Martial arts superstar and physical paragon Bruce Lee's first martial art was wing chun. Although nobody can deny he had incredibly cut upper arms, Lee's triceps development was anything but typical. Still, triceps strength will contribute to the power of the strikes and blocks a wing chun stylist in practice and in a fight. Any number of exercises can directly improve that strength.
Bag Work
If you want to develop the muscles involved in a punch, one of your best choices is to punch something. Striking a heavy bag -- one that weighs 60 to 100 pounds -- will resist the push from your triceps each time you hit the bag. When doing bag work for strength training, deliver each strike individually, focusing on power and form. A set of 50 to 100 of various arm strikes will strengthen your triceps. Traditional wing chun practitioners also hit a specially-constructed wooden dummy to further strengthen and condition their arms.
Triceps Pushups
Triceps pushups are similar to regular pushups, but a small change in body position puts most of the load on your triceps rather than your chest. Begin face-down on the floor in a regular pushup position. Before your first repetition, turn your arms so your elbows are against the your sides. Keep them there throughout your set of pushups. You'll feel the difference immediately.
Weight Training
Weight training is among the most popular methods for building strength in the United States, and you can build your triceps with weights just as you do with any other body part. Bruce Lee was very fond of weight training, based on notes in his workout journals published in "The Art of Expressing the Human Body." Some good weight lifting exercises for the triceps include behind-the-head press, triceps extension and many variations on the dip.
Isometrics
Isometrics is an exercise where you hold your muscle in a single position while exerting force as if trying to make it move. The stances and formal exercise postures in wing chun include many isometric postures to help build triceps strength, among others. One example is the horse stance -- the iconic wide-legged, low stance with your hands straight in front of you. Once you get strong enough that this position no longer fatigues you, place weighted rings around your wrists to add resistance.
References
- "The Tao of Jeet Kun Do"; Bruce Lee; 1978
- "The Art of Expressing the Human Body"; Bruce Lee; 1998
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