Question about triceps use on the rings

Started by Leandro Santos, July 8, 2013 · 15 Replies · 5,982 Views

Leandro Santos

According to exrx.net the primary triceps functions is elbow extension which use the long,lateral and medial heads of the triceps, the secondary function is shoulder extension and abduction which use only the long head.

How the primary function actually translates to rings? I see lots of gymnastics lacking lateral and medial triceps

Joshua Slocum

Handstand pushups, muscle-ups, planche pushups, etc. There's a lot of rings exercises with tricep extension. 

Leandro Santos

Is extension equal to straight?

The quastion about extension came on because there is some people on the forum asking for usefull triceps exercises, sk i thought that it was hard to execute extension on rings.

Sorry for noob question, i only want to make some things clear.

seiyafan

Even holding a front level involves using triceps because you are keeping the arms straight. =)

Joshua Slocum
Leandro Santos said:

Is extension equal to straight?

 

No, extension is the opposite of flexion. When the elbow is completely extended, the arm is straight.

Aadil Siddiqi

I was wondering about this: do static positions on the rings such as the Maltese, Crosses, Planche, Levers and HS stress the triceps? They should, since they need to straighten the elbow, right? Or am I wrong?

B1214N

If the arms are locked then they are only working as stabilizers and the biceps are the ones working hard to protect the elbows. The iron cross will have the triceps long head working because they are involved in adduction as well.

Bipocni

Victorian will work merry hell out of your triceps.

 

I think what OP is asking is are triceps used much in artistic gymnastics routines.  I have to admit that they seem deficient in pressing exercises, since they are done with a straight arm.  But then again, If my experience with HS Wall runs has shown me, triceps can actually work quite a bit without needing to affect the angle of the elbow.

 

 

Aadil Siddiqi said:

I was wondering about this: do static positions on the rings such as the Maltese, Crosses, Planche, Levers and HS stress the triceps? They should, since they need to straighten the elbow, right? Or am I wrong?

Handstands will definitely cause stress on the long head of the triceps, as they are in a stretched position under load.  In fact, go try a support hold, you'll feel it in the triceps.  Since support holds are the foundation from which all other ring skills are performed, I can safely say that you need a hell of a lot of triceps strength, regardless of whether you bend the arms for a push during a rings sequence.

Leandro Santos

Thanks, i understand now

:-)

Aadil Siddiqi

Yeah, thanks :)

Joshua Slocum
Bipocni said:

Victorian will work merry hell out of your triceps.

 

I think what OP is asking is are triceps used much in artistic gymnastics routines.  I have to admit that they seem deficient in pressing exercises, since they are done with a straight arm.  But then again, If my experience with HS Wall runs has shown me, triceps can actually work quite a bit without needing to affect the angle of the elbow.

 

 

In rings? Not so much. There are a few bent-arm pressing movements but most are straight-arm, and other than the victorian and the front-lever, most straight-arm moves don't use much triceps. In parallel bars and pommel horse, the triceps work quite a lot.

Leandro Santos

Are these moves hard on the triceps? Or rings is more like big biceps and small triceps? Gymnastics normally have small triceps, the bent arm exercises are hard at all?Do they match the strenght required for straight arm skills?

Joshua Slocum
Leandro Santos said:

Are these moves hard on the triceps? Or rings is more like big biceps and small triceps? Gymnastics normally have small triceps, the bent arm exercises are hard at all?Do they match the strenght required for straight arm skills?

 

Small triceps? Not really:

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn68/JeffreyXL/male_gymnast.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7pfm77IMq1rnlyilo1_400.jpg

http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Olympics+Day+6+Artistic+Gymnastics+GTZK4cvs2UVl.jpg

 

There are plenty of difficult moves that are tricep-heavy. 

Leandro Santos

Could you tell me some? I`m only asking because i lack knowledge in this area.

I`ve reads lots of threads on the forum.About joint preparation, injury, progressions,skills,etc. After looking for the pushing skills i thought: they must be hard on triceps.

But i did saw some gauys asking about lack of triceps devolopments.The guys normally said that victorians, manna are hard on triceps, but no real answer.

Joshua Slocum

In addition to the ones I already listed, you've got v-sits, dips, Bulgarian dips, and forward rolls.

Pretty much anything that is bent-arm and push.

Leandro Santos

Thanks for answering and for the patience man.

Thread answered.