Your triceps, or the muscles on the back of your upper arms, extend your elbow joint. Your triceps work every time you straighten your arm and get used in exercises such as bench pressing and events such as the shot put. To train your triceps effectively, use both compound -- or multi-joint -- movements and isolation -- or single-joint -- movements. In any workout, you should generally perform compound movements first, as this allows you to train with more intensity on heavier movements. Consult a health care professional before beginning any exercise program.
Step 1
Perform heavy close-grip bench pressing. The close-grip bench press works your triceps more heavily than a standard bench press, according to a 1995 study in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research." Train with sets of five to eight repetitions.
Step 2
Perform heavy dips. After your strength has progressed to the point where you can perform more than 15 repetitions, you can add weight using a dipping belt or by holding a dumbbell in between your feet. Take care not to drop into the bottom position on this lift, as this can put quite a strain on your shoulder, or even your sternum.
Step 3
Perform barbell extensions. This exercise is done while lying flat on a bench. While holding the barbell at arm's length, bend your elbows and lower the bar to your forehead, then return to the starting position. Your upper arms should not move. Perform this exercise for sets of eight to 15 repetitions.
Step 4
Perform dumbbell extensions while lying on a flat bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at full extension and your palms facing each other. Lower the dumbbells by bending your elbows to the sides of your head until one end of each dumbbell lightly touches the top of your shoulder, and return to the starting position. Perform this exercise for sets of anywhere from eight to 15 repetitions.
Step 5
Perform overhead extensions with a dumbbell or barbell while seated. Lower the weight behind your head from full extension by bending your elbows, and return to the fully extended position. This exercise allows an extreme stretch in your triceps, and should be performed for sets of 10 to 20 repetitions. Care should be taken when performing high repetition sets, as fatigue can lead to a breakdown of good technique and a decrease in force production.
Things You'll Need
- Flat bench
- Dipping bars
- Barbells
- Dumbbells
References
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; Effects of Variations of the Bench Press Exercise on the EMG Activity of Five Shoulder Muscles; Chris Barnett, et al.; November 1995
- "Injury"; Stress Fracture of the Sternum; P.F. Hill, et al.; June-July 1997
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; Limiting Mechanisms of Force Production After Repetitive Dynamic Contractions in Human Triceps Surae; M. Class, et al.; April 2004
Member Comments