For men, they seem to be one of
the more difficult to develop muscles in your upper
torso. To women, they're lost somewhere underneath
that drooping bag that sags under your arms. Nonetheless,
these three muscles are a part of your anatomy. It
just takes the proper training and dedication to lure
them out.
These three components combine to make up a vital
element of your upper-body development. They're
known as the brachialis, the brachii, and the pronator
teres, but in more simple, direct terms, we know them
as your triceps muscles.
Basic Tricep Exercises
Here are a few triceps exercises that will help you
in your quest:
Close Grip Bench Press: These are
just like they sound. They are bench presses except
with a much narrower grip than what you're used
to with standard bench presses. The closer your hands
are together during this exercise, the more of the
emphasis is placed on the triceps.
Grip the bar so your index fingers are about six
inches apart from one another. After lifting the barbell
off the rack, slowly lower the weight to the mid-chest
section. Just before the bar touches your pectorals,
reverse the motion and begin to push the weight upward.
As you approach the starting position, you should
feel the tension in your triceps muscles as opposed
to in your chest. Do not lock your elbows out, but
be sure to squeeze your triceps during the contraction.
Try doing three sets of between 10 and 12 repetitions.
Parallel Bar Dips: Like the close-grip
bench presses, dips will place some stress on your
pectoral muscles and your deltoids. However, the main
target with be the triceps, especially if you maintain
an erect posture during the exercise.
Come off of your feet as your grab onto the bars
and cross your ankles underneath you. Slowly bend
your arms as you lower your torso toward the floor.
When your elbows are completely bent and you cannot
go any lower, raise your body back to the starting
position, where you'll squeeze for a moment.
Depending on how advanced you are, you can hang weights
from belt around your waist for extra resistance.
For now, try 3 sets of 10-15 reps of your own body
weight.
More Triceps Exercises for your
Workout
If you're not making any head-way in some of
your other upper-body muscle groups, perhaps you need
to strengthen the triceps, the muscle group that assists
in both shoulder and chest workouts. In any exercise
in which the range of motion consists of a pushing
movement - bench presses, shoulder presses, or simple
push-ups - you're triceps are playing an integral
role.
So to be tri-umphant in your fitness endeavors, here's
a triad of exercises to help you carve those three
stingy muscles.
Dumbell Kick Backs: Find a flat
bench and a dumbbell of tolerable weight. Placing
one knee on the bench for balance, along with its
corresponding hand further up on the bench. Take the
dumbbell into the opposite hand. You should be bent
at the waist so that your torso is parallel with the
floor. Without moving your upper arm, kick your lower
arm straight back, extending it until it's parallel
with the floor. Squeeze the triceps out and then return
to the starting position. Repeat this motion for 10-12
repetitions on each arm. Do 3 sets on each side.
Tricep Pressdowns: Attach a handle
to the top cable. Take a grip on the handle so that
your thumbs are about four inches apart from each
other. Lock your arms into your sides and bend your
elbows at a 90-degree angle so that your lower arms
are parallel with the floor. Slowly push the handle
down toward your upper-legs, squeezing your triceps
as your arms straighten out. Slowly let the weight
pull your forearms back up to the starting position
and repeat the movement. Try 12 reps over 3 sets.
A wise way to work triceps into your workout regimen is
to couple them with either chest or shoulder workouts, considering
you work tris in a number of these exercises. You do not
want to subject your triceps to over-training.
