Three tricep exercises for tighter arms: At home and without equipment

In addition to the biceps, a good arm musculature also includes its opponent: the triceps. We show you three effective exercises for your home workout.

Although many athletes attach great importance to the biceps, the triceps (musculus triceps brachii) should not be missing in a balanced muscle training. This three-headed arm muscle sits at the back of the upper arm and typically accounts for most of its circumference.

It works in the opposite way to the biceps – the so-called arm flexors. The main function of the triceps is to straighten the arm or also rotate the wrist upwards. The muscle also affects the functionality of the shoulder. Hardening in this area can limit movement and cause pain.

Effective tricep exercises with your own weight

With various body weight exercises, you can define your arms nicely and build up muscles effectively. We present three of them:

Important: Always warm up well before the workout and pay attention to your posture and the correct execution of the exercises.

Exercise 1: Tricep Dips

With tricep dips you can train your triceps and secondarily your chest. To do this, sit with your back in front of a stable edge (bed, sofa, chair) and rest your palms on it. Now push yourself up using the strength of your triceps. Release briefly and push yourself back up.

How long should I train the triceps?

Two sets of eight repetitions each are ideal for building muscle.

Exercise 2: push-ups

Push-ups primarily train the triceps and only secondarily the chest muscles. To do this, go down so low that your upper arms are vertical. From there, without momentum, push yourself up using the power of the triceps muscles.

By the way: The tighter you grip the push-ups, the more the triceps are involved. So try to keep your hands as close to your chest as possible.

Exercise 3: plank

The forearm support is a special form of strength training: the muscles are tense, but do not change their length.

To do this, lie on your stomach on the floor and place your elbows under your shoulders. The forearms are parallel to the body, the palms point towards the ceiling. Alternatively, you can clasp your hands together.

Then push yourself up, supporting your body with only your toes and forearms. Although you only have to hold the position, the workout is very strenuous.