Many people train their arms at the gym for size and strength. The triceps is located at the posterior or back part of the arm while the biceps are in front. As a muscle, the triceps is responsible for the extension of the elbow joint or straightening of the arm. It can be trained with barbells, dumbbells, cables, and body weight, and in line with the former, the following are some barbell exercises a person can perform.
Barbell Reverse Bench Press
The barbell reverse bench press is one of barbell exercises for the triceps. According to Barbell Exercises, the person lies down on his back on a bench and holds the the barbell above his chest, with his upper arms pressed against his upper body and his palms facing his head and not his feet. Next, he pushes the barbell up by straightening his arms. Then, he gradually lowers it back following a brief pause. Finally, the person exhales as he pushes the barbell up and inhales when lowering it down.
Barbell Lying Triceps Extension (Skull Crusher)
The barbell lying triceps extension, more commonly known as skull crusher, is one of the barbell exercises people usually do at the gym. According to Ex Rx, the person lies on the bench, with narrow overhand grip on the barbell, which is positioned over the shoulders with the arms extended. Next, he lowers the bar to his forehead (hence, skull crusher) by bending his elbows. Then, the person extends his arms and repeats the exercise for the planned number of sets and repetitions.
According to the publication, the barbell’s descent as it approaches the head should be gradual; this is to promote safety during the exercise. Also, the skull crusher can be done with the elbow going mildly back during extension. In this form, the barbell moves in a straight line, up, down, and over the forehead.
Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
Also known as Close Grip Bench, the close-grip barbell bench press is one of the common barbell exercises for the triceps. To perform the exercise, as per Body Building, the person lies back on a flat bench and lifts the bar from the rack using a close grip. Next, he holds the bar straight over him, with his arms locked. Then, he comes down gradually until he feels the bar on his middle chest. A good practice is to keep the elbows close to the torso at all times to maximize hit the triceps well. Following a pause, the person brings the bar back to the starting position, exhaling as he pushes the bar with the triceps..
Standing Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension
Another barbell exercise for the triceps is the overhead barbell triceps extension. Also called French press, as per Body Building, the person stands up while holding a barbell. Also, his feet should be about shoulder width apart. Next, he raises he barbell above his head until his arms are completely extended and his elbows kept in.
Then, the person keeps his upper arms close to his head and elbow in, perpendicular to the floor, as he lowers the resistance in a semicircular fashion behind his head until his forearms and his biceps meet. Also, a good practice is to keep the arms stationary, with only the forearms moving.
The triceps is responsible for stretching the arm, allowing the person to carry out various activities of daily living. Total triceps development can be achieved with the aforementioned exercise, proper nutrition, and adequate rest.
