Triceps: moves, progressions and balance

Set up. Sit on the edge of a bench and place your hands beside your hips, fingers forward. Slide your hips off the bench with your feet on the floor in front of you.

1. Bend your elbows to lower your hips toward the floor.
2. Stop when your upper arms are about level with the floor.
3. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your back close to the bench.
• Keep the shoulders down.
• Bend the knees to make it easier.

Common mistakes

• Dropping too deep so the shoulders roll forward.
• Letting the hips drift away from the bench.

Set up. Get into a push-up position with your hands close together under your chest, index fingers and thumbs forming a diamond.

1. Brace your body in a straight line.
2. Lower your chest toward your hands, elbows close to your sides.
3. Push back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows tucked.
• Keep the hips level.
• Lower to the hands.

Common mistakes

• Flaring the elbows.
• Letting the hips sag.

Set up. Attach a bar or rope to a high cable. Stand close, grip it and tuck your elbows against your sides with the forearms raised.

1. Push the handle down until your arms are straight.
2. Squeeze the triceps at the bottom.
3. Let the handle rise under control until the forearms are just past level.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows pinned to your sides.
• Keep the torso still.
• Move only at the elbows.

Common mistakes

• Leaning over the bar to push with body weight.
• Letting the elbows move forward and back.

Set up. Attach a rope to a cable. Face away from the machine with the rope held behind your head, elbows bent and pointing forward, in a split stance.

1. Straighten your arms to extend the rope forward and up.
2. Squeeze the triceps at the end.
3. Bend the elbows to return under control.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows pointing forward.
• Keep the ribs down.
• Feel the stretch behind the arm.

Common mistakes

• Letting the elbows flare wide.
• Arching the lower back.

Set up. Sit or stand holding one dumbbell with both hands under its top end, arms straight overhead.

1. Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head.
2. Stop at a comfortable stretch.
3. Straighten your arms to lift it back up.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows pointing up.
• Keep the ribs down.
• Move slowly at the bottom.

Common mistakes

• Flaring the elbows out.
• Arching the back.

Set up. Adjust the seat so your elbows line up with the pivot and your upper arms rest on the pad. Grip the handles with the elbows bent.

1. Straighten your arms against the handles.
2. Squeeze the triceps at the end.
3. Return under control.

Form cues

• Keep the upper arms on the pad.
• Move only at the elbows.
• Keep the shoulders down.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the elbows off the pad.
• Using a shortened range.

Set up. Attach a single handle to a high cable. Stand close and hold it in one hand with the elbow bent and tucked at your side.

1. Push the handle down until the arm is straight.
2. Squeeze at the bottom.
3. Return under control.
4. Switch sides after the set.

Form cues

• Keep the elbow at your side.
• Keep the torso still.
• Use a full range.

Common mistakes

• Leaning over the handle.
• Letting the elbow move.

Set up. Set a cable low with a single handle. Hinge forward with a flat back, holding it in one hand with the upper arm against your side and the elbow bent.

1. Straighten your arm behind you.
2. Squeeze the triceps at the end.
3. Return under control.
4. Switch sides after the set.

Form cues

• Keep the upper arm still and parallel to the floor.
• Move only at the elbow.
• Use a light weight.

Common mistakes

• Swinging the upper arm.
• Rounding the back.

Set up. Lie on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with the arms straight over your chest, palms facing each other.

1. Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbells beside your head.
2. Keep the upper arms still.
3. Straighten your arms to lift them back up.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows pointing up.
• Lower slowly.
• Keep the wrists firm.

Common mistakes

• Flaring the elbows.
• Pressing instead of extending.

Take care. Use a weight you fully control, since the dumbbells travel beside your head.

Set up. Lie on a flat bench under the bar and grip it about shoulder width apart. Set your shoulder blades back and your feet flat.

1. Unrack the bar and hold it over your chest.
2. Lower it to your lower chest, keeping the elbows close to your sides.
3. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows tucked.
• Keep the wrists straight.
• Touch the chest lightly.

Common mistakes

• Gripping so narrow that the wrists bend.
• Flaring the elbows.

Take care. Use a spotter or set safety arms when the weight is heavy.

Set up. Lie on a flat bench holding a barbell or EZ-bar with a narrow overhand grip, arms straight over your chest.

1. Bend your elbows to lower the bar toward your forehead or just behind your head.
2. Keep your upper arms still.
3. Straighten your arms to press the bar back up.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows pointing at the ceiling.
• Lower slowly.
• Keep the wrists firm.

Common mistakes

• Flaring the elbows out.
• Turning it into a press by moving the upper arms.

Take care. Use a weight you fully control, since the bar travels toward your face, and ask a spotter for heavier sets.

Set up. Lie on a flat bench with your eyes under the bar and your feet flat on the floor. Grip the bar a little wider than shoulder width and squeeze your shoulder blades together and down.

1. Lift the bar out of the rack and hold it over your shoulders with straight arms.
2. Lower it under control to your lower chest, elbows angled out at roughly forty-five degrees from your body.
3. Touch the chest lightly without bouncing.
4. Press the bar back up and slightly back until it sits over your shoulders again.

Form cues

• Keep your shoulder blades pinned to the bench.
• Drive your feet into the floor.
• Keep your wrists stacked over your elbows.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing the bar off the chest.
• Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides.

Take care. Use a spotter or set the rack's safety arms just below chest height when you work near your limit.

Set up. Set the bench to a low incline and lie back with your eyes under the bar. Grip slightly wider than your shoulders and set your shoulder blades back and down.

1. Unrack the bar and hold it over your upper chest with straight arms.
2. Lower it under control to the top of your chest, just below the collarbones.
3. Pause lightly without resting the bar on you.
4. Press back up to straight arms over your shoulders.

Form cues

• Keep your upper back tight against the bench.
• Lower to the upper chest, not the throat.
• Keep your forearms vertical.

Common mistakes

• Setting the bench so steep it becomes a shoulder press.
• Lifting the hips off the seat to finish a rep.

Take care. Use a spotter or safety arms when the weight is heavy, since the bar travels over your face and neck.

Set up. Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each thigh, then lie back and bring them up beside your chest. Plant your feet and pull your shoulder blades together.

1. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight over your shoulders.
2. Lower them under control to the sides of your chest, elbows angled slightly in.
3. Stop when you feel a stretch across the chest.
4. Press back up, letting the dumbbells come a little closer together at the top.

Form cues

• Move both arms at the same speed.
• Keep your wrists straight over your elbows.
• Keep your back set on the bench.

Common mistakes

• Dropping the dumbbells too low and losing control at the bottom.
• Clanking the dumbbells together at the top.

Set up. Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders and step your feet back so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.

1. Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled back at about forty-five degrees.
3. Go down until your chest is just above the floor.
4. Push the floor away to straighten your arms, keeping the body in one line.

Form cues

• Keep your body rigid like a plank.
• Keep your hands under your shoulders.
• Lower the chest, not the head.

Common mistakes

• Letting the hips sag or pike up.
• Doing half reps that stop well above the floor.

Set up. Grip the parallel bars and jump or step up to straight arms, shoulders over your hands. Lean your torso slightly forward.

1. Bend your elbows and lower your body under control.
2. Go down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, or as far as your shoulders are comfortable.
3. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears.
• Lean forward a little to bring in more chest.
• Move slowly at the bottom.

Common mistakes

• Dropping too deep and letting the shoulders roll forward.
• Swinging the legs to get up.

Take care. Stop the set if the front of the shoulder hurts at the bottom, and use a shorter range or an assisted machine.

Set up. Stand with the bar on the front of your shoulders, hands just outside shoulder width and feet about hip width apart. Squeeze your glutes and brace your stomach.

1. Press the bar straight up, moving your head back slightly to let it pass.
2. Bring your head through once the bar passes your forehead.
3. Lock out with the bar over the middle of your feet.
4. Lower under control to the front of your shoulders.

Form cues

• Keep the ribs down and the glutes tight.
• Press in a straight line.
• Keep your wrists over your elbows.

Common mistakes

• Leaning far back to push the bar up.
• Pressing the bar out in front of the face.

Set up. Sit on a bench with an upright back support, or stand, holding a dumbbell at each shoulder with palms forward.

1. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight overhead.
2. Let them come slightly together at the top.
3. Lower under control to shoulder height.

Form cues

• Keep your back against the pad if seated.
• Keep the wrists stacked over the elbows.
• Brace your stomach.

Common mistakes

• Arching the lower back to finish the press.
• Lowering only partway.

Set up. Lie on a decline bench with your legs hooked under the pads and your eyes under the bar. Grip a little wider than your shoulders.

1. Unrack the bar and hold it over your chest with straight arms.
2. Lower it under control to your lower chest.
3. Touch lightly without bouncing.
4. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your shoulder blades pulled back.
• Lower to the bottom of the chest.
• Keep the bar path smooth and controlled.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing the bar.
• Unracking or reracking without help, which is awkward from a head-down position.

Take care. Use a spotter to hand off and take the bar, since the head-down position makes racking awkward.

Set up. Set the bench to a low incline, sit with a dumbbell on each thigh, and lie back with them beside your upper chest.

1. Press the dumbbells up over your upper chest until your arms are straight.
2. Lower them under control to the sides of your upper chest.
3. Stop at a comfortable stretch.
4. Press back up, bringing the dumbbells slightly together at the top.

Form cues

• Keep your shoulder blades back and down.
• Keep your elbows slightly in from straight out.
• Press up over the upper chest, not the face.

Common mistakes

• Setting the incline too steep.
• Losing control of the dumbbells at the bottom.

Set up. Adjust the seat so the handles line up with the middle of your chest. Sit back against the pad with your feet flat and grip the handles.

1. Push the handles forward until your arms are almost straight.
2. Pause briefly without locking your elbows hard.
3. Let the handles come back under control until you feel a stretch in the chest.

Form cues

• Keep your back against the pad.
• Keep your shoulders down.
• Control the return.

Common mistakes

• Setting the seat too low or high so the shoulders take over.
• Letting the weight stack slam between reps.