If you want to know how to build horseshoe-shaped triceps that will just drive others crazy, then you definitely need to read this article and perform these triceps exercises.
When it comes down to it, the triceps tend to get overlooked. For most people, strong arms are biceps.
But, oddly enough, biceps take up much less volume in your arms than larger triceps.
That is why triceps pumping is one of the little-known "secrets" in achieving the desired effect of large pumped up arms.
For example, your hands might look like this:
If this is too much for you, then here is a recent snapshot of mine that illustrates a more realistic result in achieving:
And in this article I will tell you how I achieved this (and how you can achieve the same)
So, let's start with a brief overview of the triceps muscles, and then delve into how to pump them effectively.
Triceps, or, in scientific terms, triceps brachii, is the triceps extensor muscle of the posterior group of the shoulder.
From Wikipedia:
Triceps brachii (triceps; lat. musculus triceps brachii) - the extensor muscle of the posterior group of the shoulder, occupies the entire back side of the shoulder, consists of three heads - long (caput longum), lateral (caput laterale) and medial (caput mediale).
Functions: Due to the long head, the arm moves back and brings the arm to the body. The entire muscle takes part in the extension of the forearm.
Fastening
The lateral head of the triceps (lat. caput laterale), begins with tendon and muscle bundles on the outer surface of the humerus. The medial head of the triceps (lat. caput mediate), has a fleshy beginning on the back surface of the middle third of the shoulder. The long head of the triceps (lat. caput longum), begins with a strong tendon from the subarticular tubercle of the scapula. The muscle formed as a result of the connection of the three heads passes into a flat wide tendon, which is attached to the olecranon of the ulna.
Here's what the triceps brachii looks like:
As you can see, when all three muscles become visible, they will acquire a kind of "horseshoe" shape.
Also, you can see that the lateral head (or, as it is also called, the lateral head) is the largest muscle of the three muscles of the triceps, which both develops faster than the others and determines the overall appearance of your triceps.
In short, when people talk about "big triceps" they really mean big lateral heads.
However, if you want to get a full-fledged volumetric, 3-D look, then you need to properly develop all three heads of the triceps.
Luckily, this is pretty easy to do.
Easy ways to build triceps
There are many theories about how to build triceps muscles.
Some say that you need to focus on frequent workouts at an accelerated pace and really feel that burning sensation in your muscles.
Others believe that it is enough to train several times a week.
There is also an opinion that triceps does not need to be pumped at all. Instead, focus on pushing exercises like the bench press and overhead press. Well, I've experienced all of the above, I've also worked with thousands of people, and here's what I found out:
- Most people need to purposefully pump their triceps to get the size and definition they want.
Reinforced chest muscle training will help in the formation of the triceps, but this is unlikely to be enough to achieve the desired size and relief.
- Heavy compound exercises are ideal for building strength and size. High rep sets, rope exercises on a block machine and French press (triceps machine) can be included in your workouts, but they will not replace exercises with heavy dumbbells.
- One enhanced triceps workout per week is enough. An important part of what you need to do correctly and consistently is volume, that is, the total number of repetitions that you do each week.
This is especially important when you are working out in the gym, (especially when doing heavy weights), the main rule of which is:
The harder your sets, the less you can do per week without the risk of overtraining. This is especially true for really hard lifts like deadlifts, squats, because the harder your workout, the more time it takes for your body to recover from it. Now, after I've tried many different split workouts and frequency schemes, here's what works best in two extended reviews.
If your training includes heavy weight exercises (80-85% + 1 PR), the optimal volume should be in the order of 60-70 reps every 5-7 days.
This applies not only to triceps, but, as a rule, to any other major muscle groups.
In the case of the triceps, we also need to take into account the fact that they are actively involved in your pressing exercises.
If you're doing, say, about 60 reps of the chest press per week to build your chest, and about 15-20 reps of the overhead press to sculpt your shoulders, then an extra 60 reps of weighted triceps training will be superfluous.
Although, by dropping the reps to 30-40 for triceps, you'll find that it encourages additional muscle growth without the hassles of overwork.
However, every day I meet people whose triceps are very "stubborn" even with the right training. In this case, I recommend that they do the following every week:
- 9 sets of reinforced (4-6 reps) chest presses, plus 3 sets of triceps exercises of 8-10 repetitions at a time;
- 3 sets of enhanced overhead press after a couple of days;
- 6-9 sets of enhanced triceps exercises a few days later.
This small increase in weekly volume, of course, will not have an instant magical effect, but it will help to overcome the "stubborn plateau" of muscle growth.
And now that we have the main theoretical points of training in stock, let's look at the 5 best exercises for triceps.
The best exercises for triceps
Ignore magazines with articles about muscle mass.
You don't have to do 50 types of triceps exercises to build great arms.
In fact, out of the many, many triceps exercises you can do, only a small handful will really help. Next, I will tell you how to build triceps using the most effective exercises for training the triceps brachii.
For example…
1. Close Grip Bench Press
If I had to choose only one exercise for the triceps, it would undoubtedly be the close grip bench press or back push-ups.
Both of these exercises are aimed at strengthening the lateral head of the triceps and, moreover, give impetus to the development of the chest muscles.
2. Push-ups with an emphasis on the back
There are two types of push-ups with an emphasis on the back: from the gymnastic bench and from the uneven bars (vertically)
I prefer the bar dip because it's easier to do push-ups with extra weight and helps to train your shoulders and chest. But for triceps, both methods are equally good.
Here is a bench press:
But from the bars:
3. Overhead Dumbbell Press
The dumbbell overhead curl is one of my favorite triceps exercises.
It is especially well suited to the long head of the triceps and allows you to safely lift heavy weights and stress the muscles.
4. French bench press with a barbell
Triceps tension in the prone position loads the medial head.
This exercise has been a staple for bodybuilders for decades due to its simplicity and effectiveness.
5. Extension of the arms on the upper block in a standing position
This is the most common triceps exercise that people do and, oddly enough, it's really good.
However, I save it for later in my training, applying after I complete the heavier exercises from this list.
I also prefer the V-shaped and straight neck.
Load progression is the key to triceps training.
Before we talk about triceps training, I would like to make sure that you understand the vital issues of weightlifting in general:
It is important not just to perform the exercises, but to perform them in progression.
It is important for a true weightlifter to know that an important type of progression is overload.
This is a gradual increase in the amount of weight you can lift at one time.
If you do this and eat enough food, your muscles will grow.
Mass training triceps
I have two criteria by which I define a good triceps workout:
- It includes exercises that are aimed at each head of the triceps.
You will get the most out of triceps exercises that develop the lateral head.
These are exercises where you put emphasis on your arms, such as close-grip bench press, push-ups with an emphasis on the back and extension of the arms on the upper block in the standing position.
However, exercises that increase the other two heads of the triceps should not be neglected.
Overhead exercises such as the overhead dumbbell press and French bench press target the long head, while side arms and underhand exercises and the bench press develop the medial head.
- Emphasizes weightlifting.
There are three ways to stimulate muscle growth, and progressive overload is the most important point in building muscle.
So your main goal as a weightlifter is to get stronger, especially in difficult key lifts like the power deadlift, the squat, and the bench and overhead presses.
Triceps weight training program
I will give an example of a simple triceps training program so that you can see how my advice applies to you.
Train as follows once every 5-7 days for the next 8 weeks. Do it, stick to the diet and your triceps will respond to you without fail.
- Close grip bench press
- Back push-ups
Warm up and 3 sets of 4-6 reps
- French bench press
3 sets of 4-6 reps
That's all.
Only 9 sets for your constant training.
And just in case you don't know how many reps, sets and how much weight to do, it's very simple:
- If you can do more reps than you expected, your weight is too light. Weight yourself.
- If you can't max out your rep range, the weight is too heavy. Lighten it up.
Thus, in the case where you can do 6 reps, it's time to add weight. If you are unable to do even 4 repetitions, you should reduce the load.
In general, I advise you to add weight when you have completed all reps in ONE set.
For example, if you did 6 reps on your first set of back-rest push-ups, add 2-4kg to your push-up belt for the next set. Work with this weight until you reach 6 reps in push-ups, and so on.
Thus, your weekly goal is to add the number of repetitions in exercises, which over time will turn into weight gain.
Sports nutrition for triceps training
I saved this for last because, frankly, it's less important than proper diet and exercise.
You see, supplements won't create a great physique, but proper training and nutrition will.
Supplements do not create a perfect body. Proper training and nutrition is what creates.
Unfortunately, the supplement industry is flooded with pseudo-scientific recommendations, ridiculous hypotheses, confusing commercials, and the supplements themselves contain many useless, or, conversely, important components, but in too small doses.
Many supplement companies put out a cheap, useless product and try to sell it on with silly marketing slogans, high-profile (and usually expensive) celebrity endorsements, pseudoscientific tales, branded blend fantasy tales, and flashy packaging.
That is, although supplements do not play a vital role in building muscle and burning fat, and many do not represent anything at all but a waste of money ... the right supplements may help.
The truth is that exist safe, natural substances that have been scientifically proven to increase strength, increase muscle mass, burn fat, etc. Part of my job was to know what these substances were, to look for products containing them. So now I can apply them myself and advise others.
However, the search for a product of high quality, effective and also at a reasonable price has always been a challenge.
So I decided to take matters into my own hands and create my own supplements. And not just additives “like everyone else”, but those whose exact formulas I came up with and just wanted for several years to be created by someone for me.
I won't rant on this subject for a long time here. If you want to know more about my supplements, click here.
For the purposes of this article, let's quickly go over the supplements that will help you get the most out of your arm training (and more).
Creatine
Creatine is a substance found in the body, as well as in foods such as red meat. It is arguably the most studied molecule in the sports supplement world, the subject of hundreds of scientific papers. And the reason is quite clear:
Creatine supplements help...
- Build muscle mass and increase strength;
- Improve anaerobic endurance;
- Reduce the risk of muscle damage and inflammation
You may have heard somewhere that creatine is harmful to the kidneys, but this statement was categorically and repeatedly refuted. In health matters, creatine had no effect no harmful side effects, both short-term and long-term use. People with kidney disease, however, do not recommend creatine supplements.
If we talk about special products that I use myself, then this is of course creatine monohydrate.
Creatine monohydrate is a 100% working supplement among all sports nutrition, 5 grams of creatine per day (a course of no more than 6 months) gives such positive effects:
- increases energy storage in muscle cells
- neutralizes acids in the muscles, mainly lactic acid
- retains water and speeds up post-workout recovery
- Activates glycolysis in the muscles and increases strength, with insufficient oxygen in the muscles
It gives you real strength, size and restorative properties of creatine monohydrate, plus restores muscle and insulin sensitivity, thanks to L-carnitine, L-tartrate and corosolic acid.
Protein powder
You don't need protein supplements to achieve muscle growth, but considering how much protein you need to eat every day to achieve maximum muscle growth, getting it from food might just be impractical.
This is the main reason I created (and use now) whey protein. (There is also evidence that whey protein is great for nutrition after training.)
Contains only natural sweeteners and flavors; whey is obtained from milk milked on small farms. I can say with confidence that whey protein is a 100% natural powder that gives real benefits to the muscles and is relatively inexpensive.
Pre Workout Supplements
The question that pre-workout supplements will fire you up and set you up to give all your best in the gym is not even worth it. However, there are downsides as well as potential risks.
Many pre-workout drinks are made up of ineffective ingredients and/or underdose of beneficial ones, making them little more than cheap stimulants laced with stardust for pretty packaging.
Others do not even contain stimulants, and are, in fact, a simple scam.
There are also still illegal, dangerous ones like "Jack3d", containing a powerful (and now banned) stimulant known asDMAA.
The reality is that it's hard to find a pre-workout supplement that's light on stimulants but loaded with naturally safe boosters like beta-alanine, betaine, citrulline.
So I made my own pre-workout supplement. It consists of 6 of the most effective components available in the public domain, which you can also use:
- Caffeine. Caffeine provides more than just an energy boost. He also increases endurance and muscle strength.
- Beta alanine. Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring amino acid that reduces fatigue, improves anaerobic capacity, and may accelerate muscle growth.
- Citrulline malate. Citrulline is an amino acid that enhances muscle endurance, soothes sore muscles and improves aerobic function.
- Betaine. Betaine is a substance found in plants such as beets that increases muscle endurance, strength, and also accelerates the growth of human hormones and insulin in response to increased training.
- Ornithine. Ornithine is an amino acid found in large quantities in dairy products and meat, which reduces fatigue during long workouts and promotes lipid oxidation(burning fat for energy, as opposed to carbohydrate and glycogen).
- Theanine. Theanine is also an amino acid found mainly in tea, which reduces physical and moral stress, increases the production of nitric oxide, which improves circulation and improves mindfulness, composure, vigilance, memory, mental performance and mood.
DIY pre-workout energy drinks
The bottom line is that if you're feeling low on energy in your workouts and not as full of energy as you should feel before a workout, then you should look into pre-workout supplements. The simplest and cheapest options are:
- Eleutherococcus tincture
- ginseng in granules
- green tea + 1 lemon wedge + 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 part milk oolong, 1.5 parts ginseng oolong (preferably stone, embedded), 1 part pu-erh
- pure caffeine in dosages from 300 mg, and the higher they are, the more invigorating and higher the strength, but I would not advise you to go beyond 800-1000 mg
- lemongrass
- rhodiola rosea
Summing up the triceps workout
Pumping up a relief and massive triceps is the same as pumping up any part of your body.
- You need to do the right exercises
- You need to lift a lot of weight
- You need to perform a sufficient weekly volume
- Eat enough calories and nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates)
- And you need to be patient
So, train, be persistent, eat right and you will get the body you dreamed of.
Triceps is one of the main muscles of the arm, both anatomically and externally. Its essence is that it unbends the arm and helps to manipulate the arm: when bent. That is, it is not enough to simply have a developed biceps in order to perform some kind of strength elements. Triceps is a large proportion of the entire work of the arm. It not only unbends the arm and helps in lifting, but also protects the joints from stress. And also, if you pump only the biceps, you will get a sloppy appearance and a disproportionate arm.
Anatomy of the triceps muscle of the shoulder
The structure of the triceps has the shape of a kind of horseshoe. This is the back of the surface of the arm, which stretched from the shoulder to the elbow joint. Triceps, following from the name, consists of three heads: long, lateral and medial.
- Long head triceps is attached to the subarticular tubercle of the scapula and is located on the inside of the arm.
- Lateral head of the triceps- This is a long muscle that takes up almost 2/3 of the entire triceps. It originates from the shoulder bundle and is located on the outside.
- Medial head of triceps stretched from the back of the humerus to the elbow joint. This is the smallest muscle that divides the other two at the top, but connects them at the bottom, thus forming a semblance of the letter "v".
Triceps Function
The main function of the muscle is to extend the arm at the elbow joint. Just like the biceps helps to flex the forearm, the triceps returns the arm to its original position. Moreover, it allows you to protect the joints from a large load. With the latter function, the medial head of the triceps is best handled. In addition, the triceps helps the shoulder bring the arm to the body, due to the fact that the length of the muscle reaches the shoulder.
People who come to the gym often really want to "pump up" their big arms. In this regard, they begin to do exercises for the biceps - the biceps of the shoulder.
Beginning athletes do not even suspect that the main volume of the arms is often given by another mulcular structure - the triceps or the triceps muscle of the shoulder.
Anatomy
Musculus triceps brachii consists of several basic structures. They are three muscle bundles (heads), which is reflected, in fact, in the title. The triceps brachii extends completely along the back of the humerus.
Three heads of the muscle have their own names, reflecting their structural location: lateral, long and medial.
- The first of these ( caput laterale) is attached muscularly and tendinously to the surface of the humerus (outside).
- The middle position is occupied by caput longum , it is the longest, attached to the scapula (subarticular tubercle).
- Third - caput mediale , is attached one third below the head of the humerus, behind, has a fleshy upper part.
All three of these heads are combined into one muscle, which below passes into a tendon formation attached to
Triceps work
The function of the triceps muscle, or rather, the most important of them is the extension of the forearm. This is the very movement of the hand when, when the elbow is extended, the whole arm is straightened. But its medial part is responsible for this. The main antagonist is the biceps muscle.
The exercises themselves are easy to find in bodybuilding manuals or on sites on the Internet. Many training complexes are posted online on video channels.
About muscle pain
Unfortunately, the triceps muscle of the shoulder can experience discomfort, the functions of which lead to overstrain, spasm. Pain can occur when pushing weights, sharply straightening the arm.
Trigger points and muscle bands can also cause problems. In the first case, the pain can radiate to other areas, in the second case, it will be very painful on palpation.
In such cases, stretching of the heads of the triceps muscle is required. A massage therapist can do a great job with this.
Finally
You should not train the heads of the triceps muscle separately, it is pointless. Any exercise on the triceps will fully engage it.
It is worth remembering that all people are genetically different. Differences in height, size of cats, muscle shape, length of tendon heads of muscles - all this must be taken into account when shaping your "ideal" body. You should not be equal to the models of bodybuilding competitions.
Information for women and girls! For the formation of triceps, it is not necessary to go to the gym. It is enough to perform this push-ups from the floor from the bench (bench), sitting with your back to it.
At first, triceps can be mistaken for an insignificant muscle, hidden from view and “modestly” located on the back of the hand. However, the triceps account for 2/3 of the entire arm. We conclude: the volume of the arm to a greater extent depends on how well this particular muscle is developed. Interested? Then let's continue.
The structure of the triceps includes three muscle bundles. In the elbow area, they narrow and merge into a common tendon. Due to this structure, the main function of this muscle is ensured - extension at the elbow. During the performance of any of the triceps exercises, all three muscle bundles are included in the work.
Basic triceps exercises
When performing a set of basic exercises, not only triceps work, but also other muscle groups. It's about the chest and shoulders.
During the press, the upper triceps, anterior deltoid muscles and upper chest muscles are intensively worked.
Advice! For beginners, it is better to give preference to the EZ neck - it is easier to fix the position with it.
During the exercise, all areas of the triceps are worked out. The main emphasis falls on the lateral head.
Advice! For beginners, you can place your palms on the bench a little wider - it's easier to fix the elbow joints.
When performing the exercise, the pectoral muscles, deltoid and triceps are strained, which we unbend the limb at the elbow.
Advice! To isolate the muscle as much as possible, you should bring your elbows closer to the body and do not spread them apart throughout the exercise.
Triceps isolation exercises
The group of isolating exercises includes those that involve only triceps, deltas and chest are not involved in the process. The main goal of the complex is to “finish off” the triceps after basic exercises, to shape the muscles, to turn them into more “cut through”.
During the exercise, all the muscles of the triceps are included in the work. The greatest load is taken by the lateral and medial head. The back muscles are relaxed - the risk of injury is close to zero.
- We stand in the block frame at the top block.
- We take a straight bar with a direct grip and bend over it, fixing the position of the projectile not with the help of the strength of the hands, but due to our own weight.
- We press the elbows to the body - in this position, the back muscles do not tense.
- We smoothly unbend our arms in the elbow joints, linger at the end point for a second.
Don't forget about breathing. We unbend the limbs while inhaling, when returning to the starting position, we release air from the lungs.
By extending your arms with a dumbbell from behind your head, you load the long head of the triceps muscle to a greater extent. It is rarely involved in most basic exercises for working out the triceps.
- We sit on the edge of the sunbed, rest our feet on the floor. We take a dumbbell with the hand that we will train. We stretch the limb above the head until it is completely straightened in the elbow joint.
- Inhaling, lower the hand behind the head, trying to avoid movement in the shoulder joint. We lower the dumbbell down in a straight path (towards the shoulder) or slightly oblique (towards the spine).
- Once at the bottom point, on the exhale we unbend the arm until the elbow is fully extended. At this point, we stop for a second and strain the triceps.
Do not tilt your body forward or backward - you can lose balance. The back cannot be rounded - this position additionally loads the spine.
Advice! If at the initial stage of training it is not possible to keep the elbow joint motionless, you can hold it with the hand of the opposite hand.
During the exercise, movement is observed only in the elbow joint. The lateral and long head of the triceps works.
- We sit on a bench, rest our feet on the floor. We take the straightened arms up, take the barbell with the neck from the assistant (we grab it with the upper grip). We straighten our arms and take them a little back from the top of the head - the starting position is accepted.
- We keep the upper part of the limbs motionless, while inhaling we slowly bend our elbows, lowering the load behind the head.
- We do not stop at the bottom point, return the hands to their original position. Once at the “start”, exhale and tighten the triceps.
When lifting the bar, the elbows should not stretch forward. The area of the arms from the shoulder to the elbow should be motionless during the entire exercise.
Advice! The exercise is best done with an EZ bar.
Due to this exercise, the triceps acquires additional volume, becomes embossed.
- We stand in front of the block so that the hand is parallel to the hummock. Grasp the fixed part of the block with your free hand. The body is slightly forward, the leg of the same name to the involved hand is set back. We take the handle with a reverse grip.
- We inhale, pull the handle down, fully extending the arm at the elbow. At the end point, exhale and tighten the muscle even more.
- We return the hand to its original position slowly, feeling resistance.
During the work, the back should be kept still. We fix the wrist, press the elbow to the body.
Advice! At the initial stage, “do not chase the weights” - select the load so that you can complete the exercise at least 10 times.
The exercise allows you to pump all three heads of the triceps in the lower part. It is indicated in the presence of disproportion of the triceps muscles.
- We get up on the side of the sunbed, bend over and rest against it with our palm, turning the latter towards us. We take a dumbbell with the other hand. One of the knees can be put on a sunbed. We bend the arm at an angle of 90 degrees, making sure that the elbow is at the level of the back or slightly higher.
- We inhale, hold our breath and fully unbend the limb due to the strength of the triceps. The forearm remains motionless. We remain in this position for a second and return to the “start”.
The back must be kept parallel to the floor - then the triceps will work great.
Advice! In the process of doing the exercise, try not to jerk, the pace of work is smooth.
Regular performance of a set of basic and isolating exercises will help to give volume and relief to the triceps. In addition to the regularity of training, the technique of performing the exercise also plays a significant role. The slightest deviations from it involve other muscle groups in the work - the effectiveness of the training will decrease significantly.
Be sure to read about it
All novice bodybuilders dream of big pumped up arms. To achieve this, they focus on exercises for the biceps, forgetting to train the triceps muscles of the shoulder. But triceps form 2/3 of the volume of the upper limbs and give them a powerful, embossed look. Therefore, the back surface of the hands, as well as the front, needs regular study.
Triceps is formed by three muscles - medial, lateral and long. Together they perform two main functions - bending the arm at the elbow and bringing the shoulder to the body.
From the point of view of bodybuilding, the three beams have the same meaning, but the volume of the upper limbs largely depends on the lateral (lateral) part of the triceps, located on the outside of the shoulder.
Triceps workout
In many sources on bodybuilding, there is an opinion that it is possible to influence each bundle of the triceps separately. In fact, almost all hamstring exercises involve the three heads equally.
In addition, the general structure of the muscles is genetically determined, that is, if the lateral head of the triceps “lags behind” in an athlete, it will be extremely problematic to accelerate its growth relative to the other two.
However, there are "little tricks" that are used to increase the load on the side of the shoulder. Below are exercises that allow you to shift the focus to the outer beam of the triceps due to non-standard technique and an unusual grip:
- Crossover extensions. To do this, we take the rope handle and hook it onto the cable of the upper block. We make a slight tilt forward, literally a few degrees, so that the hands are on weight. Elbows slightly apart. On exhalation, gently unbend the upper limbs. Below, at the peak point of contraction, we linger for 1-2 seconds, then slowly bend our arms with inhalation. We do 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions. The peculiarity of the exercise is that the elbow joints are not pressed to the body and are slightly apart, and the movement itself is performed strictly perpendicular to the floor.
- Extension in the crossover with one hand. We take a stable position in front of the block and slightly tilt the body forward. We cling to the upper cable D-shaped handle and take it with a reverse grip (palm turned to the ceiling). We hold the shoulder perpendicular to the floor, do not press it to the body. From this position, on the exhale, we unbend the elbow. In the lower phase, we linger for a second, and then smoothly return the hand to the starting position. We work only with the forearm, the shoulder itself should remain motionless. We do 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions for each hand. The exercise can be performed in a sitting position. This will increase the load on the side beam by “turning off” the back.
- . We lay down on a horizontal bench. The head remains on the seat so that the cervical region does not overstrain. Feet rest firmly on the floor. We take two small dumbbells with a reverse grip (palms turned towards ourselves) and lift them above the chest. Keeping the shoulders perpendicular, with an inhalation, we gradually lower the weight “on the forehead”. We linger for a second, and then, as we exhale, we unbend our elbows and return our hands to the starting position. We perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
- Lateral leads. Lie back on a horizontal bench. We take a dumbbell in one hand with a hammer grip and raise it perpendicular to the floor. Inhale, bend the elbow and lower the weight to the opposite shoulder. On exhalation, we take the limb to its original position. The movement is carried out only with the forearm. We perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions for each hand.
To pump up the powerful lateral heads of the triceps, the exercises discussed above will not be enough. Professional athletes recommend that training be based on multi-joint power elements that allow for a complex effect on the shoulder. Let's analyze the most effective:
- Press with a narrow grip (3x10-12). The position of the hands in the exercise plays a key role. If the spread of the hands on the bar is too wide, the emphasis shifts to the pectoral muscles, if it is too narrow, the risk of injuring the hands or “filling up” the projectile to the side increases. Experienced athletes are advised to place their palms at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other. So, we lie down on the bench and take a narrow grip on the neck. We remove the weight from the racks and, with an inhalation, slowly lower it to the bottom of the chest. We exhale powerfully and slowly raise the bar above the pectoral muscles (“we don’t start it on our heads!”). We keep the lower back pressed against the bench.
- Push-ups from the bars (3x10-12). Beginners, when performing this exercise, make the following mistakes: relaxing the hands in the negative phase, rocking the body and leaning forward a lot. Such shortcomings in the technique reduce the effectiveness of push-ups. Movements should be uniform and controlled, without jerks, a slight forward lean is allowed. Correct execution: we take the bars and take a handstand; do not “round” the back; inhale and slowly lower to the parallel of the shoulders with the floor; elbows do not spread to the sides; exhale powerfully and return to the starting position.
- Reverse push-ups from the bench (3x10-12). The exercise is not recommended for beginners due to the high injury risk for the articular ligaments of the shoulder. We turn our backs to the bench and lower our palms to the edge of the seat. We completely straighten our knees, put our feet on emphasis (second bench, chair, platform). From this position, while inhaling, bend your elbows and lower your pelvis. Exhaling powerfully, we return to the starting position. To increase the load, we place several plates for the neck on the front surface of the thighs (with the help of a partner).
As a rule, the study of triceps is combined with a back or chest workout. In this case, one power multi-joint exercise and one isolating exercise are selected. If you pump your arms on a separate day, increase the number of elements for the triceps muscle to 3-4 and add a load on the biceps to them.
Especially for beginner athletes, we provide useful tips to help strengthen the back of the hands safely and effectively.
- Choose the right working weight. Strength exercises that form volume are done for 10–12 repetitions, and isolating exercises for relief are done for 15–20.
- Keep the tension "inside the amplitude". When doing close grip presses and dips, do not fully extend your elbows. This will increase the load on the triceps.
- Avoid cheating. Try to perform all exercises only by extending your arms. It is not recommended to help yourself with the body. If it's hard, reduce the weight of the projectile and repeat.
- Warm up. Before working out the triceps muscles, be sure to warm up the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. This will help reduce the risk of injury.
- Use weights. If the exercise is easy, add extra weight. For example, in push-ups from the uneven bars, increase the load with a special belt on which pancakes are hung.
Try to avoid sharp pain in the elbow and shoulder joints. If pain still appears, stop exercising for a few days and let the tissues recover.
