When you first start lifting weights to build up your arm muscles, the first thing you did to gauge your progress was probably a classic biceps flex. Whether you were a skinny teen or a late bloomer to the workout world, everyone turns into Arnold in front of a mirror after their first arm-centric training day.
One of the reasons the triceps might not get as much love as the biceps is due to the anatomy of your arms.
Meanwhile, the triceps are located on the posterior of your arm, or the rear. While you can't see them immediately in the mirror, the triceps can make up to two-thirds of the muscle mass in your upper arm, making them much bigger than the biceps.
Any movement that has you straightening your arm at the elbow will train your triceps, but there are plenty of ways to vary up that arm-straightening motion. Changing the angle of your arm relative to your torso can place different levels of stretch on the triceps muscle, and adding pauses, both at the top of reps and halfway through reps, can emphasize different phases of the contraction.
Some Tricep Exercises to Increase Arm Strength
1. Classic Push Ups
Get on the floor on your hands and knees, with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Lift your knees off the floor and extend your legs behind you so body is aligned from head to feet in one long line. Slowly bend elbows at a 45-degree angle and lower yourself towards the floor until your chest is almost touching the floor.
Push yourself back up to the starting position and repeat.
Sit on a chair or a bench with your hands on the seat beside you and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your butt off the chair and from this position, lower your body toward the ground until your arms are bent at 90-degree angles. Push yourself back up to the starting position and repeat.
3. Tricep Press Down
Standing with a resistance band in your right hand, place your right hand at the front of your left shoulder, right arm against the chest. Loop the other end of the band around your left hand. Start with your left arm almost bent to a 90-degree angle with your left elbow tucked close to your body and keep tension in the band. Press your left hand towards the floor until your left arm is fully extended. Release to start. Repeat the full number of reps and then switch sides for one set.
4. Tricep Extensions
Sit or stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms straight overhead, bend them at the elbows, and lower the dumbbells behind your head. Extend arms back straight overhead to the starting position and repeat.
5. Skull Crusher
Lie face up on the floor, with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lift your arms above your chest; your wrists should be directly above your shoulders and your palms should be facing each other. Without moving your elbows, bend your arms and lower the weights to the sides of your head. Extend back to the start position and repeat.
6. Narrow Chest Press.
Lie face up on the floor, with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms above your chest, with your wrists positioned directly above your shoulders and your palms facing each other. Bring the weights together to touch. Slowly lower the dumbbells toward your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in by your sides. Extend arms back to the start position and repeat.
7. Barbell Bench Press
Initially, lie back on a flat bench. Now lift the barbell straight overhead with your arms locked. Inhale and slowly bring down the barbell to your middle chest. After a pause, exhale and push it up back to the initial position. Repeat for 9 reps. Always focus on your chest muscles and strain your triceps.
8. Bar Dips
Lean forward about 90 degree. Lower the body more, than your normal triceps dips until chest is even with the bars. Firmly hold the grip on the bar with both the hands. Now push up your body straight, as though your hands balance your body weight. Lean forward for 45 degrees. Lower yourself, keeping your hips straight Continue for 12 reps. Keep in mind, your chest drops forward as your elbows move back.
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