Many people want to tone up and reduce fat on the back of their arms, or triceps. This can be achieved by reducing overall body fat and performing exercises that target the tricep muscles. Reducing overall body fat is achieved through proper diet and regular cardiovascular exercise; however, you should include exercises such as dips, tricep extensions and rope push downs to tone the triceps.
Compound Exercises
Compound exercises are recommended for the most time-efficient workouts because eight to 10 exercises can stimulate all the major muscles in the body and create the greatest change in body composition in the shortest time, says Bodybuilding.com. For example, a squat with a dumbbell tricep extension will target your quadriceps, core and triceps in one movement, as opposed to an isolation exercise such as tricep kickbacks, which only work the triceps. Compound exercises will burn more calories since they work multiple muscle groups.
Dips
A dip can be performed on parallel bars, rings, a chair or bench. A chair or bench dip is a good place for beginners to start. Begin the dip by sitting in a chair and grasping the edge of the chair with your palms facing behind you. Walk out with your feet until your hips are in front of the chair. Then, bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor. Press through the palms to return to the starting position and repeat. Any strain in the shoulder or legs will require a re-evaluation of your technique, since this exercise should be felt mainly in the triceps, says Strong Lifts.
Rope Push down
A rope push down is performed at the cable machine with a rope attachment hooked to the top pulley. Start by standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the rope with both hands. If your shoulders are forward and you're leaning in, you are doing the movement wrong and causing unwanted stress on your deltoids, says Ask The Personal Trainer. Contract your triceps and press the rope downward, hold for a count, then return the rope to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.
Pushup
Pushups mainly work the pectorals, but also recruit the triceps. A pushup is a full body exercise that is both aerobic and tones muscle. Beginners can start with a kneeling pushup while experienced exercisers can use a standard pushup. Start by assuming a prone position then shifting your weight to the palms and toes. Keep you head in a neutral position and back flat as you bend the elbows and slowly lower your chest toward the floor. Stop just before you touch the floor and press through the palms to return to the starting position. Repeat for desired repetitions. Kneeling pushups reduce the load by 50 percent but follow the same technique, says Hundred Pushups.
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