Four Exercises To Tone and Tighten Your Triceps
Four Exercises To Tone and Tighten Your Triceps
One of the biggest problem areas for my female personal training clients is the back of their arms. Incorporating these four tricep exercises along with a strict diet will help shape your triceps and lead to leaner arms with more tricep definition.
1. Tricep Kickbacks
Prop your left knee and your left hand on a weight bench. Steady yourself and support your body as you position your body parallel to the bench. Hold a weight in the right hand, pulling the elbow up next to the ribcage. Contract triceps to straighten elbow, bringing weight up slightly above hip. Lower and repeat. Switch sides and do the same for the left tricep.
2. Tricep pushdowns
Stand in front of a cable apparatus. Take a medium grip on a rope or a bar handle and bring y0ur elbows down to the side of your body. While your arms are fully bent and keeping the elbows very close to the body, extend the arms down to a fully extended position. Let the arms bend back up to the starting position and repeat.
3. Seated Tricep Extensions
Sit on a weight bench and hold a dumbbell in both hands with arms extended overhead, elbows next to your ears, arms straight. Bend the elbows and slowly lower weight behind your head until elbows are bent to 90 degrees or slightly below–keep the elbows in and right next to ears. Contract the triceps to straighten elbows back to a full extension. Lower and repeat.
4. Lying tricep extensions
Lie on a bench and hold a barbell in a narrow grip (about shoulder-width apart). Begin with the bar straight up over the chest, palms facing out. Bend the elbows and lower the weight down towards the head, stopping when the elbows are at 90 degrees. Push the weight back up and return to starting position. This exercise can also be done using a pair of dumbbells, holding them vertically to your head when lowered.
For more information on building stronger triceps, nutrition, health and fitness, or if you’re frustrated with your current level of fitness and have been thinking about hiring a personal trainer, contact us.
