Top 7 Exercise To Tone Those Triceps

Having nice arms is something many of us strive for. Some people like it bulky and muscular, while others like it to look long with a toned muscle appearance. To help achieve this look we have to first think about what the main point of your triceps is and its job.

I've already written an article on 7 different ways to work your biceps, so of course now I had to include the Triceps. Just so happens I like 7 of them. Without further ado: 7 ways to work your Triceps.

The triceps basic function is to help extend and straighten your arm. As the name implies there is of course three muscles that make up the triceps muscle which are located behind the biceps at the back of your arm.

Dips – I like Dips but I find a lot of people hate them. For many people I train they tell me they feel pressure in their wrists or in their shoulders while performing this exercise. It is a great workout but care is needed like any exercise, but some people think just because it looks like an easy body movement it shouldn't be a problem. This is why dips are also not the best for people with more weight on them and have less flexibility.. Due to this, I’ve voted it as number seven in this list. Even though it might of been voted number 7, don't just throw this exercise away and discard it. Give it some care and slowly try it out and I think it may just become one of your favourites.

Kickbacks – See people all the time doing kickbacks. This is when you lean over and bring the weights back by extending and straightening out the arm behind you. The reason I don’t particularly like this one is, it’s very easy to cheat and use your body to assist and the range of motion limits the intensity of the workout.

Cable or Rope Pull downs – I love this exercise and enjoy how it feels. I find it best used to super-set or work the Triceps to fatigue after some of the other exercises. A good example is have already done 3 sets of some other exercises. The key with this exercise is to keep your elbows in and only use your triceps and not assist with your shoulders. Look down and make sure you feet are even spaced and you are not too far from the machine before you begin.

Overhead Cable extension - This method is good. However I give it a reduced score because it is after all still a machine. If you really want to work it this way, try instead of standing and pulling the cable over head. Try kneeling and keeping a straight back and pulling with just your tri’s this gets a little more core utilization.

Overhead Dumbbell Extension – This is my favorite and honestly one that I probably perform too often. I like the range of motion and enjoy how I look when doing the exercise with a nice size dumbbell. Perform this exercise with either one hand behind the neck and extend to lift the arm. Or you can go much heavier and use two hands and lift from behind you and up. Watch your elbows and angle while performing this exercise

Close Grip Bench Press - A nice classic gym workout you get from this. Start slow and work your way up though. It is amazing how hard this was the first time I did performed it but with time you will notice a rapid change. I quickly got use to the burn and muscle fatigue and it was not long until I was really enjoying it. It was also an added bonus all the other muscles that get a work out and the stabilization that is required really helps to tone.

Dumbbell or barbell skull crushers - This workout is amazing and really fires up the triceps muscles. Make sure you keep your arms elevated and don’t let the weight fall on your face. This is one exercise I love, but really prefer if there is either a spotter or safety rail.

Remember too that triceps get utilized the closer your hands come together such as in the triceps bench press or pushups. Just something to keep in mind if when working out and you’re wondering if you’re performing the exercise right. If your looking for me exercises and tips be sure to check out the other articles written below.