Tricep Workouts
In the pursuit of strengthening the triceps and building muscle, there is no better exercise than one that isolates the triceps. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned gym-goer, training your triceps with smart exercises can provide visible results in just a few short weeks.
Let's start with close grip bench press. Begin by lying down on a bench with your knees slightly bent and your feet flat on the floor. With the weight in both hands, grip the barbell at shoulder width or narrower and straighten your arms over your chest, extending from your elbows. Depending on comfort level, you can bring the barbell closer to centering it between your armpits or, if you have a longer wingspan, place it over the top of your chest. From here, perform the exercise by slowly and with control bending your elbows to slowly lower the barbell until just before it touches your chest; then extend your arms again to bring the weight back up and repeat this motion for 10-12 reps per set.
Take for example the Barbell Bench Press: Start by setting up a flat bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground, chest and triceps supported by the bench. The barbell should be in line with your eyes, then grasp it with hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Bend your knees and take a deep breath as you lower the weight towards the mid-chest region. Keep your elbows close to your body throughout the movement and press the barbell upwards until your arms are straight. This will engage both your biceps and triceps, so make sure you feel the mind-muscle connection as you complete one rep.
The Overhead Tricep Extension is another great exercise for training your triceps. Start by gripping a single dumbbell with both hands, the weight should be held at an arm's length above your head. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, extend your arms and press the weight upwards until they are straight (but not locked). Slowly lower the weight behind your head until you feel a good stretch in your triceps before returning to the starting position to complete one rep. Make sure you engage both the lateral and medial heads of your triceps as you do this.
| Exercise | Description |
|---|---|
| Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extension | This classic triceps exercise will help you target the triceps and get your upper arms looking toned. Lying on a flat bench, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in. Extend your arms straight up toward the ceiling, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Lower the dumbbells back to your chest and repeat. |
| Overhead Band and Cable Triceps Extension | This exercise targets the triceps in a unique way. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and secure a band around both hands, extending your arms above your head. Bend at the elbows to lower your arms back behind you until they are bent at a 90 degree angle. Return to starting position and repeat. |
| Single-Arm Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extension | This exercise adds a level of challenge to the classic triceps extension by focusing on one arm at a time. Start in the same position as the lying dumbbell triceps extension, but instead of holding two dumbbells, hold just one. Extend your arm straight up toward the ceiling, keeping your elbow slightly bent. Slowly lower the weight back to your chest and repeat. |
The Incline Close Grip Dumbbell Bench Press is another great option for training your triceps. Set up an incline bench with a pair of dumbbells in hand. Lie back onto the bench, feet firmly planted on the ground and press the weights towards the ceiling. Keep your elbows close to your body, and make sure you engage your core as you press the weights up until your arms are straight (but not locked). Slowly lower the weight back down to the starting position for one rep.
Finally, for those looking for an isolation exercise there’s no better option than Straight Bar Pushdowns. Set up a cable machine with a straight bar attached, and grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Lean forward so your arms are straight and engage your core as you press the bar down towards your thighs. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides throughout the movement to really hit those triceps. Slowly return to the starting position for one rep.
When you perform tricep workouts, you should always keep your knees slightly bent in order to isolate the triceps and train them specifically. When extending your arm, it is important to straighten your arms completely while also making sure to extend your elbows at a 90 degree angle in order to get the full range of motion. Close grip bench presses and overhead triceps extensions are great for a mind-muscle connection, as you can feel the burn in your triceps muscle when you squeeze your triceps at the peak of each rep. With dumbbells, increase the weight over time to make sure you’re properly challenging yourself and gaining strength in your upper arms.
When benting your elbows, make sure to position and repeat the movement slowly in order to feel the burn in all areas of your triceps. With resistance bands, you can strengthen your lateral head and medial head in one tricep extension. Diamond push-ups are an effective way to build not only strong arms but also muscle mass when done correctly with a plank position. Always remember to rest and focus on your form in order to get the most out of all triceps workouts.
You can feel the powerful contraction of your triceps brachii when you extend your arm in an overhead triceps extension. Your mind-muscle connection is strengthened as you hold the dumbbell firmly between your hands and bend the elbows, feeling the resistance of the weight as it challenges your upper body strength. As you execute this single arm tricep exercise, you can feel the muscles in your upper arm stretching and contracting as they fight to move the dumbbell against gravity. Using a resistance band in place of a dumbbell is an alternative way to maximize size and strength gains with this triceps workout routine. The start position of a skull crusher – another popular triceps exercise – is similar, as you extend the arm and hold it in place before slowly bending at the elbows to target every angle of the tricep muscle fibers. Add several sets of overhead extensions and skull crushers into your fitness regimen throughout the week to really challenge your triceps training routine.
If you’re looking for an even more intense way to train your triceps, rope pulls are one of the most effective ways as they bring you into a shoulder-to-elbow pull motion. Don’t forget to pay attention to how many sets, reps and time you’re doing per tricep workout in order to challenge yourself properly. With the right equipment and a certified personal trainer, you can increase your range of motion, strength training and weight loss goals with effective triceps exercises. You’ll be feeling the burn and seeing results in no time!
Remember, when it comes to triceps workouts you can push yourself but don’t overdo it. It’s important to increase your weight and reps per set gradually in order to avoid injury and make sure you’re getting the most out of each workout. With the right focus and equipment, you can achieve strong triceps in no time!
At The Body Blueprint, we know how important it is to have a personal trainer that aligns with your goals, whether it be growing muscle mass or strengthening your triceps muscles. With our certified trainers guiding you through effective triceps exercises, you’ll be well on your way to achieving the body of your dreams.
As the triceps muscles flex and bulge, the weight-laden barbell descends towards the chest in a controlled manner, pressing against the upper arms before being released with a satisfying thud. The overhead press requires both strength and balance to control the weight as you raise it above your shoulders, extending your elbows whilst keeping them close to your head. Grip the dumbbells firmly in each hand, feeling their weight and heft as you bend your elbows and push them away from your body to perform a tricep extension – the satisfying burn in the muscles signaling that you’re on track for building strength and mass.
Close grip bench presses are a powerful exercise which will bring your triceps to the next level, with you at the helm as you lift and lower the barbell. Dips are an effective bodyweight exercise for targeting the tricep muscles, and during skull crushers – a popular triceps extension – you’ll feel the strain and pull as you extend your elbows from bent to straight position. With an EZ bar grasped in your hands, and palms facing outwards, you’ll feel the strain through the entire tricep muscle as you perform a close grip bench press.
Resistance bands are great for training the triceps muscles from different angles, with lateral heads and medial heads responding to each motion of the hand or arm. It’s all about increasing the weight or resistance as you progress, and feeling the muscle growth as you complete a triceps workout of your own design. Whatever equipment you choose to use, focus on keeping your form flat and steady as you build strength in your upper body and upper arms. With practice and patience, each rep will bring you closer to achieving your goals.