Tricep Extensions: Three Ways to Train the Triceps

Tricep extensions are one of the most effective ways to train the triceps, the antagonists for the biceps. Triceps are responsible for extending the forearm and act as auxiliary muscles for nearly every upper-body exercise that involves the arms. Thus, it is important to have strong triceps if you engage in sports or enjoy weight lifting as a means of exercise or competition. This article will explain how to perform the many different variations of tricep extensions.

"Tricep extensions" is a bit of a misnomer because the triceps are actually being flexed during the movement while the forearm is being extended. In any case, the purpose of this exercise is to isolate the triceps from other muscles during the movement. There are three major classes of tricep extensions. The first involves a barbell and upright posture, the second involves a barbell and a lying down posture, and the third involves dumbbells in an upright posture.

Barbell tricep extensions are one of the most effective variations of the exercise you can do. To start off, you need a barbell with no weight on it. Since your triceps might not be very strong to begin with, it is advisable that you start off with no weight on the barbell or a lighter rod instead of the barbell to practice. A broom handle works well so that you can get comfortable with the movement involved in the exercise. Stand where there is at least a foot between your fingertips and the ceiling if you reach your arms straight up. Now, grasp the barbell in an overhand (palms down) grip with your hands about a foot apart on the bar or broom handle. Next, extend your arms straight over your head so that the elbows lock out. Now, very slowly begin to lower the bar or broom handle behind your head so that you begin to feel a stretch in your triceps. It is imperative that you find a comfortable range to extend this motion with a low weight so that once you start to add heavier weights you don't strain your muscles. Using ONLY your triceps, push the bar upward so that your arms are straight again. Keep in mind that the only part of your arms that should be moving during this exercise are your forearms/wrists. To make a stricter movement during barbell tricep extensions, try sitting down on a bench instead of standing. Perform the same movement outlined above. By sitting down you will reduce the tendency to recruit other muscles to perform the tricep extensions once your triceps become fatigued.

The second class of tricep extensions involves using a barbell in a laying down position. To start, take your weightless barbell or broom handle and lay down on a flat bench that does not have a bench press rack attached to it. Make sure that the back of your head is making contact with the bench in order to reduce neck strain. Next, lower the bar behind your head in a similar motion to the upright tricep extentions. When you feel a comfortable limit of the range of motion, use your triceps to push the bar or broom handle back upwards. However, you don't want the bar to be straight in front of your face to end. You want your arms to be locked out straight, but still behind your head so that your triceps are still being forced to work. Again, the only part of the arm that should be moving during this variation of tricep extensions is the forearm/wrist.

The third class of tricep extensions involves the use of dumbbells with an upright posture. With dumbbells, it is best to sit down on a bench to avoid recruiting other muscles to help out. Start off with a dumbbell with no weight on it so you can get used to the movement before adding weight. Hold the dumbbell in an overhand grip and extend one arm over the head so that the dumbbell rod is parallel to the ground. Take your other hand and place it on your armpit of the arm that's holding the dumbbell for support. Now, slowly bend your elbow, allowing the dumbbell to move down behind your head. Once it's there, stop and hold for a second and then use the triceps to return the weight to the starting position. This is a very difficult movement to perform with a lot of weight, so don't get discouraged if you're only doing this kind of tricep extensions with a five or ten pound dumbbell. The big advantage of using dumbbells is that you are able to hit different parts of the triceps individually and shape your arms the way you see fit.

That's about it. A couple of important things to remember are to perform these movements slowly and through a full range of motion. Also, work up to higher weights gradually, especially on dumbbell tricep extensions. You could seriously injure yourself if you try to do too much weight before you're able to deal with it. Good luck and be safe!