Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
Flipping through exrx, I noticed this:
"The biarticulate long head of the triceps brachii enters active insufficiency through the completion of elbow extension when the shoulders are more extended and adducted (other heads of the triceps becomes more active) or through the completion of shoulder extension and adduction when the elbows are more extended."
This arm position they are talking about would have the upper arm at an angle similar to the final position on a wide grip pulldown, correct? (elbows slightly behind body, armpit squeezed, flexing the rear delt and teres major) But for some reason, when I get in this position and straighten my arms to flex my tris, I seem to feel it even more in my long head. So this "active insufficiency" means only that the long head doesn't create its maximal force at that angle due to the fact that it's beyond its normal range of contraction, right? Trying to get my facts straight here.
Ok, now for some questions...
Can strengthening the long head in the "more completely flexed" portion of the flexion have any useful strength carryover to other angles of flexion such as perhaps in a bench press lockout? Or is it just a waste of time.. I'd love to hear some scientific thoughts on this.
Does anybody know anything about flexing a muscle in this mannor to acheive gains? What I mean is, what about putting your arm up over your head and flexing your bicep until it cramps up, and then doing a bicep stretching exercise? Going from an overly flexed position to an overly extended position. It seems to me that there would be some sort of nervous function affected due to the increased number of muscle fibers being recruited. Is this the case?
I've heard pros hold flexes for periods of time to improve muscle capacity, not just to practice their poses. Is there any physiological reasoning behind this? I'm thinking more along the lines of nervous system here rather than muscle hypertrophy.. Ideas, anyone?
"The biarticulate long head of the triceps brachii enters active insufficiency through the completion of elbow extension when the shoulders are more extended and adducted (other heads of the triceps becomes more active) or through the completion of shoulder extension and adduction when the elbows are more extended."
This arm position they are talking about would have the upper arm at an angle similar to the final position on a wide grip pulldown, correct? (elbows slightly behind body, armpit squeezed, flexing the rear delt and teres major) But for some reason, when I get in this position and straighten my arms to flex my tris, I seem to feel it even more in my long head. So this "active insufficiency" means only that the long head doesn't create its maximal force at that angle due to the fact that it's beyond its normal range of contraction, right? Trying to get my facts straight here.
Ok, now for some questions...
Can strengthening the long head in the "more completely flexed" portion of the flexion have any useful strength carryover to other angles of flexion such as perhaps in a bench press lockout? Or is it just a waste of time.. I'd love to hear some scientific thoughts on this.
Does anybody know anything about flexing a muscle in this mannor to acheive gains? What I mean is, what about putting your arm up over your head and flexing your bicep until it cramps up, and then doing a bicep stretching exercise? Going from an overly flexed position to an overly extended position. It seems to me that there would be some sort of nervous function affected due to the increased number of muscle fibers being recruited. Is this the case?
I've heard pros hold flexes for periods of time to improve muscle capacity, not just to practice their poses. Is there any physiological reasoning behind this? I'm thinking more along the lines of nervous system here rather than muscle hypertrophy.. Ideas, anyone?
