If you don’t hit your triceps, no amount of curls will make your guns show.
Your triceps are as important as your biceps since their fibers are closely intertwined so if you want to flex those guns, you have to make sure you hit the muscles that help make it defined.
Why triceps are important
Physically, the triceps are dead muscles that only awaken once directly or secondarily targeted. It isn’t as functional as the big muscles used to do activities that involve the use of strength.
Aesthetically, however, triceps are what make or break your arm definition. You’ll even hear fitness experts say that your biceps are not growing because you neglect your triceps.
60 percent of your upper arm mass is made up of the triceps that’s why we bring to you the top tricep exercises every man should know.
Triceps Pushdown
This one is probably the most popular picture of a cable rope exercise. The triceps pushdown is important as it’s what creates the separation between the rear deltoid and the lateral head.
Keep in mind that form is crucial in this exercise. It’s better to start with low weights and high reps to practice activation on the lateral head.
Attach a rope handle to the high pulley station. Then, grab each side with and overhand grip.
Be sure to keep your arms bent and tucked with your hands shoulder-width apart. Proceed on pushing down the handle with activation both on the positive and negative on each repetition.
Triceps Dips
There are dips for chest and there are dips for triceps. Positioning is important for this one as a slight change in angle also changes the activation.
It is important to make sure you develop your shoulder strength in order to hold you for triceps dips. Start small with this just 1-2 sets of 8-10 reps and increase it as time goes by.
You’ll need parallel bars for this as you start between in an elevated position. Keep your torso firm as you lower your body until your shoulders go below your elbows and push back up.
Be sure to keep your elbows locked during the entire process.
Triceps Extension
Some call this the skull crushers but the muscles targeted and its end result is the same. There are two types of triceps extension: over-the-head and behind-the-head.
Grab the inner grip of the EZ bar and press it over your chest with an overhand grip. Then, extend your arms straight up wile making sure your elbows are firmly tucked.
Gradually lower the bar from above your skull all the way to your forehead in a lying position for about one to two inches. Repeat movement and make sure your elbows won’t lock.
Push-Ups
Push-ups are mainly for the chest but what most don’t see is that it does solid work on the triceps too. Usually if you do push ups straight until failure, it’s the triceps that give out first.
That’s why the Push-Ups makes the list. You can even add difficulty by wearing a weighted backpack or vest.
Just be sure to maintain proper form as you keep your hands beneath your shoulders with your elbows and core locked.
Close-Grip Bench Press
Even doing bench presses hits the triceps secondarily. The one that has more activation on the triceps is the close-grip bench press.
Simply grab the barbell with an overhand grip with your hands close to each other like you do with your pullover.
Then, slightly arch your back as you lift the barbell above your sternum. Keep your arms straight and your elbows firmly tucked 45-degrees on either side.
Lower the bar up to your chest and lift it upward. Be sure to put emphasis on the positive and negative activation.
Also, you might want to do this with lower weight since it is best to do it until failure.
One-Arm Overhead Extension
This tricep exercise is an isolation exercise which means you should take it easy to make sure you’re hitting the right muscle.
You’re probably doing this already without being aware if you are doing it right or not. Here’s how to do it…
You can sit on a workout bench to do this or do it while standing. Hold the dumbbell behind your head and slightly lift your arm while keeping your elbows bent.
You should feel the activation on your lateral and long head as you extend your elbows overhead.
It’s alright to start light with this. The key to getting the most out of this exercise is to focus on the activation.
Standing Overhead Cable Triceps Extension
Another popular triceps exercise that uses a cable machine are the standing overhead cable triceps extension.
Some want to include it as a superset to another triceps exercise, particularly the pushdown. It’s also a superset to other compound workouts.
First, you’ll need to attach the rope to the high pulley of the cable station again. Then, grab the handle but facing away the machine this time. Start at a 45 degree angle as you extend your arms forward away from your head.
You can do around 8-10 reps per set before you directly proceed to the next exercise as you do a superset.
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