One of most over looked muscles in strength and weight training is the triceps muscle. This is the muscle that is responsible for the flapping underarm while you are waving goodbye to your friends. The lack of muscle tone in this area is a sure sign of aging and poor physical fitness.
Fortunately, there are some simple exercises that can be incorporated into your current weight or strength routine or just your cardio program. Triceps strength training will improve that flapping chicken look, increase your bone density in your upper extremities, improve your posture, and give you slimmer, toner upper arms ready to be bared in a sleeveless shirt or bathing suit.
Muscles get stronger when they are forced to operate beyond their customary intensity. In weight training speak this is referred to as ‘overload’. Unfortunately, we don’t often have the opportunity to use our triceps muscles, which is why they often become flabby. The triceps is responsible for returning the forearm to a straight position after the biceps has contracted to bend the elbow. It takes more effort and work to bend the elbow, than to straighten it. Again, another reason why triceps strength training is so important.
Muscles contract, or move, when an electrical charge from the central nervous system is initiated. The greater the amount of movement and electrical charge the greater the muscle is forced to move. Potentially this also will increase the amount of muscle strength gain.
The amount of weight you use for the triceps strength training will be based on the amount of weight that can be lifted at one time. With the triceps muscle, this amount will be significantly less than the biceps or most other muscle for that matter. Unless you are a body builder the greatest amount you should use is 8-10 pounds with a beginning weight of 2 pounds.
The intention is to first learn how to do the exercises without strain and then move up in repetitions and intensity. As with any other strength training routine, you should increase the amount of repetitions by one each week until you get to 15 and then decrease the repetitions to 10 and increase by one pound. Even using this routine, don’t go past 10 pounds and 15 repetitions of 2 sets.
There should be rests between your sets or you can move on to another set of another muscle and come back to finish the last set of the triceps strength training. Resting between sets gives your muscle recovery time to build more muscle and strength.
Strength training should never be done more than every other day. In other words, you can workout three times a week but with at least 48 hours between workouts and no more than 3 times a week.
There are several triceps strength training exercises that incorporate hand held weights or resistance bands. Other exercises incorporate the use of your own body weight.
- Hold your arm straight above your head holding a light-weight, bend the arm at the elbow and stabilize the elbow with the other hand. Now raise and lower the bent arm.
- Another exercise uses your own body weight. Turn your back to a step that is about 7-12 inches off the ground. Place your hands on the step with the fingers facing your body; raise and lower your body with your elbows in tightly. You can keep your legs close to the stairs to make the exercise easier and move them further out as you get stronger.
- In another triceps strength training move, stand straight with one leg slightly in front of the other. Bend slightly at the waist, elevate your elbow to above the level of your body. Using light-weights straighten your arm, hold for 3 seconds and bend the elbows again. Do 10 repetitions and then raise the arms and pulse for a count of 3. Repeat this 3 times.
- Using a barbell lay flat on your back with your arms extended above your head with the barbell. Bend your elbows and move the elbows back far enough that the bar will clear your head. Raise and lower the bar 10-15 times for 2 sets.
Triceps strength training will help remove those flapping arms and give you a well-toned, muscular appearance that will be the envy of your friends and family
Resources:
BodyBuilding: Tricep Exercises
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/finder/lookup/filter/muscle/id/10/muscle/triceps
Muscels and Strength: Featured Triceps Workouts
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/tricep-workouts.html
Prevention: Want Toned Triceps
http://www.prevention.com/fitness/strength-training/3-moves-toned-triceps
Prevent Disease: Triceps
http://preventdisease.com/fitness/Strength_Exercises_triceps.shtml
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