Are you interested in developing arms that are both strong and powerful-looking?
Afterwards, you should concentrate on expanding your triceps, which account for around 70% of the size of your upper arm!
If your muscles are well-developed, it will appear that you have a thick horseshoe on the back of your arms.
The tricep muscle has three unique heads, which means that in order to accomplish this outstanding look, you must first comprehend what you are doing.
The “medial head” of the triceps is one of the tricep heads, and it is the subject of this article.
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Table of Contents
What is the best way to target a medial head?
When employing a reverse grip, as as when performing reverse-grip variants of pressdowns, bench press, or lying extensions (sometimes known as “skull crushers”).
The medial head is stressed more.
Exercises for the triceps that are performed with the arms overhead (including all variants of overhead extensions) target the long head.
Tricep Anatomy and Functions
In the rear of your arm, you will find the triceps muscle, which is responsible for extending your arm to its full extent at the elbow.
Their name comes from the fact that they are the largest muscle group in your arm and are made up of three heads, which is how they earned their name (TRI-cep).
The long head, lateral head, and medial head of the triceps are the three heads of this muscle group.
The long head of the triceps is the largest of the three heads.
It's placed on the inside of the posterior side of your upper arm, on the inside of your forearm.
It has its origins at the scapular, which is slightly below the shoulder joint.
Unlike the other two heads of the triceps, the long head is the only one that crosses the shoulder joint, as the other two heads start on the humerus (upper arm bone).
This head is smaller than the long head and is positioned on the outside of the posterior upper arm, on the lateral side or lateral head.
Interestingly, the lateral head of the triceps is considered to be the strongest because it contains a higher proportion of fast twitch muscle fibers than the other two heads.
The medial head is the least apparent and the smallest of the three heads.
It can be found near the bottom center of the posterior upper arm's posterior upper arm.
The medial head of the humerus connects to the humerus in the same way as the lateral head, but at a lower location.
It is also the only tricep head that contains a higher proportion of slow twitch muscle fibers than the others, making it a better choice for endurance training.
As a whole, it contributes significantly to the expansion of the elbow with or without resistance.
Despite the fact that each of the three heads has its unique origin site, they all converge and insert into the ulna and fascia of the forearm, just past the elbow, at the same time.
Furthermore, they all play a vital function in the extension and stability of the elbow joint.
When all three triceps heads are fully formed, they form a characteristic horseshoe shape, which is both functional and visually appealing.
There's no doubting that in order to achieve aesthetically pleasing triceps, all of the tricep muscles must be grown in a proportionate manner.
In the beginning of your weightlifting career, it may not seem as vital to highlight the different heads as it becomes later on, and this may be true in some respects.
When your arms are underdeveloped, you will see growth regardless of the circumstances. However, as your training progresses, you'll discover that one head may be more developed than the other or much bigger triceps than the other.
Or that your triceps development has slowed or stopped altogether.
This is the point at which you'll need to start focusing on individual tricep heads to see results.
To achieve completely developed triceps, you must perform exercises that target each head of the muscle in the proper manner.
Most exercises use all three heads, however there are others that can be tailored to highlight the engagement of a certain head depending on the action or training variable being performed.
This will allow you to boost the performance of a lagging tricep head or just strike each one more thoroughly than before.
Because this article is about the medial head.
Triceps Main Head
Although it is not possible to totally isolate the medial head, the medial head can be highlighted depending on the exercise that is performed on triceps brachii medial head.
Concentrating on the medial head comes down to how you arrange your arms and the type of grip you use.
When it comes to improving the strength and stability of the medial head, the reverse grasp is one of the best exercises.
Press downs, bench press, and lying extensions/skull crushers are some of the reverse-grip tricep exercises that you can perform is an example of isolation exercise.
We'll take a deep look at the medial head in the following section, and then talk about how to target it the most effectively and how it interacts with the other heads.
What is the definition of the medial head of the triceps?
While the medial head is small, it is really powerful; it helps to stabilize your elbow while also filling out your upper arm to make it appear more proportionate.
Due to the fact that it cannot be completely separated from the other heads, you will need to highlight its engagement in the appropriate exercises.
What is the location of the medial head of the triceps?
This head is located in the back of the arm, below the long head in the center, just above the elbow, and is referred to as the medial head.
It is the smallest of the three heads, and a large portion of it is covered by both the lateral and long heads, respectively.
What is the function of the medial head of the triceps?
The medial head's primary role is to aid with the extension of the forearm at the elbow joint, as well as the stability of the elbow joint itself.
It also contributes to the proportionate appearance of the upper arms by filling out the back of the upper arms.
This head is activated with every forearm extension, even when there is no resistance, in contrast to the long and lateral heads, which are mostly activated when there is resistance to the forearm extension.
Best Triceps Exercise/Tricep Workout
Here are the top 5 bodyweight exercise for biceps, shoulder flexion and shoulder extension.
1. Triceps Pushdown With Reverse Grip
The reverse grip tricep pushdown is the first of five triceps workouts.
Despite the fact that this exercise works all of the triceps, it focuses the majority of its attention on the medial head.
When performing this exercise to target the medial head and for tricep extension, it is essential to employ the opposite grip.
When you're getting close to the cable and the connecting bar, it's generally helpful to put one leg slightly in front of the other in order to maximize your use of balance.
Pull the bar directly downwards while keeping your palms on the firm straight bar handle that is facing up.
Continue until both of your arms are fully extended.
At the apex, take a breath.
Before you begin your next rep, bring your arms back up until both arms are at approximately a 90-degree angle with one another.
2. Triceps Overhead Extension With A Dumbbell
This is a simple tricep exercise that can be done anywhere, from the gym to your own house, with just a single dumbbell at your disposal.
For this overhead triceps extension exercise, you only need one dumbbell, and you should make sure that both of your hands fit comfortably inside the end of the dumbbell.
It is possible to practice this dumbbell overhead triceps extension either standing or sitting.
But, if you complete it while sitting up straight, your seat will allow for mobility behind your head.
Raise your arms as high as you possibly can while keeping your elbows in line with your shoulders while holding the dumbbell in your hands.
Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head until your arms are slightly lower than a 90-degree angle, while keeping your arms fully extended in front of you.
Push the dumbbell back up into the air until your arms are completely extended, then repeat the movement. This entire movement constitutes a one complete repetition.
3. The Skull Crusher
The skull crusher is a difficult exercise that demands caution and precision for shoulder elevation, but when done correctly, it is a fantastic all-around growth mechanism for the triceps.
To begin, get an EZ bar, which is the most effective bar to use for skull crusher due to its low profile.
Laying down on a flat bench with your arms fully extended, as if you were ready to perform a bench press set, is a good warm-up exercise.
Put your hands on the narrow-grip area of the bar to get the most stretch and tension in your triceps muscles.
Starting with your arms bent at the elbows, perform your first rep as quickly as possible.
Pulling the bar away from your forehead by about an inch is recommended.
Keep the tops of your arms straight and your triceps flexed as you stretch them.
Once again, raise your arms almost fully extended, but not fully extended enough that you are unable to use the tension of your triceps muscles while you are resting in a fully extended posture. This is a full rep of the different exercises.
4. Dumbbell Triceps Press With A Reverse Grip
This is a fantastic combination workout that works your pecs, front delts, and triceps at the same time.
The only equipment you'll need to get started is a workout bench and two weights.
Place dumbbells on each knee of a flat bench and sit upright on the bench.
Lie down on a bench with care to avoid falling off.
Maintain a strong grip on the floor with your feet.
Raise your arms straight in the air while gripping a dumbbell in each hand for balance.
Maintain a full range of motion with your arms fully extended and palms facing each other.
When you reach this position, you should slightly rotate your palms outwards to the side.
Reduce the length of your arms to the side of your body until your elbows are in line with your torso at this point.
Maintain your elbow tucking position.
Make use of the muscle in your triceps to lift your weight back up to the starting position.
When you do this, be sure you are exhaling fully and completely.
Maintain tension at the peak for a more effective triceps contraction.
Slowly increase the speed until you reach your desired level of comfort for muscle activation.
5. Triceps Extension Using A Dumbbell While Lying Down
You must maintain a strong grasp on the dumbbells during the entire movement in order to do this close grip bench press successfully.
Take a seat on a bench with a level surface.
Take two dumbbells and set them on top of your knees for this exercise.
Sit back and relax on a bench.
Raise your arms above your head while holding weights in your hands.
Turn the dumbbells inward so that your palms are facing in on the exercise.
Maintain a shoulder-width distance between your weights.
This is the beginning point for the game.
Beginning now, begin bending your forearms while maintaining as much rigidity in your upper arm as you can.
Dumbbells should be lowered till they are at the sides of your ears to avoid muscle fatigue.
Extend the arms back to the starting position, using the strength of the triceps elbow extension.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Muscles in the skull crushers were worked.
Reduce the bar to your forehead and you'll be working the medial and lateral heads of the triceps the majority of the time.
The muscles on the inside and outside of the back of your arm are referred to as the biceps.
While lowering the bar over your head, the long head of the triceps is largely engaged in the exercise.
When performing the bench press, the lateral head of the tricep is efficiently worked, but not the medial or long head.
Tricep extensions with a barbell while lying down are helpful for working the long and medial heads of the triceps, but not the lateral head.
Both movements train the triceps in a complementary manner, effectively working the entire muscle.
Dips are a multi-joint body weight workout that works your chest, anterior deltoids, and triceps all at the same time.
Dips engage both the long head and the lateral head of the triceps, with the medial head kicking in at the top of the movement to provide a well-rounded workout.
