The 5 Best Triceps Exercises to Tone Your Arms
If you want to tone your arms and make them appear leaner and more shapely, then you need to target the triceps. The triceps is made up of three muscles that are located at the back of your arm. It’s these muscles that most people refer to when they talk about “the guns” or their upper arm muscles. Working this muscle group will help show them off so don’t be shy when it comes to triceps exercises!
The triceps plays a key role in many other movements too – it helps with keeping your arms straight as you reach for something, as well as extending your elbows and lifting your arms above your head.
That’s why so many different activities that involve bending
or stretching the arms also train the triceps: climbing, rowing, lifting
weights, and even playing racquetball or golf all work these muscles.
The Best Triceps Exercises for Toned Arms
Before you start any exercise program, it’s important to make sure you have the right equipment and understand the basics of how to do the exercises properly. For example, when doing triceps push-ups, you want to make sure your hands are positioned a little wider than shoulder-width apart so that you are putting the right amount of stress on the triceps.
You should feel the exercise in your triceps, not your shoulders or chest. If you feel it in your chest, you are using the wrong muscles. The same goes for most other triceps exercises.
When you perform a triceps extension, you want to make sure that the motion of your arm stays close to your upper leg – your arm shouldn’t move out towards your feet.
Another important thing to
remember is that, with any triceps exercise, you don’t want to lock your arms
in place at the top of the exercise. You want to make sure that you keep your
elbows slightly bent and finish each rep with your arms bent.
Triceps Push-ups
If you’re looking for an exercise that works both your arms and core, try triceps push-ups.
How to do it: To do a triceps push-up, start by getting into push-up position, with your feet together and your hands on the ground a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your core and glutes tight, lower yourself towards the ground by bending your elbows and bringing your chest towards the ground. Push back up using your arms and bring your body back to the starting position. That’s one rep.
Muscles worked: This exercise targets the triceps, along with the chest, shoulders, and core.
How many sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 reps is a good amount
for this exercise. When to do this exercise: You can do this exercise as part
of your warm-up or as a standalone triceps exercise.
Triceps Dips
Dips are a classic exercise and a great way to build strong and shapely triceps.
How to do Triceps Dips
You can do this exercise using either parallel bars or a sturdy chair.
How to do it: Sitting on the edge of a sturdy chair or a bench that’s between knee and hip height, lower yourself towards the ground by bending your arms and letting your body go between your arms. Then push yourself back up. That’s one rep.
Muscles worked: This exercise primarily works the triceps, but it also targets your chest and shoulders.
How many sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 reps is a good amount for this exercise.
When to do this
exercise: You can do this exercise as part of your warm-up or as a standalone
triceps exercise.
Bench Press with Tricep Extension
This two-for-one exercise is a great way to work your triceps and upper body strength as a whole.
How to do it: Lie on your back with a barbell on the bench above your head. Lower the bar towards your forehead by bending your elbows and then press it back up. At the same time, extend your arms straight out in front of you and squeeze your triceps. That’s one rep.
Muscles worked: This exercise primarily works the triceps, but it also
targets your chest and shoulders. How many sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 reps is
a good amount for this exercise. When to do this exercise: You can do this
exercise as part of your warm-up or as a standalone triceps exercise.
Jumping Triceps Press-ups
If you’re looking for an easy way to build strength in your triceps, try this jumping triceps press-up variation.
How to do it: Keeping your core tight and glutes squeezed, lower yourself towards the ground by bending your arms and bringing your chest towards the ground. Push back up as quickly as you can, then jump in the air as high as you can and bring your feet back to the ground. That’s one rep.
Muscles worked: This exercise primarily works the triceps, but it also targets your chest and shoulders. How many sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 reps is a good amount for this exercise.
When to do this exercise: You can do this exercise as part of your warm-up or
as a standalone triceps exercise.
Triceps Extensions with a Weight
This is a great exercise to do at the end of your workout when your triceps are already a little bit fatigued.
How to do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart while holding a weight above your head with both hands. Keeping your core tight, bend your elbows and lower the weight behind your head until it’s at ear-level. Then extend your arms straight out in front of you until they are straight above your head again. That’s one rep.
Muscles worked: This exercise primarily works the triceps, but it also targets your chest and shoulders. How many sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 reps is a good amount for this exercise.
When to do this exercise: You can do this exercise as
part of your warm-up or as a standalone triceps exercise.
Conclusion
There’s nothing more frustrating than putting hours of work into strength training and seeing no results. Most of us have no problem dedicating time to exercise—at least in theory. But when you don’t see results, it’s easy to lose motivation and start looking for ways to shortcut the process. The truth is, there is no shortcut when it comes to building muscle.
You have to put in the time, and you have to be patient. The
good news is, you don’t have to be frustrated and disappointed. By taking the
time to choose the right exercises and follow a smart workout plan that targets
all of your muscle groups, you’re far less likely to become disappointed.