Bench Dips
Description
As mentioned in our triceps training article, the triceps are at their greatest strength potential when they are positioned below shoulder level. Since tricep bench dips are performed with the triceps being at their strongest angle, this is a great exercise to build strength and size. Especially considering the amount of weight that can be added to the movement.
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Execution
- Stand between two flat benches. Place your palms on the inside edge of one and your heels on the other. Your arms should be at shoulder-width and your elbows should be facing behind you throughout the movement.
- If needed, have your spotter rest a barbell on top of your thighs. The added resistance will increase the difficulty.
- Inhale and lower down slowly by bending at the elbow until arms reach a 45-65degree angle. Allowing the arms to bend to 90 degrees will place unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint.
- Exhale and extend arms back up to starting position.
- Repeat until desired number of repetitions are completed.
Placing your feet at a higher elevation than your arms may help to increase the blood flow to the triceps.
A good way to drop set this exercise is to have your spotter place a few barbells on your thighs and have him/her gradually remove then one by one as you reach failure.
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Tricep Press
Description
The close grip press is considered to be one of the best ways to add lean mass to your triceps because if they’re done with enough weight, they recruit all 3 heads of the triceps. The close grip press is also an excellent movement to perform immediately after reaching failure on a set of lying triceps extensions with an easy-curl bar. Super-setting the two movements would be classed as the pre-exhaustion method and is effective in bringing the muscle to complete failure.
Video
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Execution
- Lie with your back flat atop the bench and grasp the barbell using an open hand grip. Your hands should be positioned between 6-12 inches apart - whatever is most comfortable.
- Lift the barbell of the rack and hold it with your arms extended. This is the starting position for the exercise.
- Inhale and at a controlled speed, lower the barbell down to a position approximately 4-6 inches from the lower chest. The elbows should be right alongside of the rib cage.
- Exhale and drive the barbell back up to starting position by extending your arms. Keep your elbows facing downwards (towards legs) throughout the movement.
- Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.
Variations
Performing the close grip press using an underhand grip is also a great way to target the triceps.
Triceps Roll Out
Description
Once your triceps are fatigued and your workout is coming to an end, that’s when you perform this movement. This exercise is a great way to train the triceps with minimal equipment, which makes this perfect for home based training programs. Unlike a lot of other movements for the triceps, this particular exercise requires a great deal of stabilization to properly execute. In order to stabilize, additional muscles are recruited - particularly throughout the core region. On the downside, the stabilization requirements make performing this exercise somewhat difficult for beginner trainees to execute.
Execution
- From a kneeling position, place your palms atop an exercise ball. Your arms should be extended and your knees are to be positioned behind your hips.
- Tighten up your abdominal region to protect your lower back.
- Inhale and at a controlled speed, flex arms and gradually move your forearms onto the ball. The ball will be rolling away from you as the movement progresses.
- Exhale and fully extend arms.
- Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.
Variations
Moving into a position that has your knees off the floor will increase the difficulty and make stabilizing the movement more difficult.
To further increase the level of difficulty, place your legs atop a bench.
Standing Dumbbell Curls
Description
Standing dumbbell curls are so effective because the dumbbells allow for great mobility. The key when performing standing dumbbell curls is to turn your palm from a neutral to supinated position (gradually turn palms up) as you’re flexing your arm. The bicep muscle is involved in supination so turning the palms up as you flex your arm is the most effective method to achieve an optimal contraction. When working with individual dumbbells instead of a single barbell, you have the freedom to train one arm at a time. A great time to do this (perform reps with 1 arm at a time) is once you’ve fatigued while performing simultaneous repetitions. Performing alternating arm curls post-failure allows you to take the muscle fibers to a further extent of exhaustion.
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Execution
- Grasp appropriately weighted dumbbells using a closed grip. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and slightly bend the knees. While standing upright, roll shoulders back and slightly spread the chest. Hands and dumbbells should be in neutral position.
- Exhale, flex at the elbows and gradually supinate hands at around the mid-point of the motion (wrist should begin rotating into a position with palm facing upwards when arm reaches a 90 degree angle).
- Continue motion until hands are fully supinated and approximately 6-8inches from shoulders. Briefly hold the position and flex the biceps.
- Inhale and lower the weights back down using a reverse motion that has you shifting hand position back into neutral at a 90 degree angle.
- Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.
Variations
Performing standing dumbbell curls using the rope attachment and a pulley system is yet another way to perform the exercise. The same principals apply, especially turning the palms upwards during the midpoint of the contraction.
Once fatigue sets in and you are unable to perform anymore duel repetitions, you can perform reps with one arm at a time. This will allow for a longer rest period between repetitions. This technique is a good way to further exhaust the biceps.