Tremendous Triceps!

We’re talking three times the fun here.

People who don’t know any better simply call it “that cool muscle on the back of your arm.” But you know exactly what they’re talking about. They’re talking about the trifecta of muscles that makes up your triceps – the lateral head, the long head, and the medial head – which runs down the length of your upper arm.

If you’re not making any head-way in some of your other upper-body muscle groups, perhaps you need to strengthen the triceps, the muscle group that assists in both shoulder and chest workouts. In any exercise in which the range of motion consists of a pushing movement - bench presses, shoulder presses, or simple push-ups - you’re triceps are playing an integral role.

So to be tri-umphant in your fitness endeavors, here’s a triad of exercises to help you carve those three stingy muscles.

DIPS: Step up to the dip bar. Maintaining a comfortable grip on the handles, begin the motion with your chest pressed forward slightly and your eyes focused straight ahead of you. Your arms should be locked in 90-degree angles and your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Lift your torso upwards, straightening out your arms so that your elbows are nearly locked. Allow yourself to drop back down to the starting position and repeat the process. Try doing 20 repetitions of your own weight for 3 sets. If this is not difficult enough, you can always hook weights around your waist with a belt.

DUMBBELL KICKBACKS: Find a flat bench and a dumbbell of tolerable weight. Placing one knee on the bench for balance, along with its corresponding hand further up on the bench. Take the dumbbell into the opposite hand. You should be bent at the waist so that your torso is parallel with the floor. Without moving your upper arm, kick your lower arm straight back, extending it until it’s parallel with the floor. Squeeze the triceps out and then return to the starting position. Repeat this motion for 10-12 repetitions on each arm. Do 3 sets on each side.

PRESSDOWNS: Attach a handle to the top cable. Take a grip on the handle so that your thumbs are about four inches apart from each other. Lock your arms into your sides and bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle so that your lower arms are parallel with the floor. Slowly push the handle down toward your upper-legs, squeezing your triceps as your arms straighten out. Slowly let the weight pull your forearms back up to the starting position and repeat the movement. Try 12 reps over 3 sets.

A wise way to work triceps into your workout regimen is to couple them with either chest or shoulder workouts, considering you work tris in a number of these exercises. You do not want to subject your triceps to over-training.