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Tricep Exercise Articles: This weeks feature tricep workout & tricep muscle building articles are located on the tricep articles page. We update our tricep workout articles often so check back for updates. Recommended reading
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Build Triceps 101 - Dips and Close Grip BenchesThis is the first article in our build triceps 101 series. The build triceps 101 series will go for 10 weeks - we will be adding 1 new article each week. The first weeks build triceps 101 article is on big 'n' heavy compound exercises. We're going to let you in on a little secret from the pros, you don't need to hit your triceps with 10 exercises a week! Read on... Would you believe me if I told you that many of the professional bodybuilders only hit their triceps with no more than 2-3 exercises in a session? Probably not, but it's true. Sure genetics play a big role in how easy it is for you to build triceps, but it'a not everything. Most beginners tend to use loads of isolation exercises exercise to build their triceps - spending a whole hour or so just hitting their triceps! This is wrong, the triceps are a small muscle group and tire very easily. This is what the pros know, and why they only hit their triceps with a few solid exercises and very heavy weights. Before I continue you need to know what a compound exercise is an what an isolation is. Basically, compound exercises move the body through more than one joint movement, while isolation exercises only move the body through a single-joint movement. The king of all compound exercises is the squat. The squat uses many major muscle groups and bends at you ankles, knees, waist and hips. An isolation exercises example would be a tricep push down (the only joint movement is the elbows). So what are the build tricep compound exercises? They are the tricep dip and close grip bench press. Both these tricep exercises move at both the shoulders and elbows. Why are these tricep exercises better for muscle building than isolation exercises? There's two reasons. First, these 2 tricep exercises allow you to shift really heavy weights that will tear your muscles up and promote maximum growth. Second, you recruit the maximum amount of muscle fibers available for the exercise. Compound exercises, due to the increased amount of muscle used for the movements, are better at sending your endocrine system a "distress call" to pump out more anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone. Alright, let's get serious and build triceps! If you're looking for tricep strength and mass you're going to want to load the weight up and drop the reps down. Stick to 5 sets on each exercise with reps in the 6-8 range. With the tricep dips you should be about to complete 5 sets of 8 with your bodyweight before you start adding weight on. You will find it easier to increase the weight if you add weight on the last sets instead of adding weight on the first sets and dropping it off for the last sets. For example, for the first 3 sets use your bodyweight and add 5lbs for the 4th set and 10lbs for the last. Next week, do 2 sets with your bodyweight and 1 set with 5lbs and 2 sets with 10lbs. That's the best way to add weight. I suggest if you really want to build triceps that you get a spotter to help you with the close grip benches. You won't get the full effect if you fail on the last few reps. If you can't get a spotter, use the smith machine - if you get stuck you can lock it out. This will give you more incentive to attempt those really heavy weights. Like the tricep dips, do 5 sets of 6-8 with really heavy weights. There shouldn't be that much difference between your bench press and clsoe grip bench. If there is, then your triceps are really a weak point of your bench and you'll find that you will increase your bench by building your triceps up more. OK, so get these tricep exercises into your workout to really build triceps! You can work your triceps either 1 or 2 days a week - it's up to you. We have found best results with 2 times per week, but it varies from peron to person. If you train your triceps with your chest, these 2 tricep exercises will be enough to exhaust your triceps. If you train your triceps on a different day to your chest you may want to add 1 tricep isolation exercise (if your triceps are feeling up to it!). If you do decide to add another tricep exercise make it lying tricep extensions (skullcrushers). So before you get back in the gym re-think your tricep workout. Get these big tricep building compound exercises into your weekly routine and you'll feel and see the difference!
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