5 triceps exercises That'll Make The Muscles On The Back Of Your Arms Pop

 Each one offers a lot of flex appeal.

        

         When it comes to arm workouts, biceps often get all of the love. But if you want to sculpt all 360 degrees of your upper arms (or finally nail that chaturanga in your next yoga class), it's time to give your triceps some much-deserved attention.

Your triceps, which run along the backs of your upper arms, actually consist of three muscles known as the long head, medial head, and lateral head—hence "tri." Together, these muscles help you extend your elbows and straighten your arms—and assist in chest-dominant exercises, like those infamous yogi pushups.

Since different exercises emphasize different parts of your triceps, it's important to incorporate a variety of different triceps exercises into your workout routine in order to build well-rounded strength.

The key to nailing popular moves, like floor presses, close-grip pushups, and overhead triceps extensions is to keep your upper arms as stable as possible so that your reps work the right muscles. That means you've gotta keep those elbows in-line with your shoulders so your upper arms are parallel to each other.

Ready to feel the backs of those arms burnnnn? The moves listed here make for a killer triceps workout.

Time: 15 minutes

Equipment: mat, dumbbells

Good for: triceps

Instructions: Choose one triceps exercise from each group below:

A: Dumbbell floor press, single-arm dumbbell floor press, alternating dumbbell floor press

B: Pushup, close-grip pushup, hand-release pushup

C: Lying overhead triceps extension, triceps kickback, triceps dip, alternating triceps kickbacks, overhead triceps extension,

Complete three sets of the indicated number of reps for each move. Once you've completed all sets of one move, continue to the next, in ABC order, resting as needed. Alternatively, incorporate these triceps exercises into an upper-body workout routine.

      

    1

Dumbbell Floor Press

Why it rocks: Your super stable position in this move allows you to challenge your triceps with heavier weights than in many others.

How to: Start lying on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with elbows out about 45 degrees from sides. Keep lower back pressed into floor, press weights straight up over chest, and extend arms. Pause for a moment, then slowly bend elbows to lower weights back down until backs of upper arms return to floor. That's one rep. Complete 8 to 10 reps.

           2

Single-Arm Dumbbell Floor Press

Why it rocks: In addition to isolating each arm at a time (a must for avoiding strength or muscle imbalances!), this single-arm floor press variation also challenges your core to keep you stable.

How to: Start lying on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in left hand with left elbow out about 45 degrees from side. Rest right arm flat on floor. Keep lower back pressed into floor, press weight straight up over chest, and extend left arm. Pause for a moment, then slowly bend elbow to lower weight back down until back of upper left arm returns to floor. That's one rep. Complete 8 to 10 reps on your left side, then repeat on your right for a full set.

         3

Alternating Dumbbell Floor Press

Why it rocks: Alternating floor presses give your arms a little more rest than pressing both sides together so you can push extra weight. They also hit your core a little harder.

How to: Start lying on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with elbows out about 45 degrees from sides. Keep lower back pressed into floor, press weights straight up over chest, and extend arms. From here, bend left elbow to lower weight down until back of upper left arm returns to floor. Reverse the movement to press left weight back up to meet right. Repeat with right arm. That's one rep. Complete 8 to 10 reps.

             4

Pushup

Why it rocks: The pushup is an all-around power move, working your chest, back, core, glutes, triceps, and biceps at once. Maintain your form and it's a fast-track to stronger tris.

How to: Start in a high plank position with shoulders over wrists. Keep coretight, bend elbows, and lower body toward floor, until arms form 90-degree angles. (Elbows should point 45 degrees away from sides.) Press back to start position. That’s one rep. Complete 8 to 10 reps.

             5

Close-Grip Pushup

Why it rocks: Compared to the standard pushup, the close-grip pushup places greater emphasis on your triceps, hitting all three heads hard.

How to: Start in a high plank position, but with hands directly beneath chest instead of shoulders. Bend elbows straight back towards feet to lower body toward floor, keeping upper arms close to sides. Press back up to start. That's one rep. Complete 8 to 10 reps.