Lying Tricep Extensions

[tpascarella]

Hello Rip,

I was speaking with a fellow trainee the other day regarding Lying Tricep Extensions. He mentioned there was a very recent podcast episode (which I cannot find) where you said if you were to write a 4th edition of the Blue Book that you would remove LTEs entirely.

This came as a surprise to me, seeing as it had been referred to as the Fourth Powerlift in the book, and I do not know whether that soundbite was possibly taken out of context, my fellow trainee is just messing with me, or if your opinion on the exercise had genuinely changed. If so, I'd be very interested to hear your current thoughts on the exercise or any possible substitutes.

Thank you!

[Mark Rippetoe]

I now don't think they are terribly necessary for strength training, but at the time I wrote that edition of the book the distinction between aesthetics and strength was not as clear to me. They may be useful for some advanced guys, but certainly not for novice and intermediate lifters.