One of the biggest requests I get as a Personal Trainer is to help women tone their arms, most people don't know where to start and what exercises target the triceps specifically.
I have built my career around helping women get lean and strong and developing strong sexy arms is an area I enjoy working on with clients.
Where Is Your Tricep Muscle?
The Tricep Muscle is found on the back of the upper arm, Originating on the back of the shoulder and inserting below the elbow, often referred to by many women as BINGO WINGS!
How Many Tricep Extensions Should You Do?
Depending on your current Body Composition (% Of Body Fat) depends on how many exercises or how often you should train them. For people who have quite a lot of Body Fat to lose it is more important to focus on Cardio and compound exercises to burn the Body Fat.
For those with lower Body Fat and looking to really see definition in the arms you could do a full session a week on arms to really make a difference, this would be a split of triceps & biceps (the front of the arms) or triceps & shoulders I would pick 4 exercises and do approximately 4 sets of 8-12 reps as a starting point.
Exercise 1 - Tricep Box Press Up
This is a great starting point and great for beginners.
Hands start directly under the shoulders, as the chin moves forward and down, keeping the elbows tucked in they move backwards staying shoulder width apart. Then push yourself back up to the top.
Exercise 2 - Tricep Extension With Bar
This is a great cable exercise, holding onto the bar hands inside shoulder width, tilt the hips back and tuck the elbows in to your sides. Start with the bar at 90 degrees then lower it down to straight, keeping the elbows tucked in.
Exercise 3 - Tricep Extension With Rope
This is a great cable exercise, holding onto the rope hands shoulder width, tilt the hips back and tuck the elbows in to your sides. Start with the rope at 90 degrees then lower down to straight, keeping the elbows tucked in. The rope is great because unlike the bar you can bring the arms right down to your sides working deeper into the triceps
Exercise 4 - Tricep Overhead Extension Bar
This exercise is a little more technical and requires good flexibility. Take hold of the bar inside shoulder width then rotate around to face away from the cable put your weight in the front foot, abs braced and elbows tucked in. Then lower the arms behind the head to 90 degrees and then extend up towards the ceiling, make sure your tipping forward over your lead leg.
Exercise 5 - Tricep Overhead Extension With Rope
This exercise is a little more technical and requires good flexibility. Take hold of the rope shoulder width then rotate around to face away from the cable weight in the front foot, abs braced and elbows tucked in. Then lower the arms behind the head to 90 degrees and then extend up towards the ceiling, make sure your tipping forward over your lead leg. The rope allows you to fully extend the arms up and out to work deeper into the triceps
Exercise 6 - Tricep Press Up
This is the next level up from exercise number 1, its a tricep push up on your knees, once you have mastered exercise 1 you can try this. move the knees back so your in a half plank position, then while the chin moves forward and down the elbows bend back and tuck into the body to lower you keeping the hips off the floor.
Exercise 7 - Tricep Press Up On Ball
This exercise will blast your triceps and work your core at the same time.
As you balance on the ball you have to stabilise using your core and then as the chin moves forward and down the elbows move back and tuck in to lower you. You then push yourself back up trying not to let the ball wobble.
The further over the ball you are the harder the exercise.
Exercise 8 - Tricep Press Up On Toes
This exercise is quite advanced as your lifting your own body weight.
Start in a plank on your hands and toes, hands under your shoulders, as the chin lowers forward and down the elbows move back & tuck in to overload the backs of your a arms.
The push yourself back up to the top.
Exercise 9 - Tricep Pushdowns On Assisted Chin Dip Machine
Using the chin & dip machine you can hold onto the support plate.
Push the body back by shifting your hips away from the pad, hold or rest your hands on the pad keeping them shoulder width apart.
Lean over the pad so your chin is in front of your arms,then push pad down and control it up.
SUMMARY
These are just a few of the many exercises you can do to change the shape of your arms.
If you are unsure where to start or in need of some help or advice feel free to visit my website www.bethehealthiestyou.co.uk and discover loads of ways you can work with me to achieve your goals.
You can also find me on Facebook Katie Green or Instagram on katie_greenpt1980