Comments on: The Best Exercise For Big Triceps

By: Keith Davis

Keith Davis — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:22:53 +0000

Hi Mark
Appreciate your offer but trying to organise things like that can get messy.
I’ll have a look round at prices and see what I find.
Many thanks

By: Spencer

Spencer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:45:04 +0000

Mark,

Appreciate all the recent exercise additions; it seems clear to me that you’ve had a change in philosophy recently about the merits of free weights versus cables.

I look forward to the update to total anabolism. When you do release an update, a request:

Please include a little bit more specific information regarding the M.A.N.S. diet regarding what the correct ratio of protein to fat in the M.A.N.S. diet; the GLAD diet is clearly laid out, but I have not been successful in figuring out a “starting formula” for following M.A.N.S.

Thanks!

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:51:58 +0000

@Garry. Glad to have you here. Yes, muscle physiology is the same now as it was then, and will be the same in 100 years. So we can look for ways to optimize the process, but it won’t change in any fundamental sense.
@Dave. Fair point mate. I’ll remember that from here on. When I’m done with this series and I package it into a workout, I’ll go back over all of them and offer alternatives.
@Keith. When you look at muscle function and creating resistance, cables fit the bill most of the time. I couldn’t live without my floor pulley now. As far as discounts go, they wouldn’t give me one so it doesn’t look likely.
Having said that, if there were a few people wanting to purchase the machine I’d be happy enough to contact them for you and see if they’d offer a discount if I sent the business their way.

By: Keith Davis

Keith Davis — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:18:43 +0000

Hi Mark
I was thinking that this looks just like a normal dumbbell kickback… then the penny dropped – Tension all the way via the cable.
A pal of mine loved cables because of the constant tension and I’m beginning to think that you are becoming rather attached.

What about a bit more info on that Marcy all in one machine you use… can you negotiate a discount for all your fans?

Just a thought.

By: dave

dave — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:48:05 +0000

mark, what would be REALLY appreciated is if for each exercise you describe that involves a machine, you present a suitable alternative (perhaps not as awesome) using a simple bench and freeweights…for example, i have no machine for the pec stuff from last week, so i’m still inclined to believe that variations on dumbbell bench exercises are the next best thing to get the pinch at the top of the contraction (versus a straight bench press bar)

anything like this would be awesome, like a “if you don’t have a pulley, try using dumbbells” (kind of exactly what you did above, because it’s exactly what i was thinking right before i read it)

By: garry

garry — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:20:42 +0000

Mark am only new to ur site ,but its very interesting with the different ideas on training and diet. ill just say that i am 51yrs old and back when i was 18 i started body building and trained hard for 4 yrs ,competed in some minor contests ,and had a lot of fun with it .i have kept my self in ok condition and now i have just started to train again HARD and want to see if i can get back what i had in my youth . (may be try an old timers body building contest)A challenge but it will be a good experiment and i intend to use a lot of your training methods .You know most of the training methods are still the same like 30 yrs ago ,just seems that there has been some refinements on some of the exercises .
any how thanks for a great site.
Garry

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:54:31 +0000

@Jermondo. Good to hear.
@Garry. Thanks man. Switch to the cable version if you can.
@Michael. Thanks. I’ll be covering those areas in upcoming articles.
@Andrics. Yes, when the tricep is fully contracted in that exercise, the cable runs almost parallel to the arm, The would actually remove some of the resistance from this point. Also, you’ll find you can generate more power with the hands pronated, not supinated.
@Andrew. That’s not a researched fact, and I’m not promoting a “man I really feel those” fact either. If any research was conducted it didn’t utilize a cable for the kickbacks in the manner I’ve described above. At the point in a french curl when the tricep is fully contracted (the point where there is the potential for maximal muscle fiber recruitment), there is virtually no resistance. Hence, it cannot possibly be optimal for muscle fiber recruitment. As I state in the article, “All tricep exercises pretty much work with these functions to a more or lesser degree”, so yes the french curl is a good movement, I used it myself for a long time. However, the only way you’re going to approach maximal recruitment with the french curl is to decline the body – that’s always an option, especially if there is no access to cables.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:00:34 +0000

I can’t believe you just told a guy to substitute cable kickbacks for french presses, about 50% less tricep recruitment and that’s a researched fact not just “man I really feel those!” ‘fact’

By: Andrics

Andrics — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:03:25 +0000

Hi Mark I have been doing something similar but standing up straight with palm facing up, pulling down, any difference ? thanks.

By: Michael Okoreeh

Michael Okoreeh — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:43:59 +0000

This site is amazing great job. I have really been seeing serious results in my arms. But I was wondering if you could give some tips on how to attack the back: the lats, traps, and lower back. I’ve been trying to work it out for a while with no real results.

By: garry

garry — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:52:30 +0000

Thanks mark ,have been doing something like those cable kickbacks ,with dumbells so am itching to try the cabels .You have a great site well done.
Thanks garry

By: Jermondo

Jermondo — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:59:21 +0000

I am an engineer and started thinking about graphs of tension change with distance lift at different points. Of course i have no clue about how the human body works but Cables have a much smoother graph and max tension is at the end of the lift,while for bench it rapidly goes down as your moment lever arm gets smaller and smaller.
This made me get T.O elastic bands and as far as looks go I don’t touch weights. Used to have a huge ugly chest and bench over 300 couldn’t do one one arm push up. Now i can do them all day with a much better looking chest.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:25:27 +0000

@Michael. That’s much appreciated man, thanks. Yes, here is my FB page…
https://www.facebook.com/mcmanus.mark
@Tommy. Yes, mix this with pulldowns on THT. Yes, and I will also be creating a full plan for download in the coming months. Great to hear about your success!

By: Tommy Stewart

Tommy Stewart — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:12:25 +0000

Mark
Thanks for all the good info. Should I replace french curls\skull crushers with this exercise and keep tricep pulldowns? Also, when are you gonna let us in on the “how to” of your arm blast experiment? I really enjoy reading your posts. So far, using a lot of your advice, I have shed my first 3% BF (which puts me around 17%) in about a month and I am on my way to that elusive six pack.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:53:26 +0000

I can testify to this working very well. I have been dong this with ropes and different angles since my triceps have become so sharp they are geometric lol..

thanks for all you do brother I dont miss an article you send, being a vetran in the art that says alot

ciao

Michael “indy”

do you have a facebook account Mark?