Triceps push-ups: types, technique

Today we’ll talk about push-ups for triceps - from all the exercise options, we’ll choose those that provide a targeted load on the triceps muscle of the arms.

This information will be of particular interest to athletes who train in the gym to increase muscle mass. The triceps takes up 65% of the total mass of the arm, which means that its significant size immediately affects the overall volume of the arm.

A little anatomy

Before we list triceps push-ups, let's find out where this muscle group is located and what every athlete should know before training.

The triceps muscle, or triceps brachii, is a collection of three bundles located on the back of the shoulder. Anatomically they are called: lateral, medial and long. This group of muscles works together, but the load is not always distributed evenly.

By selecting exercises to pump them up, you can target the work of a specific beam. However, to achieve an even result, you should obviously try to use each part of the triceps equally. Push-ups are exactly the kind of exercise that can fully and evenly load the entire triceps muscle.

This muscle is responsible for shoulder adduction/deflexion and elbow extension, and also receives secondary load when the pectoralis major muscles are engaged.

Anatomical certificate

The triceps is a plexus of three muscle bundles: medial, lateral and long. All of them are located on the back side of the shoulder and are responsible for the movement (abduction and adduction) of the shoulder and elbow extension. The triceps are active when performing chest exercises, so it is recommended to train the triceps 1-2 days a week to avoid overload. You can pump triceps simultaneously with other exercises for the chest and shoulders or separately from them. Each time, alternate between light and intense workouts and be sure to take a break between them (6 to 7 days).

Triceps anatomy

Location of the triceps muscle

The location and attachment of the triceps muscle, consisting of three muscle heads.

Is it possible to pump up only triceps?

Triceps push-ups involve almost all the muscles of the shoulder girdle. They use muscles throughout the body to varying degrees.

Some athletes strive to pump up only the triceps, since its impressive volume makes the figure powerful and impressive. They try to direct all their energy to a specific muscle, sincerely believing that this way they will achieve their ideal faster.

However, for proportional development it is important to pay attention to all muscle groups. Push-ups, as we wrote above, simply put, force the entire matrix of the hand to work simultaneously, right down to the extensor of the little finger!

No matter how hard you try to perform an isolated load on a single muscle segment, you will fail. But you don't need it! To draw a beautiful contour of the shoulder and create an athletic relief, it is important to work all the muscles.

Benefits of triceps push-ups

An integrated approach to pumping up the triceps includes performing various types of push-ups (inverted, close grip, parallel bars).

Such exercises are aimed not only at increasing the volume of the triceps muscles, but also at increasing strength, increasing endurance, strengthening the joints and ligaments in the shoulders and elbows, and strengthening the abdominal muscles.

But that's not all the benefits of push-ups. During the exercise, you can increase or decrease the intensity of the load by changing the position of your hands (wide grip, narrow grip, high and low), you can train with your own weight or use additional weights.

Plus, push-ups are so versatile that you don't need to go to the gym to do them. Having mastered the correct technique, you can successfully perform these exercises at home and develop your arm muscles no less intensely than regulars at fitness clubs.

What's the point

Reverse triceps push-ups, or dips on bench, or “dips” are an exercise that is performed using a bench. Depending on the execution options, it can be aimed at developing strength and mass, endurance or muscle tone.

By doing push-ups, men can get beautiful, voluminous and strong arms, and women can get toned triceps. The exercise can be performed in any conditions. The idea is to use your own weight or additional weights to push up from a bench or bar located behind your body.

Triceps push-ups

So, let's move on to the most interesting part - we'll tell you how to pump up your triceps with push-ups. First, let's list the main variations of this exercise:

Reverse push-ups on a bench, feet on the floor;
Reverse push-ups on a bench, feet on the bench;
Reverse variations with weight (the projectile is placed on the hips);
Triceps push-ups (with a narrow position of the hands on the floor: classic, diamond-shaped, with weights);
With a narrow distance between the hands, from the bench;
On the uneven bars, without bringing your shoulders together (this technique activates the triceps).

Classic version

The classic version of this exercise targets the chest, shoulders and triceps. The classic hand position stimulates all muscle groups equally.

A different hand position allows you to focus on the triceps. This allows you to maximize the use of the triceps muscle in the exercise. Triceps push-ups are performed from the floor in a narrow shoulder position, making them ideal for both men and women.

Triceps push-ups are great not only for working the triceps muscle of the arm, but also engage the internal pectoral muscles.

Technique:

Get into a lying position, but move your hands closer together so that they are shoulder-width apart. The distance between the hands should be 20 cm. The body is straight from neck to heels, without bends. The legs are connected together.
While inhaling: lower yourself to a distance of 3-5 cm between the floor and your chest. The elbows should be close to the body, pulled back and not flared out to the sides so that the weight rests on the triceps. The distance between the floor and chest should be 3-5 cm; it is not necessary to touch the floor with your chest.
As you exhale, slowly rise to the starting position. Do not bend your elbows completely at the top to reduce stress on your joints.

The narrower the position of the hands, the greater the load on the triceps. Moving your arms closer together will increase the load on your triceps, making the exercise more challenging. To make the exercise more stable, you can spread your fingers as far apart as possible.

Use the variations below to make it more difficult to push your triceps off the floor:

Use a weight lifting device. Take a regular bag and put a weight in it, increasing the load on the target muscle.
Diamond push-ups - Position your hands so that the thumb and index finger of both hands touch each other, forming a diamond (triangle). Not recommended if you have joint problems or weak hands.
Place your feet on an elevated platform. You can use a stool, chair, sofa, bed or exercise bench.

Assess your fitness level accordingly, don't rush to complicate the program! The desire for quick results can lead to injuries!

Triceps-focused close-grip push-ups are for everyone! Its advantage is that you can do it anywhere - at home, in the office, on the playground and wherever there is a small “piece” of space.

Bar push-ups

One of the best exercises for beginners and girls. Barbell push-ups work the triceps well, preparing them for heavier loads. One of the disadvantages of this exercise is that you need to go to the gym.

However, instead of a barbell, a daredevil can use any elevation - a chair, bench, etc. The exercise is especially effective on a Smith machine, where you can independently choose the level of the barbell position.

Technique for performing triceps push-ups:

Stand near the barbell, set it at the desired level;
Lean against the bar, placing your hands shoulder-width apart, clasping the bar with your fingers;
The back and lower back are straight, the legs are together;
As you inhale, lower yourself until your chest touches the bar;
As you exhale, straighten up.

When performing this exercise, do not bend your elbows to the sides; keep your body straight without bending at the waist. To increase the difficulty level, you can lower the bar as low as possible.

Reverse push-ups with weights

If you are good at classic reverse push-ups and are ready to increase the load, use weights: barbell discs, dumbbells, books, any heavy but stable objects. In general, the technique remains the same as in inverted push-ups with body weight, only the load changes.

IMPORTANT: to avoid injury during the exercise, do not immediately lift heavy weights. Start with light weights and gradually increase the weight from workout to workout.

Place two supports parallel to each other (benches or chairs).
Take a weight and place it on your thighs so that the weight is static during push-ups.
Place your hands on one bench and place your feet on the edge of the other bench.
Slowly lower yourself until your arms are parallel to the floor.
After passing the bottom point, lift your body to the starting position.

Number of approaches and repetitions: 3×15 or 4×12.

Video showing the correct technique for using weights in reverse push-ups.

Reverse from the shop

The inverted variation is called so because of the starting position: the athlete stands facing the bench, placing his hands on the bench at the sides of his body.

Follow the general rules that apply to all types of push-ups: keep your back straight, always inhale when lowering and exhale when lifting.

Begin to lower yourself down, moving your elbows back (do not spread them out to the sides) until they are parallel to the floor. This is the lowest point; if you go lower, you can damage your shoulder and elbow joints, especially when lifting heavy objects.
Maintain the starting position: back straight, gaze directed forward, toes extended in front of you;
Perform 3 sets of 15 reps.
Stretch your legs forward, do not bend your knees;
Rise to the starting position;

Push-ups on parallel bars - high-quality development of the torso

How to effectively and efficiently work the pectoral muscles, triceps and shoulders? This can be easily and quickly achieved by doing dips.

They can be performed not only in the gym, but also on sports fields. By varying the movement of the exercise, you can shift your focus to the chest or triceps. This exercise is different in that almost the entire specific weight of the body falls on the target muscle.

The technique of performing the exercise is very simple:

Jump onto the machine, choosing a grip so that your palms are facing your body; The body is positioned vertically, the back is straight, it is allowed to bend the knees and cross the shins;
As you inhale, lower yourself to the level that allows the flexibility of your biceps muscles, do not spread your elbows to the sides, look back, press close to your body. Ideally, your elbows should be at a 90-degree angle;
As you exhale, rise to the starting position.

This exercise can be difficult to perform at first; you may find yourself bending your elbows slightly as you rise to the top. Experienced athletes can use dumbbells to add more weight and stress to the triceps.

Diamond push-ups

Diamond push-ups are aimed exclusively at developing the triceps muscles. This is achieved by turning the hands inward and placing the hands close together. This completely eliminates the pecs from this exercise. If you are a beginner, it is recommended to do a lighter version of the knee exercise.

Lie on the floor in plank pose with straight arms.
Bring your arms together, directly under your chest. The thumb and index finger should meet to form a diamond shape.
Place your legs in a way that suits you: together or apart.
Tighten your entire body, stomach, buttocks, thighs. This is necessary to maintain an even figure. Your eyes are directed forward.
As you inhale, bend your elbows and lower your body to the floor until your chest touches your palms.
As you exhale, straighten your arms, tensing the triceps brachii muscle.
Do not straighten your elbows completely at the top.

This technique is quite simple, but requires some concentration when performing it. You don't have to do jerks, the work is about tensing and relaxing the triceps.

Advantages

Working out the triceps using such non-standard movements has a number of advantages:

Reverse-grip push-ups are classified as closed kinetic chain exercises. This means that the arms (legs) must be fixed when performing. This approach helps isolate the triceps and engage all three heads.
There are no weight restrictions. Thanks to the ability to regulate the load, it is possible to progress and achieve rapid growth in the triceps.
Constant load. Unlike other exercises, the muscle heads are tense when moving both up and down.
Possibility of choice. Reverse push-ups have a wide range of options. Here it is allowed to change the width of the arms, the height of the legs, the presence and removal of additional cargo.
Breast development. The presence of “failures” during execution guarantees stretching and working out the pectoral muscles. The deeper you can go, the better the muscles stretch.
Increased strength. In terms of effectiveness, reverse push-ups are somewhat similar to dumbbell or barbell bench presses. That's why it is not recommended to ignore them - they should be in the training program.
Connecting additional muscle groups to work. In addition to the triceps, such push-ups load stabilizing muscles that are difficult to “hook” with normal movements.

Triceps push-up set

Since the triceps are heavily involved in most chest and shoulder exercises, there is no need to dedicate an entire workout to just the triceps. Use one of several blocks in combination with other exercises.

Block No. 1 “Mass”.

Reverse Bench Press with Legs on a Parallel Bench (3 sets x 15 reps).
Close grip bench press (3 x 8 reps).
Arm extension on the upper block (3 x 10 repetitions).

Block #2 Focus on the lateral triceps

Parallel bars push-ups (3 sets x 12 reps).
Shoulder pull-ups on a cable block (3 x 12-15).
French press (3 x 10 reps).

Block No. 3 “For strength.”

Close grip bench press (3 x 8 reps).
Narrow arm push-ups with additional load (3 x 8).
Dips with weights (3 x 10).

Squat push-ups, dips, and reverse push-ups are effective triceps-building exercises for beginners and professionals alike. They are especially effective because they not only engage the triceps muscles, but also force the entire body to work as one.

It trains strength, endurance, strengthens ligaments, develops joints and muscles. Push-ups are also recommended for girls to draw beautiful contours of their arms and create an athletic triceps profile.

Varieties of exercise

There are 3 main variations of push-ups:

classic - arms and legs rest on benches, 2 benches are used,
lightweight - hands on the bench, feet on the floor,
advanced - weights are used.

There are also intermediate options. Having mastered lightweight push-ups, you can increase the load by lifting one leg. Let us remind you that the location of the arms and legs affects the intensity of the exercise. Therefore, within the framework of the main types, it is possible and necessary to experiment. But be sure to follow the technique. For example, you should not lean on the bench with your fists instead of your palms.

General recommendations for performing triceps push-ups for men and girls

To make push-ups as effective and low-impact as possible, avoid common mistakes made by beginners and follow these recommendations:

When you do resistance exercises (very heavy weights), have someone hold you up.
Control your body: do not relax your abdominal muscles and do not arch your lower back.
When performing push-ups, straighten your elbows completely.
The head and neck should always be in a static position: when doing push-ups from the floor, the eyes are directed downward, when doing push-ups on the uneven bars, they look forward or at an angle.
Do not lower your body too low (to the point of shoulder pain) during reverse push-ups, maintain a 90o angle.
Do not take breaks; lowering and raising the body should be non-stop. If you're working on mass, go down slowly and go up quickly.

Pros and cons of triceps push-ups

Choose the best push-ups for triceps and feel free to get started, because these exercises have a huge number of advantages:

In addition to increasing mass, they increase the strength capabilities of the athlete;
The endurance threshold increases;
The ligaments and joints of the shoulder girdle are strengthened;
The triceps work in all bench press exercises. His height will immediately allow the athlete to lift his working weight when working with a barbell and other equipment;
A pumped-up triceps makes a powerful physique; it immediately shows what kind of work the athlete does in the gym. Thus, motivation increases and the desire to continue sports training appears;
Proper push-ups for triceps can be performed at home, in the gym and on the street - this is the versatility of this exercise;
Another plus is that the athlete can adjust the load by alternating different push-up techniques.
In addition, triceps exercises require precise adherence to technique, since even the most minor violations immediately remove the load from the target group. For example, move your elbows a little more than necessary and your chest will be engaged. Arch your spine and you will redirect the problem to your back and lower back.

Minuses:

As for the disadvantages, pay attention to the large load on the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. If you have an injury or illness affecting your triceps, we recommend postponing these exercises.
There is another drawback: due to the large size, the triceps take a long time to recover, so you are unlikely to be able to pump it up quickly. Of course, provided that you do it intelligently, physiologically correctly. Workouts aimed specifically at the triceps should not be performed more than once a week. The complex in which he partially participates is 1-2 times a week.

Equipment

Wristbands can be used as equipment. They will relieve stress from your hands and wrists, preventing injuries. Athletes who have suffered injuries to their elbow joints in the past should wrap them well with bandages so that the damage does not affect the quality of the exercise.

Shoes for push-ups must have reliable grip on the floor, since the athlete will have to distribute the load between his hands and feet. If your legs “slide,” the workout will become significantly more difficult.