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What are Some Tricep Exercises?

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

If you're hoping to have strong, toned arms, you can't neglect your triceps. The triceps are the muscles in the back of your upper arms. Tricep exercises can get rid of flab and increase your strength and flexibility.

Some tricep exercises involve the use of hand weights. To perform them, put a hand weight, preferably a low-to-medium weight, in each hand and bend over at your waist until your torso is parallel with the floor; bend just a little at the knees to get yourself into position. Use your arms to pull the weights up and bend your elbows completely, keeping them level with your torso and holding the weights up, so that they are just a little in front of your upper torso. From this position, extend your arms out all the way behind you. As you do this, contract your triceps, and then move your arms back to the beginning position before repeating these tricep exercises about 10 more times.

Kickbacks, while using dumbbells, are one method to tone the tricep muscles.
Kickbacks, while using dumbbells, are one method to tone the tricep muscles.

You can also perform tricep exercises while kneeling on your couch. Stand facing your couch, and lean forward, putting one knee on the couch and keeping the other leg on the floor, with your foot firmly planted on the ground. Hold onto the back of the couch with one hand and lean your torso forward at about a 45-degree angle. Hold a light-to-medium hand weight in the hand that is not holding onto the couch, and bend your arm up as if you're holding a glass of liquid in your hand. Now reach back and extend the arm with the weight out behind you; finally, bring your arm back up to the starting position and repeat these tricep exercises about 10 times.

Triceps are located in the back of the upper arms.
Triceps are located in the back of the upper arms.

If you like to exercise while lying on the floor, you can do tricep exercises this way as well. To start, lie on your side on the floor, bending your knees and making sure that your top hip is lined up symmetrically on top of the other. Now take the arm that is on the bottom of your body and wrap it around your waist, placing the opposite hand in front of you with its fingers pointing up towards your head. Tighten the triceps in the arm that is not wrapped around your body, and use it to push your body off the floor; you should straighten your arm, but not so much that you lock your elbow. Lower yourself back down just a couple of inches, and then continue to push yourself up and down to do these tricep exercises; do about eight to 10 of these before you turn around and switch sides.

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a WiseGEEK writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a WiseGEEK writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...

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    • Kickbacks, while using dumbbells, are one method to tone the tricep muscles.
      By: Tijana
      Kickbacks, while using dumbbells, are one method to tone the tricep muscles.
    • Triceps are located in the back of the upper arms.
      By: Visionsi
      Triceps are located in the back of the upper arms.
    • Push-ups can strengthen and tone the triceps, chest and shoulders.
      By: z3zo
      Push-ups can strengthen and tone the triceps, chest and shoulders.
    • Dips -- an exercise in which the arms are used to push up the body -- can strengthen and tone the triceps.
      By: Vyacheslav Zyryanov
      Dips -- an exercise in which the arms are used to push up the body -- can strengthen and tone the triceps.