forearms are relaxed, the handle is at shoulder level.
Exhale: Extend your arms without lifting your elbows, lowering the handle completely to your hips.
Inhale: Bend your elbows smoothly and without jerking.

To increase volumes, follow 4x8–12.

Straight handle extension with reverse grip

Extension of the arms in the upper block with a reverse grip also includes in work all triceps bundles, especially the medial. Unlike other options, the elbow muscles, extensors of the elbows, hands and fingers also work here. The load weight will be less than with a conventional grip.

Standing in front of the block, grab the straight handle with an underhand grip, pressing your elbows tightly to your body.
Exhale: Fully extend your arms to your hips.
Inhale: Slowly relax your triceps as you lift the handle.

As usual – 4x8–12.

Arm extensions from behind the head in Crossover

Extension option with a straight handle with your back to the block better works the long and medial head of the triceps. The exercise is performed in the upper block.

Grasp the handle of the upper block with a regular grip from below along the edges, then turn around with your back to the machine.
Bend your body forward and take a step forward with one foot - for stability, pressing your elbows as close as possible to your head.
Maintain your shoulder position. The elbows are bent, the handle is closer to the back of the head.
Exhale: Extend your elbows fully, moving forward over the top of your head.
Inhale: gently relax your muscles and move the handle behind your head, maintaining the tilt.

Choose your working weight by 4x8–12 times.

Extension from the upper block with one hand

One-arm extension with a reverse grip with a special handle engages all the triceps bundles, but mostly the lateral one, as well as the triceps tendon and olecranon muscle. This technique will allow you to work in a concentrated manner on each hand separately, without helping with the stronger side.

Facing the block, with your feet planted firmly, use an underhand grip to grasp the narrow one-hand handle with one hand.
Press the elbow of your working hand to your body, as in the other options, with your other hand on your belt.
Exhale: Extend your elbow completely without twisting your hands, keeping them in a straight line with your forearm.
Inhale: relax and bend your elbow to its original position.
Repeat on each hand 4x8–12.

Extension with ropes, from the upper block

When extending your arms in Crossover with a rope, you can feel the lateral head of the triceps, training with a rope handle allows you to create more tension in the triceps, since a soft handle requires more precision in technique and muscles prepared for this. Such extensions will fit muscles more prepared for stress.

Facing the block, grab the ropes with both hands. Position your elbows as usual, close to your body. At the top point, the palms with the ropes are naturally close together.
Exhale: Extend your elbows, moving your arms from the middle of the movement to the sides of your thighs. At the end of the movement, bring your hands in a straight line with your forearm. Contract the triceps as much as possible at the bottom, feeling a strong tension.
Inhale: return the ropes to the starting position.

Perform with light weight 4 sets, 8–12 reps.

And there is also curved handle to work the triceps from the upper block, this option includes the same bundles as the ropes, only it facilitates the technique of gripping and extension at the lower point. Performed in the same way as classic version extensions.

Arm extension with ropes from the lower block

In this case, it is necessary to hook the ropes to lower block. The exercise requires greater stabilization of the weight, and accordingly, muscle tension will be stronger.

No need to lift huge weights, the block will pull the body back, the technique will be lost and the load on the spine will increase.

A good way to work triceps for professionals.

Take the edges from the lower block with both hands. Raising the handles over your head, turn your body with your back to the machine.
Step back with one foot for stability and tilt your body slightly.
Raise your arms above your head, keeping your elbows close to your head. The brushes begin to move from the back of the head.
Exhale: Extend your arms as much as possible, feeling the tension in your triceps.
Inhale: Slowly lower the ropes behind your head.

So 4x8–12.

Triceps training in Crossover blocks implies high-quality and isolating technique, and not strength work (up to 8 repetitions). Choose light weight, perform up to 12 times, the main thing is a burning sensation in the triceps.

Perform arm extensions on a block with a heavy weight girls it’s not worth it, 15–20 repetitions with handles with an overhand grip are enough, working with a reverse grip for the forearm is not necessary for the weaker sex.

What muscles work in the exercise

Main muscle group: lateral fascicle of the triceps muscles of the arms
Additional group: if done correctly - no
Exercise type: insulating
Complexity: for newbies

How to correctly do extension from the upper block while standing down

The triceps pulley press is classified as an isolation exercise for one of the triceps heads. A properly performed deadlift will only engage that specific muscle group. The load helps to increase the relief and shape of the hands.

What triceps extensions look like in motion (video)

Advantages

To perform lat pulldowns, you will need a cable trainer. The exercise does not involve muscles other than the triceps. Performing arm extensions from the upper block is aimed at achieving the following goals:

increased strength of the triceps muscle;
formation of hand relief;
reduction of skin “wings” in the shoulder area;
increase in arm volume;
strengthening of pressing characteristics.

Execution technique

The exercise actively engages only the triceps, as well as the body stabilizers to hold the position and, in fact, the muscles of the hands that hold the handle of the block. If you feel tension in any other muscle group, the standing arm extension on the block is performed incorrectly.

1. Install the desired handle on the upper block, select an adequate weight of the burden.
2. Grab the handle.
3. Stand straight (a slight tilt of the body forward is quite acceptable), legs slightly bent knee joints.
4. Keep your back straight and your chest open.
5. For good stability, you can put one leg slightly forward.
6. Lower the handle so that a right angle is formed between the forearm and shoulder.
7. Keep your elbows close to your body.
8. Extend your arms so that the bar touches the front of your thigh.
9. You need to extend your arms with some effort. The upward movement speed should be one and a half to two times slower.
10. At the bottom point, stop and fix the position for 1-2 seconds.
11. As you inhale, return to the starting position.
12. Perform the desired number of repetitions.

For men: 10 - 15 times with weights of 15 - 20 kg in 2 - 3 approaches.
For women: 10 - 15 times with weights of 5 - 10 kg in 2 - 3 approaches.

Exercise options

Except classic grip, triceps pulldowns are performed in the following modifications:

Working with straps. In this way, the arms are lowered and spread to the sides, which allows you to work much more effectively not only the lateral group of the triceps, but all 3 heads together.
A reverse grip redistributes the load on the thumbs, which may require additional training hands
Techniques with a straight and slightly bent handle can contribute to an incorrect trajectory of movement, and are therefore not recommended for beginners.
The cable handle provides isolated stress and the greatest contraction of the triceps muscle.
The V-shaped handle is a fairly popular modification, but it also reduces the scope of the exercise. The equipment is used to work with weights up to 60 kg.
The knot requires maximum control of hand movement and is also contraindicated for those who have not yet mastered the correct movement technique.
The one-armed option is rarely recommended for beginner athletes. This technique is an order of magnitude more complex than the classical one. A large amplitude of movement changes the angle of work, using all three extensor fascicles during loading, as well as rear delta. The disadvantages of the modification include the inability to work both hands evenly and insufficient targeting.
Extending the triceps on a block with a cord significantly expands the amplitude of the exercise, making it more natural and reducing the risk of injury. However, the technique is a third more complicated than exercises with a fixed handle.

Common mistakes

Bending of the wrists. Keep your elbows and bones level. Wrist curls will increase the load on the wrist and additionally recruit the latissimus dorsi muscles to perform the exercise. The level of load on the triceps will decrease, and the exercise will lose its effectiveness.

Straight body. Fixing the body in the starting position using the abdominal muscles and latissimus dorsi or stooping contribute to the development of spinal problems.

Small distance to block. The weight will be pulled upward, and the exercise will require moving your elbows back. The load is redistributed to other muscles, and posture is also disrupted.

The block is too far. Excessive forward bending will strain the lower back.

The head is lowered or looking to the side. Keep your head strictly straight, this promotes normal posture and body position.

Nuances

To load your triceps as efficiently as possible vertical block, follow these recommendations:

squeeze the bar only using the triceps;
at the lowest point the forearms should be straightened;
do not throw the weight back up quickly;
press your elbow joints to the body and do not move them back;
use adequate working weight;
Do not perform the exercise if you feel pain in your shoulders or elbows.
For greater isolation of the lateral head, you can perform the exercise with one hand.

Contraindications

Standing block lifting is not performed after injuries to the elbow joints.
It is not recommended to perform a block press after surgery.
If you have recently suffered a wrist injury, it is recommended to reduce the aggravating weight by 40% of normal.

Extension of arms on the upper block while standing video exercise

Conclusion

Standing arm extension on a block is a relatively simple exercise that has a large number of variations. Advantages of the technique:

effective development of the lateral head of the triceps;
complete isolation of a muscle group;
low risk of injury;
high efficiency.

The triceps pulldown exercise is recommended as a completion of triceps development when exercises with heavy weights have already been completed. The most effective combination of pull-downs with triceps bench presses, push-ups and various modifications arm extensions

It is not recommended to start isolating exercises with blocks in the first year of training. Isolation and highlighting of the individual triceps heads is impossible without impressive definition and large volume of the arm.