Mar

5

Build Big, Muscular Triceps To Increase Your Pushing, Pressing And Punching Power

March 5, 2008 |

Big biceps are without a doubt the dominant symbol of physically powerful arms. However, massive triceps are what will give your upper arms that thick, muscular and “traffic-stopping” profile.

The triceps function physiologically to extend your lower arm. While biceps contraction pulls the forearm toward the upper arm, triceps contraction extends your forearm and returns it to its original position.

The triceps consist of three muscles known as the long head, medial head and the lateral head. The long head covers the entire length of the posterior surface of the humerus. This muscle not only extends the lower arm, but it also adducts or pulls the arm toward the center of the torso. The medial head is located on the upper inside portion of the posterior surface of the humerus. The medial head is a strong forearm extensor and, when fully developed, gives the triceps a thick, dense look that just oozes power. The lateral head lies on the upper outside portion of the posterior surface of the humerus and is also a strong forearm extensor. This muscle forms the outer section of the “horseshoe” that’s visible when someone flexes a well-developed set of medial and lateral triceps heads.

Big, muscular triceps can provide tremendous power in all pressing, pushing or punching movements essential to many strength related activities. For example, bodybuilders and powerlifters need strong triceps for maximum assistance in the military and bench press movements. Olympic-style weightlifters need explosive triceps power in the clean and jerk. Powerful triceps can also enhance the knockout power of boxers and martial artists. Offensive linemen in football need strong triceps to fend off on-rushing defenders, and when a running back gives a would-be tackler the “stiff-arm” it’s the triceps that deliver the boom!

I discovered the value of triceps training quite by accident. After suffering a serious muscle tear while playing high school football, I took an extended layoff from weight training. During my sophomore year in college, I started training again, but I didn’t want to go back to the program that my doctor had told me contributed to my injury. Since that program consisted entirely of Olympic and power lifting movements, I decided to begin my “comeback” by trying some bodybuilding techniques. Since my arms were my favorite body part, I started by doing moderately heavy Skull Crushers and alternating dumbbell extensions for my triceps. I eventually developed a repertoire of over 100 different workouts.

Although I initially continued to layoff of the Olympic and power lifting exercises, when I incorporated these movements back into my training I found that my triceps work had produced amazing results. Not only did my bench press and clean and jerk totals increase, but my triceps began to grow and exhibit muscularity that I’d never thought possible. Eventually I found that I could continue to increase my bench and military press maximums with minimal work on these specific lifts as long as I continued to build power in my triceps.

How to Build Big, Muscular Triceps

Triceps growth results from hypertrophic enlargement of muscle fibers as a result of increased work. When it comes to building big, muscular triceps, this increased work should consist primarily of various triceps extension movements using strict form and progressively heavier weight. As you lift more weight you’ll force your triceps to exert more energy and physical power. This progressive overloading or “pyramiding” will cause the breakdown and re-manufacture of proteins and other substances essential to triceps growth.

Bodybuilding research indicates that progressive resistance workouts with 70-80 percent of your “one-rep” maximum are best for building muscle mass. For example, if your maximum weight for one repetition of EZ bar triceps extensions is 100 pounds, you should initially complete your work sets with weight ranging from 70 to 80 pounds. Again, these weight amounts are given only as an example, and you’ll initially need to experiment with different workout loads to discover how much weight you should lift based on your physical ability and training experience.

Below you’ll find a few exercises that can help you build a pair of rock-hard and chiseled triceps. Note that these exercises progress from beginner to intermediate and advanced workout levels. In my general experience, you’re a beginner if you’ve been training your triceps seriously for less than 6 months; you’re intermediate if you’ve been training seriously for 6-months to 1 year; and you’re advanced if you’ve been building your triceps for 1 year or more. In deciding which of these exercises to use, choose appropriately on the basis of your triceps workout experience.

EZ Bar Triceps Extensions

As a beginning exercise, EZ bar triceps extensions are the best power and mass-building exercise ever developed for the triceps. However, you would be amazed at the number of people who perform this movement incorrectly and lose the many benefits that this exercise has to offer. EZ bar triceps extensions require that you keep your upper arms in a position perpendicular to the exercise bench throughout each repetition. If this position causes elbow pain or discomfort, you should adjust your arms slightly forward to reduce elbow stress. You must lower and extend the weight in a smooth, continuous motion without jerking or swinging the bar with your back or shoulders. You should place your hands in the narrow-grip position on the EZ bar which, when combined with proper arm position, ensures that each triceps head receives maximum resistance throughout the exercise motion.

Two-Armed Dumbbell Triceps Extensions

As an intermediate level exercise, you should not try two-armed dumbbell triceps extensions until you have mastered your extensions with the EZ bar. Two-armed dumbbell extensions force the triceps to work independently and, therefore, with greater isolation on each triceps muscle area. This exercise builds superior power, shape and density in the triceps. As with EZ bar extensions, you must keep your upper arms as straight as possible, and you must lower and extend the dumbbells in a smooth and continuous motion. Your hands should be in a neutral position which can effect tremendous development in the medial head of your triceps.

Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Extensions

This exercise is an advanced isolation movement for the triceps. You should not attempt this exercise until you have mastered the two-armed dumbbell triceps extensions discussed in the previous section. Alternating dumbbell triceps extensions are hard work, but the results are worth it! The technical movement is the same as with your two-armed dumbbell extensions, except that you must now lower and extend only one arm at a time. This exercise places maximum resistance on the medial head of each triceps and requires tremendous mental concentration, particularly when performed in a pyramid cycle with 70-80 percent of maximum weight.

Try these exercises and you’ll get great results from your triceps training. You’ll love the pump and that feeling of awesome power that comes from a series of EZ bar or dumbbell triceps extensions, and as your sleeves begin to tighten around your upper arms you’ll know that your workouts are packing big, muscular inches onto your triceps. You’ll look and feel great, and your big, muscular triceps will boost your pushing, pressing or punching power in your sports or fitness activities.

Mark G. Winston, “The Master Gunslinger,” is author of the ground-breaking training manual, “GO For Your GUNS – 7 Simple Secrets to AWESOME ARMS.” He has also created GOforyourGUNS.com, a bodybuilding and fitness website dedicated entirely to helping you build big, muscular arms. The book will be available in September 2007 and jammed with workouts and training techniques to help you build the big, muscular arms that you deserve! To learn about the GO For Your GUNS bodybuilding system and get free arm training tips that really work, visit http://www.GOforyourGUNS.com

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