Top 10 Medial Head Tricep Exercises (That actually work)

Introduction- Medial Head Tricep Exercises

If you want to build huge arms then you have to train your triceps as they cover up 60 to 70 percent (2/3) of your upper arm. To do so, you have to understand how the tricep muscle works and hit all heads of the tricep muscle.

Many times muscle weakness and atrophy of the tricep can be associated with weakness in the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints.

There are many exercises that can help with the development of your tricep muscles. In this blog post, we will provide you with workouts and exercises that target the medial head of the triceps.

Importance of the tricep muscle

The tricep muscle is the biggest muscle of your arm and is located on the back of the upper arm. The tricep muscle has three heads which include the long head, the lateral head, and the medial head. If you want good definition in your upper arm and want your triceps to grow then it’s important to train every single head of tricep muscle.

The long head of the tricep is located around the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula. The long head of the tricep also helps in the adduction and extension of the arm at the shoulder joint.

The lateral head of the tricep is located posterior to the humerus. It is the strongest head among all three and helps extend the forearm at the elbow joint when the forearm is either supinated or pronated. 

The medial head of the tricep is also located posterior to the humerus. It is the smallest head of the tricep and also plays an important role in elbow extension.

While all three heads of the tricep muscle have little different roles, the main function of the tricep muscle as a whole is the extension of the forearm at the elbow joint.

10 Best Medial Head Tricep Exercises

The medial head of the tricep is the weakest and smallest head. Generally, it is the most ignored head when it comes to training it. In the beginning, your tricep muscle will continue to grow but soon as people get into the advanced stages they start to notice a certain head of the tricep being underdeveloped.

That is when people start focusing on the development of certain heads. But, most of the time the head which is left underdeveloped is the medial head.

Include the exercises given below in your workouts to get good results regarding your tricep strength and hypertrophy.

Here are the top 10 medial head tricep exercises for you to build bigger and more toned triceps so that your triceps doesn’t get underdeveloped.

1. Cable Overhead Tricep Extensions

Cable Overhead tricep extension is a great exercise to work the triceps. It hits all the heads of the triceps and can also be done with dumbbells, and sometimes even with a barbell.

To perform this exercise-

1. Hold the cable overhead with a neutral grip. Bent your elbow so that your forearms touch your biceps. You might feel your triceps being stretched. This is the starting position.
2. Extend your elbow, fully straighten your arm and feel the contraction.
3. Now go back down and bend your elbows again.
4. Repeat for the no. of sets and reps you want.

2. Close Grip Dumbbell Bench Press 

The close grip dumbbell bench press primarily targets the triceps but also works the chest and shoulder. You should try this exercise to build the medial head of the tricep. If you don’t have a bench then you can also do it on the floor. 

To perform this exercise-

1. Hold the dumbbells with a neutral grip and lie on the bench.
2. Squeeze the dumbbells together and extend your arms. 
3. Go back down and bend your arms.
4. Now, Repeat.

3. Skull Crushers

The skull crusher is another great exercise to work the triceps. This exercise requires some precision and is important to do with the correct form. You can do this exercise with the help of a barbell or an EZ bar. You can perform them either on the bench or on the floor.

To perform this exercise-

1. Lie on the bench/floor and place your hand narrowly and hold the bar.
2. Bring the bar behind your head so that your triceps are in the stretching position.
3. Now extend your arm and bring them away from your head so that you don’t hit it.
4. Go back down slowly and bend your arms.
5. Repeat. 

4. Bench Dips

The Bench Dips is a bodyweight exercise that is as effective as other exercises to train your triceps. It primarily targets the tricep muscle and can help in building the medial head of the tricep.

To perform this exercise-

1. Start by sitting on the bench with your hands on the side of your thighs.
2. Now put your feet away so that your butt is no longer on the bench and Extend your arm.
3. Bend your elbows and come down till your elbow forms a 90-degree figure.
4. Now go back up, contract the triceps and extend the arms.
5. Repeat.

5. Cable Concentration Extensions

Cable concentration extension is a very helpful exercise when it comes to training the triceps. In this you can train one arm at a time, it helps in focusing more and also builds muscle and mind connection. It can also be done with resistance bands.

To perform this exercise-

For the Right Hand-

1. Kneel Down with your left knee on the floor and the right leg making a 90-degree angle.
2. Grab the cable with the right hand and rest the back of your arm on the inner thigh of the right leg.
3. Bend your arm and then extend it while flexing your tricep.
4. Go back up and repeat for the reps and sets you want.    

2. Now For the Left Hand

1. Kneel Down with your right knee on the floor and the left leg making a 90-degree angle.   
2. Grab the cable with the left hand and rest the back of your arm on the inner thigh of the right leg.
3. The rest steps are the same as above.

6. Diamond Pushups

The diamond pushup is a traditional bodyweight exercise that is known to target the triceps and help them grow. This exercise can target all three heads of the tricep muscle. If you want to grow the medial head of the tricep then including this exercise in your regimen will benefit you a lot.

To perform this exercise-

1. Get in the pushup position and form a diamond figure with your hands on the floor. 
2. Squeeze your glutes, straighten your back and engage your core.
3. Go down and then push back up.
4. Make sure to not flare your elbows and hunch your back.
5. Repeat.

7. Reverse Grip Tricep Pushdowns

Reverse grip tricep pushdowns are useful to build the medial head of the tricep muscle. As it uses a reverse (underhand) grip, it focuses more on the medial head. This exercise can also be done with resistance bands.

To perform this exercise-

1. Bend your elbow and hold the cable with an underhand grip.
2. Keep your elbow at shoulder width apart.
3. Now extend the elbow to full extension and flex the triceps.
4. Go back up and bend the elbow.
5. Repeat for the reps and sets you want.

8. Tate Press

Tate Press is an isolated tricep exercise that can help in building tricep muscle. As this exercise can target all three heads of the triceps, it can help in building the medial head of the triceps.

To perform this exercise-

1. Lie down on the bench or floor. 
2. Bend your elbows and place the dumbbells facing your chest.
3. Now extend your elbows till they are fully extended.
4. Bend your elbows down slowly in a controlled manner.
5. Repeat.

9. Tricep KickBacks

Tricep Kickback is another exercise that you can perform to build the tricep muscle. It is an isolation exercise that targets all the heads of the triceps including the medial head.

You can either do this exercise with both arms at the same time or one arm at a time. But we suggest trying doing one arm at a time to build mind and muscle connection and focus more so that to maximize gains. 

To perform this exercise-

For your left hand-

1. Place your right palm and knee on the bench/other surface.
2. Hold the dumbbell at 90 degrees with your left hand.
3. Now extend the right arm and flex your tricep.
4. Slowly go back and bend your elbow.
5. Repeat.

For your right hand-

1. Place your left palm and knee on the bench/other surface.
2. Hold the dumbbell at 90 degrees with your right hand.
3. Now extend the left arm and flex your tricep
4. The rest is the same as above.

10. Bodyweight Tricep Extensions

This is another bodyweight exercise that is great to build the tricep muscle. It might seem easier than it is but it can provide you with the same results as some weight training exercises. You can do this with the help of a bench or on the floor.

To perform this exercise-

1. Get in a pushup position but your arms forward more than usual.
2. Put your forearms on the floor as if you’re almost in the plank position.
3. Squeeze your glutes, keep the core tight, and don’t hunch your back. 
4. Now extend your arm until full extension and feel the contraction.
5. Go back down slowly in a controlled manner.
6. Repeat.

Tricep workout for the medial head 

Here are two tricep workouts that can help build the medial head and the whole tricep muscle overall.

Workout A

1. Cable Overhead Tricep Extensions 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
2. Close Grip Dumbbell Bench Press 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps
3. Tate Press 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps
4.  Diamond Pushups 1 set till failure

Workout B

1. Close Grip Dumbbell Bench Press 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
2. Cable Concentration Extensions 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps
3. Reverse Grip Tricep Pushdowns 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps
4. Bench Dips / BodyWeight Tricep Extensions  2-3 sets 12-15 reps

Conclusion – Medial Head Tricep Exercises

If you want to build your tricep muscle then you will need to do exercises that target all three heads of the tricep.

Once you get advanced in training you will get to know which head of your tricep is the weak point and emphasizing that head more with the others will help you to keep building and growing the tricep muscle.

While some exercises isolate the medial head and others target all three heads of the tricep. So, by doing the exercises given in this article and including them in your workouts you can build more defined and good-looking triceps and grow your arms.

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