The Ultimate Body Weight Triceps Exercises

I've seen this move for awhile before, but wanted to share this. This is an upright body weight triceps extension. It's a triceps isolation exercise with no involvement from the front delts. Can anyone here do this and would this be possible on the rings or a bar? 

As much as I like this exercise, I don't think it's the hardest body weight triceps exercise though. I think single arm triceps extensions on a bar or ring can be made harder than this and we also have the hypothetical one arm diamond push-up which may or may not be possible due to the immense triceps strength required.

One bad thing about this upright BW triceps extension is that the ROM is not that big and can't start at full elbow flexion where it would be hardest for the triceps. I wonder if an overhead BW barbell triceps extension with full ROM would be possible too as I've never heard of anyone pressing full BW with only triceps. I know BW+ biceps curls have been done before though.

So let's discuss!

I can't do it, but i would see it possible on bars, maybe rings. You would obviously have to counter balance as the guy does. As I can't do it, I can't agree with you on the hardest one, but from what I understand a one arm, bar on the floor tricep extension is INSANELY hard. Victorian leans also work the triceps a good amount.

That move ends in a victorian lean, but I have to agree that single arm triceps extensions on a bar or ring can be made harder than that because you can elevate your body to horizontal or above by putting your legs on something higher which would increase the load significantly.

I also thought of an exercise called the sphinx HSPU or elbow stand push-up where you start from elbow stand with full elbow flexion and press directly into a HS without getting into a headstand before the press like that of a tiger bend HeSPU. It's probably very hard to balance during the press. I'm not sure if it has ever been done before. You can work up to it by doing incline sphinx push-ups with progressively higher legs.

I know a manna press and victorians are very hard on the triceps, but how would they compare to these bent arm BW triceps exercises? I think reverse straight arm pelicans may work the triceps very hard too.

 Seriously, just do some isolated tricep work with a DB. You know you want to. Being concerned about such things with BW is pointless. Do you want to be a gymnast or get a spraytan and flex in a mankini?

Blairbob said:

 Seriously, just do some isolated tricep work with a DB. You know you want to. Being concerned about such things with BW is pointless. Do you want to be a gymnast or get a spraytan and flex in a mankini?

Woah, take it easy... I'm not concerned about this or getting bigger triceps. I just want to discuss about the variety of BW exercises that work the triceps very hard since there is no thread about this here and would like to work up to being able to do some of the really hard exercises like the one in the video above. I have done triceps isolation work with DBs before and would still do some whenever I go to a gym, but I also like doing some advanced BW triceps exercises to get stronger triceps and also to work up to some of the cool looking skills out of interest.

Looks more like an advanced russian dip.  This would probably have more emphasis on the elbows than anything.  Strong triceps can be built with all forms of GST push work such as HSPU, Dips, and many advanced ring elements.  Even V-sit and manna progressions put tremendous strain on the triceps.  I'd say there's more than enough exercises already available to build some serious tricep strength, and mastering most of those will easily give you the ability to pull some party tricks like that in the video.

karimoo said:

Looks more like an advanced russian dip.  This would probably have more emphasis on the elbows than anything.  Strong triceps can be built with all forms of GST push work such as HSPU, Dips, and many advanced ring elements.  Even V-sit and manna progressions put tremendous strain on the triceps.  I'd say there's more than enough exercises already available to build some serious tricep strength, and mastering most of those will easily give you the ability to pull some party tricks like that in the video.

The only things that this has in common with the Russian dips are that they both have part of the arms resting on PB and they're both a press. This isn't even a dip since the front delts aren't even assisting in the press and is all triceps with some posterior muscles working in the lean.

You're seriously underestimating the level of triceps strength required to do this move when you say that mastering stuff like dips and HSPUs would easily give you the ability to do this. Dips and HSPUs have a heavy front shoulder component to help unlike this which is a triceps isolation exercise. I can do a 90 to 70 degree V-sit and my triceps are still nowhere near as strong to do this and I doubt manna work would work the triceps muscles harder than super advanced bent arm triceps exercises like this in the video.

I don't want to eventually build some serious triceps strength, I want to eventually build some SUPER strong triceps strength like being able to triceps press ~ BW or more.

 Again, I think you are concerned with a futile idea.

 One of the whole points of BW movement is working multiple muscle group at the same time. It is much harder to isolate muscle with just a BW movement which is DB or cables or bands are useful in that regard. That's an assistance movement.

 StraightArmStrength heavily depends on the triceps, which BentArmStrength does as well.

 The bottom line is an assistance movement is assistance movement. It's like trying to become the world champion in back extensions or good mornings or tricep kickbacks.

 Focus on the big movements.

I agree that one should follow the big movements first. This goal of having super strong triceps is not much of a priority for me right now. I actually focus most on the big stuff like compound exercises. It is merely a side goal of mines that I would like to eventually reach. I have already built an impressive pushing and pulling ability with the bigger muscles so I think it's alright for me to think about these things. I was also quite impressed about that skill in the video posted above.

The only straight arm exercises that stress all three heads of the triceps heavily are manna work and victorian work.

Agree with blairbob. 

Also it looks like a front lever, or what one would look like if done on an incline.

Probably more pure shoulder and less core involved than a FL, I'd guess.

The "problem" with bent arm triceps work is that it doesn't work the long head, which is something that only straight arm shoulder extension works to any significant degree. That's part of why a question like this, for this particular muscle group, is hard to answer: it depends on which aspect of triceps function you want to look at... elbow extension or shoulder extension are very different.

It should immediately be obvious to everyone that single arm BW variations are going to be your hardest exercises for elbow extension, because you can't get more than half of your body's weight on one arm if you're doing a two arm variation!

Single arm straight arm triceps work requires external loads to do any meaningful work, because of both the terrible leverage and balancing impossibilites of single arm, straight arm triceps work. So, in my opinion, that leaves us with middle split holds and victorian leans or reverse planche leans. Reverse planche leans eliminate lat involvement, and are hardest with fingers forward because you get no counter-lever effect from the hand, so these are going to be the hardest out of everything, in terms of 100% pure triceps work, in my opinion, possibly sharing the title with slow and controlled Manna lifts.

I don't understand it. But I like it.

Thanks for the informational post Joshua! I'm aware that the long head of the triceps are involved in shoulder extension and adduction (I also read from somewhere that it was also involved in elbow extension to some extent). I wanted the topic to be mainly about elbow extension of the triceps, but the long head and all functions of the triceps in various exercises are highly welcomed in the discussion too.

I find that OAFLs and sometimes FL rows and front pulls work the long head of the triceps hard enough and so I like to focus more on elbow extension strength as a side goal. I'd imagine the long head would be working pretty hard in an iron cross too.

The move in the video actually has both bent arm and straight arm stress on the triceps including the long head because it transitions to a partial victorian lean. It looks pretty sick! Reverse planche lean you mentioned is another super good one that works all three heads intensely.

I would think a slow muscle up with no internal shoulder rotation or lean would be harder than this.....

I tried this starting from the top with straight arms and going down. I can do it going down half-way, but not any further. It's really taxing on the triceps tendon. I guess, if I wanted to, I could work on increasing the ROM by 1-2" every 1-2 months. It may even lead me to a zero lean MU if I really develop the ROM!

ausswe said:

I would think a slow muscle up with no internal shoulder rotation or lean would be harder than this.....

First of all, a slow narrow MU with no lean is very hard on the triceps and I've never seen it done before, but I still don't think its harder than the above move because you get no help from the front delts. A narrow MU with no lean would use a very triceps intense dip, but this here is an upright BW triceps extension (isolates the triceps).

the muscle up i am refering to wouldn't have help from the delts either has it would essentially just be a full body weight tricep press withretracted shoulders to prevent the internal rotation and forward movement into a dip.

I think you are referring to this: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/7398-is-this-move-possible/

That would of course be harder than this because of full ROM and no initial forearm support. That would be the same thing as doing this on a bar or rings and including a pull-up to make it some form of MU. You have to realize that the movement in the video would still be included in the "MU" you were referring to and they are part of the same movement (it sounded like you were trying to distinguish them as completely different movements). The move in the video is a BW triceps extension, but only without full ROM. The shoulders were also retracted if you watch the guy in the video closely. The "MU" you were referring to would also have to lean backwards to counterbalance just like in the video.

As a side note, I don't think retracted shoulders prevent internal rotation and it is possible to move into a dip without internal rotation if you keep a shoulder width grip and keep the elbows in during a MU transition.

One arm diamond push-ups FTW! This move (OADPU) is definitely harder on the triceps (for the elbow extension, not the shoulder one), than any other move listed here. It's just ridiculous (if done with strict form), it's very hard even with the hand elevated, and I've never seen anyone doing it on the ground (Jim Bathurst's attempt wasn't strict form, and he was doing it for a contest with a limited time).

Now, about the reasons why using this move... Let's take my training as an example... On pushing days, I practice three exercises: assisted one arm headstand push-ups with one finger assist, working on progressively increasing the number of reps I can do; planche push-ups, which form I alternately try to perfect and increase the number of reps I can do; and the last one is practicing one arm push-ups with feet together and the hand as much in the middle of my chest as possible, trying to keep my body straight, and elevated hand one arm diamond push-ups. The reason is simple: I use it as an assistance exercise. During the summer, I'll do a cycle of long sets of HSPUs, but right now, that's just not what I'm working on, but I know strong triceps can be very useful, so I practice the one arm diamond push-ups. Plus, if I end up getting it, it's gonna be pretty badass.

Yeah, I agree that the OADPU is amazing and godlike for the triceps, but I think a one arm triceps extension with a comparable body position is still harder since it is all triceps unlike in OADPUs where there is a little bit of assist from the chest and shoulder. 

I've never seen anyone successfully do it before and I'm not sure if it is possible for the triceps to be strong enough to do one, but I'm rooting for you to achieve the OADPU someday in the future and to show to the world. It would be one hell of sight!

It would be for sure! I don't know if I'll ever do it either, but I find beneficial to work on it gradually. It's true that a one arm triceps extension in the same position would be harder, especially if executed hand on a bar (and feet slightly elevated) to reach a deeper ROM.

I think that a one-armed handstand pushup (with your feet against the wall to that you don't fall down into an elbow-lever) would be more difficult than a one-armed diamond pushup, since there would be more weight over your hand. 

Hari_Seldon said:

I think that a one-armed handstand pushup (with your feet against the wall to that you don't fall down into an elbow-lever) would be more difficult than a one-armed diamond pushup, since there would be more weight over your hand. 

Without a doubt, but i think they are searching for the most tricep demanding exercise. IMO a one hand diamond push up is going to put a lot more stress on the triceps than a one handed handstand push up. Just my opinion lol

I would also say that according to my experience, a one arm handstand push-up uses the shoulder a lot more than expected, especially the lateral and rear deltoids (I find them firing a lot, and I think it's because I have to do it with a one arm handstand form, so with my body leaning to the side, otherwise I would indeed be doing a one arm triceps extension in a handstand). Right now, I practice on the wall with one finger assistance, so the pressure on the shoulder is somewhat limited, but I've tried freestanding with three fingers, and the pressure is very important. So, I think they're two very different moves. I know that Paul Wade said that in order to become able to do a one arm handstand push-up you had to be able to do like 50 one arm push-ups first, but so far my experience does not corroborate his, although I'd say the one arm push-ups with a good form is a good assistance exercise to avoid the triceps being a weakness (similarly to powerlifters who do triceps exercises as assistance for their bench).