5 Triceps Exercises for Greater Muscle Growth

Tricep muscles aren’t always noticed, but they are playing a part in almost everything you do. These are among the largest arm muscles and are located on the backside of the upper arms. It’s important to keep them strong and increase muscle growth. Here are five exercises to help.

Tricep Pushdown

The tricep can be isolated and strengthened by using tricep pushdown cables. To perform the pushdown, hold a cable pulley or a resistance band, back up so the band or cable is taut, and then push it downward by flexing your triceps. In this exercise, just the triceps are moving the weight, which leads to more activation of the muscle and greater muscle growth.

When doing this exercise, make sure to set the bands or cable at a high point. Keep the back flat, and hips angled slightly forward. When extending the arms, make sure to keep the elbows slightly in front of the shoulders.

Classic or Modified Pushup

One of the most common exercises is also very good for developing tricep muscles is modified pushups. Get on the floor on hands and knees, with wrists directly under shoulders and knees directly under hips. Now, lift the body off of the floor so that it is in a straight line from head to toe. Slowly bend elbows at 90 degrees until the chest is almost touching the floor (or as close as possible). Push back up to the starting position and repeat.

To make this exercise a bit easier, keep knees on the floor and make a straight line from the knees to the head. Repeat going up and down as directed above.

Skull Crusher

This exercise requires lowering a barbell, kettlebell, or cable pulley to the forehead to stretch the tricep muscle. This exercise is in a position that allows heavier weight to be used than in a pushdown, so it is a great move to strengthen the triceps.

To do this exercise, lie down on a bench with hands supporting a weight at the top of the bench pressing position. Bend the elbow joint and lower the weight towards the head. Continue until the weight almost touches the head. Return the weight to the top and repeat. When done correctly, it is felt in the tricep muscles and partially on the lats.

Narrow Chest Press

Lie face-up on the floor with feet flat on the floor and knees bent. While holding a dumbell in each hand, extend the arms above the chest with wrists above the shoulders and palms facing each other. Bring the weights together to touch, and then slowly lower them to the chest. Extend arms back to the start position and repeat.

Skull Crusher

This is another exercise that is done while lying on your back with your knees bent. With a dumbbell in each hand, lift arms above the chest. Without moving the elbows, bend the arms and lower the weights to the sides of the head. Reverse to the start position and repeat. Generally, people are stronger in this position compared to other tricep exercises, so the triceps will gain strength.

Because this muscle plays such an important role in our upper body, it is important to keep it strong. Several repetitions of these exercises each day will go a long way to improving the health of your upper body.