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The
outer tricep is an awesome muscle. It sticks out
like a slab of meat on your outer arm and makes
your arm look thick from the front. Nothing screams
power like when you can stand sideways and see
the outer tricep with its great half-moon shape
popping out.
The
tricep muscle has three main parts: the medial
(inner) head, the long head (which runs along
the bottom of the arm) and the outer (lateral)
head, which runs along the outside of the upper
arm.
So how do you work the outer triceps?
Well,
the best known and most common outer tricep exercise
is the Standing Tricep Pushdown on the high pulley.
But everyone does those, and honestly there are
not a lot of great outer triceps to be seen. So,
what else works those little buggers?
First
off, any barbell or dumbbell movement with the
palms of the hands facing up, works the outer
tricep more than the long or medial heads. The
biggest point to be made here is to "LOCK
OUT THE ARMS!"
So
basically, keep the palms up (reverse grip) and
lock out and hold the contraction. Those are the
most important points to cover when targeting
the outer triceps.
However,
if you have weak wrists and cannot target your
outer triceps with the palms up, they can also
be worked with the palms down. This can only be
done specifically in moves where the upper arms
never leave the side of the body (like the high
pulley pushdown) and the elbows are fully locked
out. If the arm rotates or the elbow moves forward
then the long head of the tricep is called into
contraction and extension and no outer triceps
for you!
Another
beauty for the outer triceps is the "Lying
Dumbbell Extension." Lay on a flat bench
holding two dumbbells at arms-length. Bending
only at the elbows, lower your the dumbbells down
beside your head then extend them back up to the
top position.
This
exercise works the outer head of the triceps and
give the shape and thickness needed for total
development of the triceps. However, when you
do the exercise, you must lock the elbows out
and give a little twist at the top so that your
palms face your head. This twist strongly activates
the outer triceps.
The
last exercise that I use to work the outer tricep
is the "Tricep Bench Dip." Sit on the
side edge of a flat bench with your hands placed
on the edge beside your butt. Your feet are flat
on the ground in front of you. Lower your body
down in front of the bench and push yourself back
up using your triceps.
This
is a good exercise that, while it works all of
the triceps, emphasizes the outer head a little
more. The great thing about this exercise is that
you can push it all the way to failure, get a
great pump, and you're totally safe and don't
need a spotter. Be careful not to let your butt
drift away from the bench or you will use too
much of your deltoids and take the outer triceps
right out of the picture.
Here is an outer tricep workout:
Reverse
grip pushdown 4 sets of 8-10 reps
Superset
(go from one exercise directly to the other):
Lying
dumbell extensions with a twist
Bench dips (4 sets of 10-12 reps or failure on
the dips)
Here's
to some wicked outer triceps!
---
Ray
Burton is a personal trainer based in Calgary,
Alberta, Canada, working out of the ... Gym. He
is the author of "Begin At The Gym,"
a powerful guide to starting out in weight training
and bodybuilding, and "Your First Bodybuilding
Competition," a guide to bodybuilding contest
preparation.
http://www.buildingbodies.ca/fitness-site.shtml
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