Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Training the TRICEPS..

Like most women, I do NOT have gorgeous, sculpted triceps (well, unless I'm sweaty, in the right light, flexing, that is.) 


BUT!!! That doesn't mean I haven't made improvements in one of the TOUGHEST areas to hit. A few months ago, I decided I needed to work my triceps more often, and with more determination to get some substantial definition and get rid of some flab. With that said, I still do not love the appearance of my tri's, nor do I love the training so much, but I will say...it's worth it!! Today, I had to push through 40 minutes of cardio with VERY SORE hamstrings (maybe due to the , oh ..20 sets of deadlifts i did yesterday). Initially, I was going to do cardio for 75 minutes, and go home. Hell, after 35 minutes, I needed to jump off that machine before my legs fell off. So I pushed until 40 minutes, and decided to dedicate my ENTIRE strength time for my triceps.


When training your triceps, its SO important to do exercises that target different heads of the muscle group, and to make sure you actually FEEL the tri's working during the exercise. I train them 2x a week.


Tri cable circuit: 3 sets x 15 reps, lighter weight


Stiff arm pull downs using rope attachment. Focus on the tri's , rather than your lats, here.
Overhead triceps extension using rope
Unilateral triceps push down (no cable attachment, or use a ring)


Tri barbell circuit: 3 sets 15 reps, lighter weight


Skullcrushers w/30lb barbell
narrow grip chest press w/30lb barbell


Tri dumbbell circuit: 3 sets 15 reps


Unilateral overhead triceps extension (7.5/12.5lb dbell)
Triceps overhead extension laying on bench (30lb dbell)
**bonus lat raises for fun just because i'm obsessed with my shoulders**


Oh, and ... i trained with PRINCE today




Triceps tips:
Hit them from different angles


With overhead exercises, keep your shoulders and elbows in place, isolating the triceps muscles. Do NOT let your elbows flare out and put stress on your shoulders


If this is not your strongest muscle group, do not overload the triceps with super heavy weights yet! Focus on correct form and volume (higher reps, more sets) to really exhaust the muscles and "feel the burn"


If doing the infamous "triceps kickback" you should not look like a flailing idiot. Put your hand and knee on a bench, with your chest parallel to the floor, bring your opposite elbow up ABOVE your waist, THEN use the triceps muscle to raise the weight as the elbow straightens. Without good form, the triceps kickback is just a useless exercise that will have you looking like you belong in a thong leotard and neon spandex behind richard simmons in a vintage VHS tape.....no, actually. You'll look like the old woman in the nursing home trying to mimic the girl in the VHS tape.


Okay, if you couldn't guess, the ridiculous triceps kickback attempts i see in the gym are a pet peeve.


One more triceps tip:
Do dips off a bench, with your feet on another elevated surface. Don't let your chest sink, putting stress on the anterior (front) of the shoulder, but keep your chest high, core engaged, and really use the BACK OF YOUR ARMS to dip and raise. Don't let the elbows flare out!


Cheer's to firm triceps!


Happy lifting

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