Compound Exercises for Triceps

If you want bigger triceps, there are plenty of different exercises you can try out. However, not all of them will get the results that you desire. If your goal is to build strong triceps muscles and improve their strength, it can be a good idea to use compound exercises. These are movements that target more than one muscle group at once. Compound exercises also tend to involve other joints and this further improves the entire body’s strength.

Here is a list of 5 compound exercises for triceps that you should try out if you want better results with your workouts.

1. Flat Bench press

The flat bench press is a popular exercise used in weightlifting, bodybuilding, and powerlifting. It primarily works the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and triceps. It can be one of the most difficult exercises to steer from injuries due to improper physics of movement and the fact that it requires a lot of physical strength. If done properly it is one of the few chest exercises that work all three heads of the pectoralis major simultaneously.

Here is how you do this exercise:

1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet planted firmly on the ground.
2. Grasp the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Slowly lower the barbell down to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
4. Pause for a count of two, then press the barbell back up to the starting position.

The flat bench press is a highly effective and efficient exercise that both beginners and advanced fitness enthusiasts can use to create a balanced upper body strength workout. However, it is important to ascertain that proper technique is used when engaged in the exercise to help prevent injury. Use a weight that challenges you, but doesn’t compromise your form.

2. Close Grip Bench Press

The close grip bench press exercise is performed like a regular bench press, but the grip of the exercise is altered. A wide grip is normally used for the bench press exercise and the distance between hands placed on the bar is usually wider than shoulder-width. With a close grip, the grip used is closer than a normal bench press. The barbell is also brought lower to the chest compared to the conventional barbell bench press.

Here is how you do close grip bench press:

1. Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the floor and your back pressed firmly against the bench.
2. Grip the barbell with your hands placed closer than shoulder width.
3. Slowly lower the barbell towards your chest, pause for a moment, and then press the barbell back up to the starting position.

The close grip bench press is a great variation of the regular bench press exercise. It is highly effective and can make a significant difference in increasing your strength and chest size. The primary goal of the performance of this exercise is to increase body strength.

3. Incline Bench Press

The incline bench press is a staple in any bodybuilder’s repertoire. With this searing chest exercise, you get a great pump of blood that makes your pecs swell just like they do with the flat barbell bench press. Inclines are also great to hit the middle and lower pectoral region which is often missed by the typical flat bench exercises.

To do this exercise:

1. Set an adjustable bench to an incline between 30 and 45 degrees.
2. Lie back on the bench and plant your feet firmly on the ground.
3. Grasp the barbell with your hands just outside shoulder width and arch your back.
4. Lift the barbell off the rack and lower it to your sternum, tucking your elbows about 45 degrees to your sides.
5. When the barbell touches your sternum, explosively drive it back up to the starting position.

The incline bench press is a great exercise and it is done regularly in the gym by power lifters and bodybuilders alike. When you are doing the incline bench press, you want to be sure that you lower the weight slowly, and feel the muscle contracting on each rep. Inclines are a great way to get a pump and to hit different parts of the pectoral region.

4. Dips

Dips are a compound exercise that can help you increase your triceps strength as well as build your chest, shoulders, and back muscles. The dips workout is designed to make the muscles work harder than regular workouts and to burn more calories. Dips target the major heads of the triceps which stretch during this movement.

Here is how you do dips properly:

1. Start by sitting on a bench with your legs extended in front of you.
2. Place your hands on the edge of the bench, shoulder-width apart.
3. Slowly lower your body down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
4. Pause for a moment, then press back up to the starting position.

Dips are a great exercise because they target your triceps and chest. You will also be working your shoulders, arms, and core muscles. If you haven’t been targeting your triceps in the past, they will build up quickly due to the compound movement.

5. Diamond Push Ups

A diamond push-up is simply a traditional push-up in which you place your hands together to form an equal-armed cross. The simple fact is that diamond push-ups are one of the most challenging forms of push-ups. This targets the middle part of the pectoral muscle and the triceps brachii muscles that help to position the arms behind the body.

Here is how you do this exercise:

1. Position your hands to close together in the center of your chest to form a diamond shape.
2. Lower your body down towards the ground, keeping your core engaged and your body in a straight line.
3. Once your chest touches the ground, press back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Diamond push-ups are one of the best pushup exercises for building strength and muscle mass in your chest, arms, and shoulder. However, make sure that you have mastered the traditional push-up as you need to have the requisite strength for this one. To perform diamond push-ups, you should put your hands together to form a diamond shape. This is the correct form of a diamond push-up where your pectoral muscles and triceps get worked on.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a novice or intermediate trainee, the compound exercises for triceps outlined in this article can help anyone achieve the desired results. Whether your goal is to add muscle or simply tone, allow these exercises to become part of your training regimen and you should be able to fully appreciate their benefits and results.