The Top 3 Triceps Exercises


A weak and flabby upper back of the arm is a common complaint especially with my female clients and not so much from my male clients. Triceps exercises are always incorporated into my fitness routines but clients and class members always ask for extra exercises to do at home. The American Council on Exercise just finished a study on the top 10 most effective triceps exercises. The top 3 require minimum equipment and can be easily done at home.

1.  Diamond or Triangle pushups
2.  Dips
3.  Triceps Kickbacks

Let's go over the proper form for the three exercises and if you are trying to grow or build your arms, do 8 to 2 repetitions and to tone, do 15 to 20 repetitions. You can do all three or concentrate on one triceps exercise per workout session.  Do not exercise the same muscle group every day, wait 1 or 2 days between training sessions. For example, you might train your arms Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday and Thursday, it is up to you, how you design your workout program.



Diamond or Triangle pushups


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Beginner position
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Advanced position











Place your hands under your chest(breast) and form your hands into a triangle.  Your thumbs should be touching and your arms should be straight.  You can be on your knees for beginners or on your toes(advanced position).



Lower your body to the floor slowly until your arms are parallel to the floor and return to the starting position. Keep your abdominal muscle pressed to your spine so you won't sag at the stomach/hip region.


Triceps Kickbacks
The problem with the kickbacks, a lot of individuals swing their arm as they do the movement.  Your arm should stay parallel to the floor and start with a weight that is not too heavy to handle.  Lean over and raise your forearm parallel to the floor and place your opposite hand on your leg or bench. Exhale and slowly straighten your arm and keep your arm close to the side of your body.  Inhale and bring your arm back to the starting position.

Dips


Use a chair or bench. Place your hands on the chair with your fingers facing forward
towards your body. Exhale and slowly lower your body to the floor by bending your elbows.
Make sure your elbows do not point away from your body. Straighten your arms and return to the starting position.

Are any of these exercises in your workout
routine? If not, give them a try today.

Comments

  1. Thanks for linking up with Medical Mondays! This post was just for me and my growing bat wings. They seriously need some toning. I was shaking something the other day and saw my arm fat swing out much farther than it should!

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    1. My arms also have gotten a little flabby because I had to rehab my shoulder, so I haven't lifted weight in a while. Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. Hi! I'm checking your blog out as you are apart of the Medical Mondays and I just want to say that I love, and appreciate, that you provide info for basic exercises. I also like that you show the beginners form and the follow through steps. These are fairly simple exercises and I can do them while I'm at school for a million hours a day.

    Thanks for the post!

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    1. Yes, these are great exercises to do while in school. Thanks for the complement and stopping by.

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  3. I do triceps kickbacks as a regular part of my regular exercise routine, but I'll have to try to incorporate the diamond pushups. I don't know if I could do those right now!
    Great to see you on the Medical Monday grid! Thanks for linking up. :)

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    Replies
    1. I starting with doing them on the wall because of my shoulder and eventually I will be moving to the kitchen counter. You should start doing them on a counter, first.

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  4. Oh, my gosh, I need this so bad. My triceps are my biggest weak point. THANK YOU! Michelle Obama arms, here I come!

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    1. I'm glad you stopped by. I'm just going back to weight training after an injury, so we will be doing this together.

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  5. Great post :) I will be adding the triangle push ups to my routine !

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    1. If you can't do them on the floor, do them on the kitchen counter and when you get stronger, move to the floor.

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  6. i do these excercises all the time. and I could never figure out what was up with the kick backs..why I could do 40 and not feel it...I think I have been swinging my arm. thank you!!!!! I will see tomorrow it this makes a difference.

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    Replies
    1. Slow down your pace and see if it makes a difference. Also, you might have to increase the weight if you are able to do 40 reps without fatiguing.

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  7. I love what dips & kick backs do for triceps. I'll have to give diamond push ups a try!
    ~Kelly

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  8. I love doing diamond pushups...I got introduced to these a few years ago.

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