How to properly pump your triceps? The best exercises and training plan

To pump up your triceps, it is first of all important to learn how to feel their work - and for this you need to know the correct mechanics of doing the exercises. For example, from an anatomical point of view, triceps exercises involve pushing away - and not lifting weights at all.

We also note that to train the triceps you will need a barbell or dumbbells - or, when training in the gym, blocks. Unfortunately, due to the mechanics of this muscle group, at home without equipment you can only perform reverse push-ups - which is not enough to fully pump the triceps.

The best exercises for triceps

There are 2 classes of exercises that we will use:

• Basic movements. Several muscle groups are involved, which include the triceps;
• Insulating. The target muscle is worked separately from other muscles.

The basis of training is basic movements. Let's consider them first.

Basic exercises for pumping up the triceps

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• Bench press with a narrow grip . A narrow grip shifts some of the load from the pecs and deltoids to the target muscles;
• Dips for triceps . Elbows pressed as close as possible to the body, gaze ahead;
• Narrow grip push-ups . Analogous to the bench press;
• Standing barbell press . Pumps up triceps, deltoids, upper pecs;
• Reverse push-ups from a bench . They involve the subject of our conversation to a greater extent, but the chest and shoulders are also loaded.

This is the basis of the training. Here you can add basic exercises for other muscle groups. Pull-ups, squats, deadlifts - pumping large muscle masses increases the rate of mass gain due to the production of anabolic hormones.

Isolation exercises for triceps

• Extension of arms with a dumbbell or barbell while standing, lying, sitting. All variations of the French press. Best isolation movement for triceps. The basis of isolation training;
• Pulling your arms back. With a dumbbell, in a block frame or with an expander;
• Other exercises in simulators.

Adding other movements will not bring significant results.

French bench press

When performing the exercise, it is better to use an EZ bar, which slightly turns the forearms and perfectly loads all parts of the triceps.

The load is distributed depending on the technology:

• to work the medial and lateral beams, lower the barbell to forehead level;
• to train the long head, lower the barbell behind the back of your head.

It is extremely important to keep your shoulders still when performing the exercise. Work in 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. The French press with an EZ bar was and remains perhaps the most effective triceps exercise.

How to pump triceps

You can understand how to pump up your triceps only by using the following principles.

Complex principle

Our body strives for balance. This is expressed in:

1. Difficulty gaining muscle mass . The body does not want to change its usual shell;
2. Changing proportions is even more difficult . When we pump one muscle and neglect another, its growth is limited by the lack of proportional muscle development. That is, if you train your legs, back and chest, your triceps will grow much faster than if you work only on the target muscle. Large muscle groups develop and pull the triceps along with them.

To quickly pump up your triceps, you can’t limit yourself only to isolating movements on the target muscle group. It is advisable to use basic movements. Even better is to develop the whole body evenly.

Progress and lack thereof

Lack of progress is the main reason for the inability to pump up any muscle group. Most “bodybuilders” do physical training in the gym without knowing it.

Their workouts look like this:

Workout No. 1-30

Using the close-grip bench press as an example, let’s compare the diagram with proper training:

For the same 30 workouts, we added 20 kilograms to the barbell and 2 repetitions per set. Accordingly, the triceps look much better.

Read more about the principle of load progression here.

How often to pump your triceps?

It is impossible to understand how to pump up triceps without adjusting the frequency of training.

There are 4 training phases:

1. Traumatization . Occurs during training;
2. Recovery . In this phase, the body returns to its pre-training state;
3. Supercompensation . The body creates a reserve to undergo a similar load in the future with less stress;
4. Loss of super compensation . Occurs if the athlete did not train in the previous phase. Acquired skills and muscle mass are lost.

Bodybuilders make 2 common mistakes:

• Overtraining. Walking through the “training-recovery” cycle;
• Undertraining. The cycle “Training-recovery-supercompensation-loss of supercompensation.”

The correct loop looks like this:

1. Training;
2. Recovery;
3. Supercompensation. Here training is carried out in compliance with the principle of progression of loads.

Read more in the material on super compensation.

Looking ahead, we will say that the optimal frequency of arm training is 1-3 times a week. For most of you, your best option will be to train your triceps twice a week.

How to build a workout

There is no need to train the triceps separately. This is only permissible if the group is severely behind in order to equalize the muscle balance. It is most effective to train the triceps together with the biceps. Training based on antagonist training is a proven tool for increasing muscle mass and strength. There are also split options that show high efficiency:

• Triceps + back – in deadlifts, the biceps are loaded to a greater extent, so working the triceps looks relevant, especially while maintaining the “freshness” of the muscle.
• Chest + triceps - a complex scheme built on the consolidation of stress. Can provide powerful growth, but requires careful monitoring of training volumes and serious recovery.

Also try to do basic movements at the beginning of the workout, and isolation exercises towards the end.

Recommendations

• Remember about nutrition . Muscle pumping is an anabolic process that is only possible with a calorie surplus. You should consume 300-1000 calories more than your daily requirement;
• Healthy sleep is a storehouse of anabolism . A good night's rest is the key to success in muscle growth;
• Don't forget about warming up . The elbow joint is quite fragile. An injury will make you forget about pumped up arms for a long time. Performing a cool-down will increase the recovery rate by 10-20%;
• Perform the exercises technically correctly . Don’t chase imaginary progress at the expense of technology;
• The same workout can be repeated several times . Do not move to the next step in the progression of loads until the previous one is completely “closed”.

Still not sure how to pump up your triceps? Write your questions in the comments, we will help you.

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We will tell you how to pump up your triceps at home in the next article.

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Training programs for pumping up triceps

This is a standard beginner program with an emphasis on arm training. With the help of these diagrams you will answer the question “How to pump up your triceps?”, and also build a proportional, attractive figure:

How to pump up your triceps? Program for men

Monday. Back+biceps+abs

Wednesday. Chest + triceps

Friday. Legs + shoulders + abs

Saturday. Hands

Comments:

• We don’t get attached to the days of the week, we train according to how we feel. This schedule will suit many people, but not everyone;
• As part of this program, we train triceps 2 times a week. Once - together with the pectoral muscles. The second - along with the biceps. This is the maximum that the body of an average person is capable of without “chemistry”;
• Increase the load in the same way as shown in the subsection “the principle of load progression”;

How to remove fat from arms? Program for girls

These circuits are designed to improve the appearance of the arms and all muscles of the body: Workout No. 1

Workout #2

We alternate these workouts using the principle of load progression. Still don’t understand how to pump up your triceps? Write in the comments, we will answer your questions!

A little about biceps

As already mentioned, the biceps in its structure is a biceps muscle, which is fixed to the radius on one side and the humerus on the other. The main task is to ensure flexion of the arms at the shoulders and elbows. In addition, the hand is rotated using the biceps. In this case, it is in the latter case that the maximum tension of the biceps muscle occurs. Do not forget about another important point - achieving maximum amplitude.

In general, there are two main approaches regarding amplitude:

How many times a week should you train muscles to lose weight?

How many times a week should a girl or man exercise to lose weight? To quickly lose excess body weight, you can exercise daily. The minimum amount of strength training for weight loss is three times a week.

For those people who come to the gym just to pump up the muscles of their legs, arms, abs, back, buttocks, strength training should be less intense. A regime of 3 workouts per week is suitable for them. The strength load will depend on how many times a week and what muscles need to be pumped.

How many times a week should girls train to lose weight?

Speaking about training for weight loss, you need to remember about aerobic training for girls. Daily aerobic training while reducing calorie intake can have the opposite effect than desired. Instead of speeding up your metabolism and losing weight, your body may increase the amount of fat it produces instead of burning it.

Losing weight should always start with proper nutrition. Exclusions of fast carbohydrates and excessively high-calorie foods. Physical training for fat burning will only be a way to normalize metabolism and equalize blood sugar levels, and not at all a mechanism for getting rid of excess calories and “burning” fat.

How many times a week to pump your legs

The leg muscles are one of the largest muscle groups in the human body. Therefore, it is advisable to train the leg muscles no more often than once every 72 hours. In other words, if you did heavy barbell squats on Monday, your next leg workout would be Thursday or Friday. However, if you only trained your calves or inner thighs, the time will be reduced.

At the same time, the final number of days required to restore the leg muscles also depends on the person’s body type. Athletic mesomorphs can train more often. They usually build muscle quickly. Whereas the body of thin ectomorphs or overweight endomorphs requires an increased amount of time to replenish energy reserves.

Common mistakes in triceps training

Not only beginners, but also experienced gym goers often make the following mistakes:

• Loss of control over the elbows and their spreading to the side transfers the main load to other muscle groups.
• Sharp pushes work the triceps only in the initial stage, while an evenly distributed load contributes to their full development and growth.
• Bringing the amplitude of exercises to the end is fraught with damage to the elbow joint and removes part of the load required by the muscles.

Biceps training program

Beginning athletes often note that their biceps, having gained a certain volume, stop growing even with a constant increase in working weights and the use of isolation exercises. However, biceps training is always based on the “progress - stagnation - shift - progress” scheme.

In this case, the shift is usually achieved through the use of dropsets and supersets. Below is a training program for biceps based on complex supersets that give the muscles a powerful impulse for a shift in growth - it helps to overcome stagnation in growth and quickly pump up the biceps.

EZ-bar biceps curl

A curved barbell (or EZ barbell) helps change the mechanics of the exercise and engages the inside of the biceps—pushing the muscle up and making it bigger.

Dumbbell biceps curl

A classic biceps exercise that develops the long part of the biceps muscle. It can be performed with both palms facing upward and palms perpendicular to the floor (hammer lift).

3. Concentrated bicep curls

One of the best isolation exercises for biceps. During execution, the elbow is fixed and rests firmly on the inner thigh - this helps to increase the load on the biceps muscles.

The secret of traced veins

Many people dream of not only pumping up their biceps, but also achieving defined veins. However, whether they are visible or not is influenced not so much by training as by genetic factors and the total amount of subcutaneous fat in the body. In this case, drying most often significantly increases the appearance of the venous network on the biceps.

In addition to the above, pre-workout complexes containing nitric oxide are also able to dilate venous channels, increasing the filling of the veins with blood. However, it should be noted that nitric oxide provides only a temporary and short-term effect - noticeable only immediately after training.

Successful training of the biceps muscles is based on the “progress - stagnation - shift - progress” scheme. As muscles stop growing, it is necessary to add supersets and dropsets. Among other things, the development of biceps is impossible without the ability to consciously involve it in work and perform exercises as consciously as possible.

Continuing the topic

The date of last update of the material is January 13, 2021

How many times a week should you pump your biceps to grow?

Although the biceps is a rather small and weak muscle, it is definitely the most popular among the entire male population.

Most men who go to the gym want to pump it up as quickly as possible.

It is impossible to accurately answer the question of how long it takes to pump up your biceps. It depends on many factors.

But after 2-3 months of regular training, you will definitely notice the first results. Read more in the article.

What function does the triceps perform?

The triceps brachii muscles are antagonists of the biceps, that is, they are responsible for extending the arm at the elbow joint. This quality of the triceps is loved not only by supporters of the bench press, but also by strikers, because the level of development of this particular muscle plays a significant role in the strength of the blow.

Why is it important to work on your triceps?

A harmoniously developed triceps muscle will significantly increase physical strength and endurance, especially in exercises that require extension of the elbow joints - push-ups on the floor, rings, parallel bars, bench press.

You also cannot ignore the aesthetic side of the issue - it is the triceps muscle that provides a tight fit to the sleeves of a T-shirt for guys, it is it that gives volume, since it occupies 2/3 of the total muscles of the arm. Representatives of the fairer sex evaluate the physical development of a man based on the level of hand development. Women and girls pay attention to working out this bun in order to avoid sagging and give their arms firmness and elasticity.