If you want stronger and more muscular arms, you won’t want to miss working out your tricep muscles. The triceps make up about 60% of your upper arm yet are often overlooked in favor of bicep arm workouts. Targeting your tricep muscles is important not only for a sculpted physique but also because they are important for power and stability.
The good news is that hitting your triceps at the gym is pretty easy and doesn’t require much time. Since the triceps are a small muscle group, hitting them twice a week is enough to achieve some impressive gains. Below, discover how to use the tricep extension machine next time you work out your arms.
Why use the tricep extension machine
How to do a proper tricep extension on a machine
Using a tricep extension machine is fairly straightforward. Begin by sitting on the seat in an upright position, adjusting the height of the seat accordingly so your feet are flat on the ground. Your hands should be placed in a neutral grip on the handles.
Adjust the weight stack to the desired weight. If you’re not sure where to start, start light and gradually increase until you reach a weight that is challenging enough but not too difficult to complete eight to ten reps. Once you’ve set up the position, here’s how to complete a tricep extension on the machine:
- Exhale and press as you move the handles outwards, extending the elbows.
- Slowly lower and return the handles to the starting position.
- Repeat for eight to ten reps. Rest, and then repeat for as many sets as desired (usually 3 to 5)
To make your tricep extensions even more challenging, you can also try drop sets when using this machine. Drop sets involve starting at a heavier weight, completing as many reps as you can before tiring out, and then lowering the weight stack to a lower weight to continue performing reps.
Are tricep extensions good for triceps?
Tricep extensions are great for isolating your tricep muscles as well as improving stability at the shoulders. For best results, aim to train triceps at least two to three times per week. During each session, try to complete 8 to 12 sets during each workout. Of these 12 sets, four or five can be using the tricep extension machine, whereas the other sets could consist of dips, tricep extensions, tricep cable pushdowns, etc.
Tips for using the tricep extension machine
- Avoid locking out the elbows, stopping the motion before you hit this point.
- Breathe out as you push the handles down, releasing them during the back end of the motion.
- Avoid using your upper body to push the weight down. If you find yourself relying too much on the upper body, drop the weight until you can effectively isolate the tricep muscles.
- If combining chest and tricep workouts in one day, always lift your chest before the triceps. The chest is the larger muscle group, which also hits the triceps during the exercises as well.
- Ensure the seat is adjusted properly for your height, which can make it easier to ensure your form is correct during your workout.
Does the tricep extension machine work?
All gym machines receive their fair share of controversy, which can make you question if the tricep extension machine really works. This machine is effective at targeting your triceps, but as with any gym exercise, it’s a good idea to diversify your exercises. Changing up your tricep routine with different exercises (both machine and free weight) is the best way to continually challenge your muscles over time. Adding a progressive overload plan to your arm workouts can also help keep you crushing your workouts.
