Exercise of Triceps: Health Benefits, Variation, How to do?

Exercise of triceps is an important exercise to make your arm more powerful to perform all your daily activity such as pushing activity more easily and also have many health benefits. If you add this exercise in your exercise routine, it will improve your overall fitness level and stamina.

The triceps muscle is the only muscle in the back side of the upper arm. The triceps brachii muscle or more commonly known as triceps is a large, strong, fleshy muscle that kind of has a horseshoe experience when flaunted.

Regular exercise of triceps muscles have many health benefits and it is easy to perform at Home or you can do at the gym. You can use dumbbells, resistance bend or body weight to strengthen your triceps muscle. If you are doing exercise of triceps at regular intervals you also require regular stretching exercise of triceps, that helps to maintain flexibility of your upper arm and reduce the risk of injury.

Strong arms are important for almost every upper limb movement you do each day and your triceps are often the heavy lifters. Anytime you push something—whether it be a door, or a barbell, a stroller, a lawnmower, you are using your triceps.

Health Benefits of Triceps exercise:

If you doing exercise of Triceps regular there are many health benefits such as:

• Improving triceps strength brings stability to your arms shoulders, increases flexibility, and increases range of motion.
• This will prevent injury and makes it easier for you to use your upper limb in daily activities, such as pushing heavy objects or upper body sports like boxing, swimming, and rowing.
• The biceps and triceps are crucial muscles for pulling and pushing function.
• The biceps is thought to be the stronger of the two, but the triceps is larger muscle. The two muscles need each other to function properly.
• Tricep stretches can increase the blood flow in your arm and reduce soreness.
• By regular stretching of your tricep muscles before doing upper body exercises, you can help to reduce the chance of a rotator cuff injury.
• Triceps stretch exercise can prevent the tightness of muscles and loose connective tissues.

Types of Triceps exercise:

Exercise of triceps muscle mainly divided into 2 types:

• Triceps Strengthening exercise
• Triceps stretching exercise

Triceps Strengthening exercise:

Overhead Triceps Extension

If you want to isolate your triceps, this one-joint exercise is the way to do it. You want these repetitions to be slow and in a controlled movement to get the most benefits and avoid fatigue.

How to do overhead triceps extensions?

Grab a dumbbell in both hands and stand with your hip-foot width apart.
Extend your both arms fully overhead. your arms should be close to your head, slowly flex your elbows, and lower the dumbbells back to your head until your arms are lower than ninety degrees.
Your elbows should be pointing forward and not moving out to the side.
Do this movement for 15 to 20 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

Triceps Kickbacks

This exercise mainly targets your triceps’ long head, which is the big muscle that runs along the posterior to your upper arms.

How to do triceps kickbacks?

For this exercise, you have to Stand with hip-feet hip-width apart with your knees slightly flexed and your hips hinging forward.
Grab a dumbbell in both hands at the sides by your chest so your elbows are flexed up to 90 degrees.
Squeeze your triceps, extend your arms behind you with your palms facing in.
Your arms should be fully extended in a straight line parallel to your trunk.
Do this movement for 15 to 20 repetitions for 2 to 4 sets.

Triceps Underhand Kickbacks

By changing the grip of the traditional triceps kickback, you will target the medial portion of the triceps. this part of the muscle provides stability.

How to do triceps underhand kickbacks?

For this exercise, you have to Stand with hip-feet hip-width apart with your knees slightly flexed and your hips hinging forward.
Grab a dumbbell in both hands palm should be facing in both hands at the sides by your chest so your elbows are flexed up to 90 degrees.
You make a supinated grip. Engage your triceps, extend your arms behind you with your arms fully extended in a straight line parallel to the trunk.
Do this movement for 20 to 25 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

Standing Eccentric Triceps Extensions

This exercise may look simple, but it can more utilize your triceps quickly if you move at a faster pace and use more weight, so choose dumbbells mostly.

How to do standing eccentric triceps extensions?

For this exercise, you have to Stand with hip-feet hip-width apart with your knees slightly flexed and your hips hinging forward.
Grab a dumbbell in both hands at the sides by your chest so your elbows are flexed up to 90 degrees and then extend the elbows back out.
Do this movement for 20 to 30 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

Skull Crushers

This is also called a French press. this exercise emphasizes on entire triceps muscle group through the concentric phase of the movement.

How to do skull crushers?

For this exercise, you have to Lie flat on your back on the mat with your knees flexed.
Grab a dumbbell in both hands by your chest and extend your straight arms up towards the ceiling.
Slowly lower both arms toward your head down by your sides, flex your elbows up to 90 degrees.
Do this movement for 15 to 25 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

Close-Grip Dumbbell Press

This exercise is similar to chest press, the closed grip focuses on the triceps instead of the chest.

How to do a close-grip dumbbell press?

For this exercise, you have to Lie flat on your back on the mat with your knees flexed.
Grab a dumbbell in both hands by your chest and extend your straight arms up towards the ceiling, press them back to lockout at the top moves.
Continue press together when you lower back down with control. This is the first repetition.
Do this movement for 15 to 20 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

Tate Press exercise

The Tate press is mostly performed on a bench at an incline, but you can still get the benefits of this exercise at home, by using a mat. This advanced movement isolates the triceps without recruiting your back or shoulders.

How to do a Tate press?

For this exercise, you have to Lie flat on your back on the mat with your knees flexed.
Grab a dumbbell in both hands with palm facing forward and extend them shoulder-width apart with the elbows pointing outward.
Without moving your arms, slowly flex your elbows inside towards the chest so the dumbbells move in and down until they touch your upper chest—but don’t let them rest on your chest.
Then, engaging your triceps, press the dumbbells up to the initial position.
This is the first repetition.
Do this movement for 10 to 20 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

Diamond Push-Ups

In the basic push-up position if you change the position of hands then it will more emphasis on the triceps muscle. You are still doing a full-body workout, but you are utilizing your triceps to do the heavy lifting.

How to do diamond push-ups?

For this exercise, you have to take a high plank position with your shoulder directly below your wrist and body in a straight line.
Put your hands together under your shoulders with your index finger and thumb touch to make a diamond.
Slowly lower down your body to the mat your elbows widening out to the sides.
By using triceps muscles press your arms back up to straighten.
This is the first repetition.
Do this movement for 10 to 20 repetitions for 2 to 4 sets.

Chaturanga Push-Up

This is the classic pose to build upper-body and core muscle strength while increasing your flexibility and range of motion in your shoulders.

How to do Chaturanga push-ups?

For this exercise, you have to take a high plank position with your shoulder directly below your wrist and body in a straight line.
Slowly lower your body towards the ground while lifting your knee and thighs like you are doing a standard push-up.
Move your body forward to the top of your feet with your chest forward and arch your back.
Now roll your body back to a high plank position.
This is the first repetition.
Do this movement for 15 to 20 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

Up-Down Planks

How to do up-down planks?

For this exercise, you have to take a high plank position with your shoulder directly below your wrist and body in a straight line.
Bring your left arm down to a forearm plank position and then your right arm.
Then put your left hand on the mat and press back up to a high plank, followed by your right arm.
This is the first repetition.
Do this movement for 15 to 20 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

Chair Dips

Your deltoids, pectoralis, and lattisismus dorsi also get some action in this exercise, strengthening your upper body while also increasing your body’s range of motion. As you progress and get more strength, you can extend your legs out.

How to do chair dips?

For this exercise, you have to Sit on a chair and place your both hands on it with your fingers facing the front.
Straighten your legs out in front of you at hip distance apart with only your heels touching the ground.
Flexed the elbows and lower your body towards the ground until your elbows form a ninety-degree angle.
Then, press your body up, by using your triceps to extend your arms.
Do this movement for 15 to 20 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets.

Triceps stretching exercise:

Types of triceps muscle stretching

There are some common types of muscle stretching are:

• Overhead triceps stretch
• Triceps towel stretch
• Horizontal stretch
• Leaning stretch
• Triceps pull-down
• Standing bench triceps stretching

Overhead triceps stretch

You can do this stretch while sitting or standing. This is self-stretching of triceps muscles.
To do this stretch: Raise your shoulders upward towards your ears and then push them down and back.
Extend your left arm to the ceiling, then do elbow bending so your left palm touches on the center of your back.
Use your right hand to firmly push your elbow in toward the center and down.
30 seconds hold and 3-4 repetitions on each side.

Triceps towel stretch

This stretch is slightly deeper than the overhead triceps stretch. You can use a towel or strap or a bar. During the stretch, open your chest and use your core muscles.
To do this stretch: The starting position is the standing position. now hold a towel in your left hand.
Bring your right elbow downward along your side body and reach your right hand upward to hold the end of the towel, keeping the back of your right hand against your back.
Draw your hands in opposite directions.

Horizontal stretch

This stretch is increases flexibility. You can perform it while standing or sitting.
To do this stretch: Bring your left arm across your body.
Slightly bend your elbow.
Use your right hand to support the movement as you press your left arm into your chest and over to the right.
30 seconds hold that stretch and do it 3-4 times on each side.

Leaning stretch

How to do this stretch – To perform this stretch you need a chair, couch, or bench — basically, something stable. This object needs for leaning.
Take a Kneeling position as far as possible away from the chair so you can forward lean without resting your head on a chair and your body should be parallel to the ground.
Put your elbows on the chair, above your head. Bending elbows supports you, and does not strain your lower back.
Look at the ground, your head, neck, and back in a line. Assure your elbow only body part which can touch the chair.
Guide your forearms towards the neck and place palms on the back of your neck.
Press upper body toward the ground while exhaling.
Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, then reverse the motion and back to a kneeling position. Repeat.

Triceps pull-down

How to do this stretch: Stand straight and your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
Grab one end of the resistance band with your left hand.
Place your left hand just below your shoulder level, firmly hold the resistance band.
Grasp the opposing end of the resistance band with your right hand. Place this hand at a level of your hip.
Inhale and stick your left hand against your chest throughout the motion.
During this inhale draw the band down towards the ground with your right hand, until the right arm is completely straight.
Pull the band as much as you can without snapping back and hold the position.
Exhale and slowly return your right arm to hip level, relieving the tension created by the resistance band.
Repeat and switch the arm.

Standing bench triceps stretching exercise

How to do this stretch: Stand straight with your feet apart, your left leg should be straight and put behind your bent right leg.
Place your right elbow on the bench.
Breathe inhale as you incline towards the bench.
When inclining, apply some pressure to your right elbow and bent right leg.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Exhale as you drive away from the bench, correct your posture and return your right arm at its side.
Repeat this process on the other arm.
When you switch your arm, switch your legs too.

Common mistakes you need to avoid when performing tricep stretch

There are some common mistakes that you don’t make during stretch are:

• You’re not lowering enough – If you are not dipping lower to your body properly, your arms will not properly be contracted .so make sure to lower your body properly but don’t touch the ground.
• Keeping your elbows too far apart – Keep your elbows at a shoulder-width apart. Closer or wider than that can cause the injury.
• Pushing yourself up using your legs – This exercise targets your upper body, using your legs for that makes you delaying in your result.
• Too fast exercise – Don’t perform fast movement and give rest to muscles.
• Arm locking isn’t proper – Your arms are not locking properly making you less muscle stretching.
• Adding too much weight – Some people put weight on their legs while performing triceps dips. if you are a beginner then you take caution or not perform with weight.
• Repetitions aren’t enough – Performing 20 reps and 5 sets is the basic need. Anything less than this protocol will not give you any result.
• Not holding your position – When you are doing stretching, hold the position for a second or two.
• Not keeping your feet in a right position – You need to balance yourself during stretch so place your feet properly on the ground.
• Warm-up exercise necessary for triceps dips – Before you start triceps dips you need to do warm exercise of your arm.

When did you not do exercise of triceps?

• If Your physician advised you to take a rest.
• If your arm bone is injured or fractured.
• If you feel any pain or discomfort during this exercise then talk to your therapist.
• If you are recently undergone any surgery.
• If you feel tiredness or heaviness.
• Exercise must be pain-free.
• Avoid jerky movement- exercise
• Please do not do over-exercise. This may leads to muscle soreness.
• You can do combination of strength and stretch of triceps muscle exercise.
• Do variation at regular intervals to make your exercise interesting.

Exercise of Triceps Video:

Author: Nitesh Patel - Physiotherapist

Physiotherapist in Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic Ahmedabad Bapunagar Amaraiwadi Vastral Mobile Physiotherapy Clinic Dr. Nitesh Patel ( Physiotherapist ) : Mo No : 09898607803