Build Strength by Using Bodyweights: Triceps

Purpose: Bodyweight exercises may improve strength, joint mobility, and cardiovascular health.

Background

Please review the WavyFields topic “Build Strength by Using Bodyweights” for a detailed Background section about bodyweights.

Practice: These bodyweight exercises may help someone to build strength of the triceps muscles.

These bodyweight exercises work many more muscles than the muscle groups listed. The muscle group names that are listed next to each exercise are the main muscles that are emphasized by the exercise.

Classic Push Ups

Muscles: Pectorals, triceps, deltoids, shoulders, core.
Difficulty: 1-4.
Perform: Lie down on the stomach with feet together and hands directly below the shoulders. Slowly push up from this position. Then, slowly lower back down until the chest touches the ground.
Pointers: Throughout the movement, the body should remain in a straight line. The pelvis should not drop to the ground and the butt should not stick up in the air.
Decrease difficulty: Decrease difficulty by placing hands on an elevated surface such as a wall, counter top, or coffee table. The higher the surface that is pushed off from, the easier the exercise will be.
Increase difficulty: Increase difficulty by placing the feet on an elevated surface such as a book, coffee table, or couch. The higher the feet are elevated, the harder the exercise will be.
Variation: N/A.
Video Demonstration:

Wide Grip Push Ups

Muscles: Pectorals, shoulders, triceps, core.
Difficulty: 2-3.
Perform: Lie down on the stomach with feet together and hands farther than shoulder-width apart. Slowly push up from this position. Then, slowly lower back down until the chest touches the ground.
Pointers: Throughout the movement, the body should remain in a straight line. The pelvis should not drop to the ground and the butt should not stick up in the air.
Decrease difficulty: Decrease difficulty by placing hands on an elevated surface such as a wall, counter top, or coffee table. The higher the surface that is pushed off from, the easier the exercise will be.
Increase difficulty: Increase difficulty by placing feet on an elevated surface such as a book, coffee table, or couch. The higher the feet are elevated, the harder the exercise will be.
Variation: N/A.
Video Demonstration:

Narrow Grip Push Ups

Muscles: Triceps, pectorals, shoulders, core.
Difficulty: 2-4.
Perform: Lie down on the stomach with feet together and hands six inches apart. Slowly push up from this position. Then, slowly lower back down until the chest touches the ground.
Pointers: Throughout the movement, the body should remain in a straight line. The pelvis should not drop to the ground and the butt should not stick up in the air.
Decrease difficulty: Decrease difficulty by placing hands on an elevated surface such as a wall, counter top, or coffee table. The higher the surface that is pushed off from, the easier the exercise will be.
Increase difficulty: Increase difficulty by placing feet on an elevated surface such as a book, coffee table, or couch. The higher the feet are elevated, the harder the exercise will be.
Variation: N/A.
Video Demonstration:

Bouncing Push Ups

Muscles: Pectorals, triceps, deltoids, core.
Difficulty: 3.
Perform: Lie down on the stomach with feet together and hands directly below shoulders. Now, push up with enough explosive power so that the hands come off the ground at the top of the movement.
Pointers: Throughout the movement, the body should remain in a straight line. The pelvis should not drop to the ground and the butt should not stick up in the air.
Decrease difficulty: Decrease difficulty by placing the hands on an elevated surface such as a wall, counter top, or coffee table. The higher the surface that is pushed off from, the easier the exercise will be.
Increase difficulty: Increase difficulty by placing feet on an elevated surface such as a book, coffee table, or couch. The higher the feet are elevated, the harder the exercise will be.
Variation: N/A.
Video Demonstration:

Dive Bomber Push Ups

Muscles: Pectorals, triceps, deltoids, core.
Difficulty: 3-4.
Perform: Kneel on the ground with feet hip-width apart and place hands on the ground shoulder-width apart. Now, raise onto the toes and raise the hips as high as possible so that the body is in the shape of an inverted V. Next, keep the legs straight while the hips are lowered back towards the ground. Allow the arms to bend as the body is pushed forward and allow the chest to nearly graze the floor. Then, push the body forward until the arms are fully extended. At this point, the face should be looking forward and above the rest of the body. Hold this position and then reverse direction until back in the inverted V position.
Pointers: Keep the back flat, arms and legs straight, and knees unlocked.
Decrease difficulty: N/A.
Increase difficulty: N/A.
Variation: N/A.
Video Demonstration:

Pike Push Ups

Muscles: Shoulders, triceps.
Difficulty: 2-4.
Perform: Stand with feet together. Now, bend over and place hands on the ground in front of the body, about five hand lengths away from the toes. Keep the arms shoulder-width apart. Next, bend at the hips to form a 90-degree angle between the torso and legs. Then, bend the arms at the elbow, keep the back straight and butt in the air, and lower the body until the head is a couple inches from the ground between the hands. Push the body forward and try to get the legs to be as straight as they can. Then, push the body back up to the starting position.
Pointers: N/A.
Decrease difficulty: N/A.
Increase difficulty: Increase difficulty by placing hands on a raised surface so that the head can come down beneath the hands.
Variation: N/A.
Video Demonstration:

Overhead Press

Muscles: Shoulders, traps, triceps.
Difficulty: 1-4.
Perform: For this exercise, a heavy household item, such as a backpack or bag of books, will be needed. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and bring the heavy household item to the chest. Keep the abs tight and back straight and press the item straight over the head until the arms are locked. Once the item is at the top, shrug the shoulders up as high as possible and hold this position for 1-2 seconds. Lower the object back to the chest.
Pointers: Keep the wrists stacked above the elbows..
Decrease difficulty: Decrease difficulty by using a lighter item.
Increase difficulty: Increase difficulty by using a heavier item.
Variation: N/A.
Video Demonstration:

Seated Dips

Muscles: Triceps.
Difficulty: 1-3.
Perform: For this exercise, a surface, such as a chair or couch, will be needed that is about knee or waist high. Position the body with the back facing the surface and place hands on the edge of the surface, with palms down and fingers facing to the sides. Take a few steps forward until the butt is a couple inches from the surface. Now, bend at the elbows and shoulder to lower the body straight down until the upper arms are parallel to the floor. Then, push the body back up.
Pointers: To keep strain off of the shoulders, externally rotate the shoulders so that they do not point forward or collapse.
Decrease difficulty: To decrease difficulty, the knees can be bent and the feet can be closer together and flat on the floor.
Increase difficulty: To increase difficulty, use a lower surface. The lower the surface is, the more difficult the exercise will be.
Variation: N/A.
Video Demonstration:

Side Triceps Extensions

Muscles: Triceps, minor focus on obliques.
Difficulty: 3.
Perform: Lie down on the left side with the body in a straight line. Grab the right shoulder with the left hand. Place the right hand on the ground so that the fingers are below the right shoulder and pointed towards the head. Bend at the waist and push the body off of the ground until the right arm is straight. Lower the body back to the starting position and then switch sides.
Pointers: Looking at the feet as the body is lowered towards the ground can help to keep the neck in a neutral position.
Decrease difficulty: N/A.
Increase difficulty: N/A
Variation: N/A.
Video Demonstration:

Resources: Below are additional resources that may help someone to build strength by using bodyweights.

Books

You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises by Mark Lauren and Joshua Clark

Websites

The website of Mark Lauren, containing paid courses and free bodyweight videos

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