If you want big arms, it’s time to make those Triceps grow. The triceps make up over two-thirds of the arm and will give you that “shirt-filling” look you’re after. Follow these 3 simple steps and exercises to make them grow in no time.
1. WORK THE TRICEPS THROUGH ALL PARTS OF THE STRENGTH CURVE.
Most people only work the triceps in the middle range, which drastically reduces your growth potential, especially as research has proven you can hypertrophy all parts of the strength curve. To achieve this, shift your focus onto the shortened and lengthened part of the muscle. Here are some quick tips to work all aspects of the triceps in your next gym session.
- When performing a cable rope extension take 2 steps away from the cable machine. This shifts the focus onto the shortened range. Perform a normal set but only raise back up around 2/3 of the way. To overload, the shortened position further, add in a 2-second isometric squeeze at the bottom.
- To hit the lengthened part of the triceps, perform an overhead cable triceps extension. When performing this exercise, make sure you keep the elbows in and lower all the way down, so your bicep is touching the forearm. Hold here for 2 seconds to really overload and stretch the lengthened position.
- One final tip is for the skull crushers or lying DB triceps extension exercises. Rather than lowering up and down in line with the head, drive the bar or dumbbells slightly back and away. So, as you press you are ending with the weight slightly behind the head, away from the body. This shifts focus onto the lengthened position; hold here for 2 seconds and focus on keeping the arm straight to fully contract the triceps.
2. USE HIGHER FREQUENCY
Training your arms once or twice per week after a hard chest session won’t provide you with the growth you’re after. Instead, prioritize your triceps and arm workouts and repeat them more often. Research has shown the importance of frequency and total volume, especially for smaller muscle groups such as the arms.
Try performing your triceps or arm workouts on separate days or separate sessions (e.g. chest in the AM and arms in the PM). This allows you to do more total volume with more intensity. Most people have less energy and neural drive after a whole chest workout.
For the next 4 weeks try working your triceps 3 times per week, 10 – 12 sets per session and watch them grow.
3. USE ADVANCED TRAINING VARIABLES
After a few years training the dreaded plateau is inevitable. To overcome this, you need to implement the more advanced and intense training variables. This can include dropsets, supersets, mechanical dropsets, intra set stretching, BFR and forced reps. These advanced training variables can recruit a higher amount of motor neurons, produce more key hormones such as Testosterone and Growth Hormone and increase muscle activation.
Try adding one advanced training variable into every workout. This could be a triceps superset, a drop set on the last set of each exercise or simply add in 4 sets of BFR triceps extensions before you leave the gym.
Finally, if you really want your arms to grow in size, add all 3 of these variables at once. However, be warned, this is only for the advanced a hard working individual. Triceps development is not as hard as you believe if you focus on these advanced techniques. Ensure you work all aspects of the strength curve, increase the total frequency and volume while using advanced methods to totally fatigue the muscle.
