Many of my clients don’t like the triceps name (think “chicken wings” or “armpits”). The back of the arm is a common trouble spot, and many people complain about this area and want to know how to get it in order.
The muscle behind the arm opposite the biceps brachii is the triceps brachii. A strong triceps is important for performing routine activities that require any kind of lifting or pulling motion. And yes, strengthening the triceps brachii helps eliminate the common problem of shaking when waving.
If this is an area of the body that you want to strengthen and tone, there are plenty of exercises to help you achieve just that. Here are some of my favorite triceps exercises. Repeat each exercise 10 times before proceeding to the next exercise. You can turn this into circuit training and repeat the entire circuit for three rounds, or add one or more of these exercises to your arm training.
Dilation of the triceps brachii
Keep your legs as wide as your hips and hold one dumbbell with both hands. Reach above the dumbbells. Without moving your biceps, bend your elbows to align your ears and lower the dumbbells along the top of your back. When your weight returns to the starting position, move your triceps.
Triceps brachii dip
Sit on the ground, place your palms on the ground behind you, and point your fingers at your body. Put your hips back in your hands and push your legs down to lift your hips. Bend your knees. Bend your elbows straight back and lower them into a dip, then push your hands down to move them to the starting position.
Triceps brachii push-ups
Starting from the board position, pull the Navy toward the spine and make sure your shoulders are on your wrists. Bend your elbows straight back and hug them to your armpits (as opposed to using traditional push-ups to spread them to your armpits). Push it down by hand to move it to the starting position.
Diamond push-ups
Starting from the position of the board, bring your hand closer to the center and touch the pointer’s finger and thumb together to make a diamond with your hand. This means that your wrists are diagonal. Bend your elbows sideways, lower your chest toward the ground, and then push your hands down to return to the starting position.
Triceps kickback
Stand with your legs as wide as your hips and your knees slightly bent. Hold one weight with both hands and hang your arm toward your knee. Hinge your hips so that your chest is down to the ground. Hold your elbows sideways and pull your elbows in a row. From here, extend your forearm and return to the triceps kickback without moving your elbows. Return to the row position and then repeat the kickback.
Triceps reach
Hold the dumbbell with your right hand and put your left foot forward for a split stance. Bend your left knee and lean forward so that your torso is at a 45 degree angle to the ground. Turn your shoulders forward. Then, with your right palm facing inward, lift your right arm as high as possible behind your body, without sinking your shoulders down. Engage the back of your arm and the top of your back. Then let go of your arm.
Pulse arm kickback
Stand upright with the weight on its side. Turn your palm over so that you are facing the back of the room. Push your arm back toward the back wall and back to the center. Repeat at a moderate pace.
Crocodile’s mouth flies
Stand with your legs as wide as your hips and hold one dumbbell in both hands. Bend your knees a little and tilt your hips forward a little. Pull in the abdominal muscles. Hang your arm down and then extend your right arm straight up until your right arm is aligned with your right ear. Next, extend your left arm back and engage the left triceps. Consider forming a straight diagonal with both arms. Return to the starting position. Then, alternately, extend your left arm forward and your right arm backward.
Skull crusher
I will lie on my back. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground. Hold one dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms over your chest. Bend your elbows and slowly lower the weight until you reach the back of your head. Stretch your arms again until straight, then repeat.
Dumbbell jab
Hold one dumbbell in both hands and stand with your legs as wide as your hips. Bend your elbows to hold the dumbbells close to your chest. Turn your palms toward each other. Push one of the dumbbells forward, straighten your arm like a boxing punch, then return to the starting position and repeat with the other arm.
