The triceps is a horseshoe-shaped muscle that runs from the top of the back of your shoulder to your elbow. Its main function is to extend your elbow from a bent position, and to pull your forearm down and into your body. A variety of exercises can build substantial muscle in your triceps, though working out will not build your arms by itself. You must take substantial care when lifting weights with such an oddly shaped muscle located in a fragile area of your body.
Pumping Iron
Step 1
Rack a curling bar with a medium amount of weight and do skull-crusher movements. Lie flat on a weight bench, hold the bar above you at shoulder level, with arms fully extended and palms facing your feet. Keep your elbows pointed up toward the ceiling, and bend them to bring the weight bar down to your forehead. Tap the back of your hands on your forehead, then re-extend your arms. Do two to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
Step 2
Perform cable pulley push-downs by first standing directly in front of a cable pulley machine. Select a medium amount of weight, and mount the cable holster above eye level. Use a straight bar latched to the cable pulley. Grip the bar with both hands, one on each side, with palms facing the ground. Keep your elbows locked at your sides and push straight down in front of you until your arms are extended. Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.
Step 3
Build triceps muscles with a close-grip bench press. Rack a medium to heavy amount of weight on a barbell mounted on a flat bench press. Lie on the bench and grip the barbell at shoulder width. Bring the weight down, and stop when the barbell barely touches your chest, making sure to keep your elbows tucked in to your sides. Push back up until your arms are fully extended. Do two to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.
Protein, Proper Form and Patience
Step 1
Eat high quantities of protein every day. In order to gain maximum muscle mass, Dr. Peter Lemon of the University of Western Ontario recommends eating anywhere from 1.6 to 1.8 grams of protein daily per kilogram of body weight.
Step 2
Use proper form during your exercises. Bad form will result in other muscles compensating because you are no longer isolating a single muscle, or torquing the muscle in an unnatural way, which can strain or even tear the muscle completely. Practicing proper form with low amounts of weight first can help you build massive horseshoe triceps muscles quickly, and with as little risk of injury as possible.
Step 3
Get between eight and 10 hours of sleep every night. The rest period is when your triceps recover and rebuild, and there is no better rest period than when you are sleeping. Sleep is when your muscles regrow fastest. It's also when you get mentally recharged, which will allow you to focus better next time you're in the gym. To help your muscles grow larger and more efficiently while sleeping, eat slow-digesting protein like casein just before going to bed.
Tips and Warnings
- Start out using low amounts of weight while concentrating on proper form. This will isolate the triceps muscle. Allow several days of rest between each triceps workout. This will allow your triceps to recover energy, and allow the muscle to regrow.
- If you start out using too much weight, you run the risk of straining or tearing your triceps muscle. This is a serious injury that can sometimes require surgery. Keep your body still while performing exercises. Jerking your body can result in injuries or strained muscles in other areas of your body.
Things You'll Need
- Curling bar
- Barbell
- Weight plates
- Weight bench
- Cable pulley machine
References
- BetterU Inc.: Anatomy of the Triceps Muscle
- Bodybuilding: Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
- Shape Fit: Triceps Exercises - Straight Bar Pushdowns
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Beyond the Zone: Protein Needs of Active Individuals; Peter W.R. Lemon, PhD; 2000
- Bodybuilding: The Importance of Sleep
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