The best exercises to strengthen the triceps with dumbbells

Training the triceps with dumbbells facilitates efficient strengthening of the posterior arm muscles. This type of work is very important to do as a complement to biceps training.

The triceps brachii is the muscle at the back of the humerus. In fact, it is the only one in the back compartment of the arm. It gets its name from having three heads (tri means 'three' and cep means 'head').

The main function of the triceps is the extension of the forearm at the elbow joint and act as an antagonist of the biceps brachii. In addition, the long head of the triceps contributes to the extension and adduction of the arm at the shoulder joint.

Some exercises to strengthen the triceps with dumbbells

Exercises to strengthen the triceps with dumbbells are quite easy to do, but they require extreme attention to posture.

On the one hand, good posture is vital so that the exercise is centered where it should be done (back of the arm). On the other, it is essential to avoid injuries, since the required postures are usually unusual and not necessarily comfortable.

Read this: 8 ailments that you can suffer from having bad body posture

Two Arm Triceps Extension

To do the two-arm triceps extension, you must stand or sit and grasp a dumbbell with both hands behind your head, elbows up.

From this position the dumbbell is raised, extending the arm and making a slight pause. It is very important that the dumbbell remains perpendicular to the ground. This helps prevent hyperextension of the elbow.

Next, the elbows are bent again, returning to the initial position. The descent must be done slowly.

This exercise can also be done lying on a completely horizontal or reclined bench, leaving the arms out. Doing so helps you hold the posture more comfortably.

One Arm Tricep Extension

The one arm triceps extension is an exercise very similar to the previous one. The starting position is the same. Only, when doing it with one arm, the movement is more lateralized.

To stabilize the arm we can help ourselves with the opposite hand, pressing gently below the elbow. Otherwise, the dynamics are the same: extend your arm making sure that the dumbbell is perpendicular to the ground, stop for a few moments and slowly return to the starting position.

Close grip dumbbell curls

Close grip dumbbell curls help to target your entire triceps evenly. In addition, it also involves the activation of pectorals and front delts.

This exercise is performed on the floor, in the manner of traditional push-ups (from the plank position), but instead of supporting the hands, grab some dumbbells. This changes the position of the arm, which helps to better focus the exercise on the triceps.

The close grip involves placing the dumbbells just below the shoulders. When the grip opens, the involvement of the triceps is reduced.

Triceps kick

To perform the triceps kick you need a bench to support one knee and one arm. With the hand opposite to the supported one, take a dumbbell and place the forearm parallel to the body, with the arm flexed at 90 degrees. The exercise consists of extending the arm, as a kick. It is important to be careful not to hyperextend the elbow.

If we don't have a bench, the triceps kick can be done standing up, leaning the body forward, although it is more uncomfortable. Another way to do this is by sitting down and bringing your body forward.

In this exercise, you have to take care of your shoulder posture, which should be rotated downwards and backwards, preventing it from going forward.

Lying triceps extension

This exercise is done lying on your back on a bench or on the floor with your legs bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand. To do the lying triceps extension you have to grasp the dumbbells as if they were a bar, with the palms facing up and the elbows facing the front.

The advantage with two dumbbells and not with the bar is that both arms are worked equally, which can help prevent or compensate for a muscle imbalance. From the initial position, an extension of the arms is carried out, bringing the dumbbells upwards.

To perform the movement well, it is important not to bend the wrists forward. After holding the posture for a few moments, the starting position is resumed slowly.

Stretching after exercising the triceps with dumbbells

It is very important to perform triceps stretches after any type of training; even more so if it has focused on the work of this muscle. Some of the best options are as follows.

Horizontal arm stretch

This is one of the most popular exercises to stretch the triceps as well as the shoulder and upper back. But many people do it wrong, because they don't take care of their shoulder posture.

To perform the horizontal arm stretch start by bringing the arm out, opening the chest and placing the shoulder down and back. From there, take the arm to the opposite side, crossing in front of the body.

With the opposite hand placed above the elbow, help the arm to go further. A trick to get a good grip on the arm and help it stretch is to hold the forearm as if it were a baby, with an open hand, and letting it rest on it.

This will also help keep the shoulder in place, that is, down. This is very important, because many people tend to carry the shoulder up. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and switch arms.

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Overhead triceps stretch

The overhead tricep stretch is another popular stretch for this purpose. However, it is not always done correctly, especially when there are problems with limiting range of motion at the shoulder level.

To do this, bring your shoulders down and back, opening your chest, to open the way for arm movement. Then move one arm up and bend the elbow so that the hand is lowered toward the back and the forearm is slightly behind the head.

With the opposite hand, press under the elbow to stabilize the posture. Also, press with your head to increase the stretch. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and change arms.

It is very important to note that the elbow should face upward and the back should remain neutral. If the back bends, the shoulder will move forward. That will not allow raising the shoulder; on the contrary, it puts a brake on it.

Overhead Grip Triceps Stretch

To intensify the previous stretch grip can be added with the opposite hand behind the back. This, in addition to intensifying the stretch of the triceps, helps to stretch the opposite shoulder.

If the grip cannot be made, you can take a towel with the upper hand and take it from behind with the lower hand. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and switch arms.

Dumbbell triceps to increase mass

Strengthening the triceps using dumbbells is an effective way to achieve not only toning your arms, but also an increase in muscle mass.

Nevertheless, it is very important to take care of the loads, as well as the posture. Poor positioning coupled with excess weight can lead to back and neck problems.