Why Most Tricep Training Hurts Your Elbows (And What To Do Instead)

In this video, I walk through how I actually teach triceps training, not as a recipe, but as a movement problem to solve. I break down why handles matter, fixed vs mobile grips, and why forcing your shoulders to stay pinned often limits tricep development and sets people up for elbow or shoulder pain.

I show how shoulder movement, elbow path, and grip choice all work together, whether you’re using a straight bar, rope, dumbbells, cables, or machines. We talk pushdowns, overhead work, skull crushers, and even machines people usually misinterpret.

This isn’t about chasing rules or bodybuilding dogma. It’s about understanding how your body fits the equipment in front of you, how force actually travels through your joints, and why letting the shoulders move can unlock better strength, size, and longevity.

If you’ve ever felt triceps work jam your elbows, irritate your shoulders, or just never feel right, this video will give you a different lens to work through it.

Key Timestamps

00:00 Why I teach triceps differently
00:36 Fixed handles vs mobile handles, what actually matters
01:10 Why “just push down” misses the point
01:54 The problem with locking your shoulders down
02:38 How grip choice changes shoulder and elbow mechanics
03:22 Rope length, separation, and why short ropes jam people up
04:01 Using your fingers, not your palms, on cable attachments
05:03 Cueing triceps as “around and back,” not straight down
06:14 Why shoulder movement protects elbows and builds better triceps
07:00 Long head triceps, overhead work, and progression levels
08:10 Why some overhead tricep work is actually advanced
08:55 The danger of restraining shoulder movement overhead
09:49 Bodybuilding rules that get copied into everything
10:45 Skull crushers, dumbbells vs bars, and elbow stress
12:08 Mobile handles and letting the arm travel naturally
13:14 Single arm vs fixed grip overhead work
14:00 How shoulder position changes elbow path
14:24 Using machines properly instead of fighting them
16:08 Fit, proportions, and why machines feel different for everyone
16:55 Triceps vs chest, changing intent changes the exercise
18:39 Why machines aren’t “for” one muscle automatically
19:06 Stop training by recipes, start understanding movement