tricep strength training for women

RECowgill

Point was... this comment you made "If people could only learn to lift under direct supervision, there'd be A LOT of people who lift now that would never have attempted it." which is false. There is a A LOT of people who can' t lift correctly. Just because someone can lift doesn't mean they're doing it right. that's my point.

This poster is misinformed.

First you start trying to tear down rippetoe. I'm sorry I will take his expertise over yours any day.

There are lots of random people on the internet who think they know better than mark rippetoe. They don't.

Then you say something factually wrong: that people need to do lifting basics before doing barbell work. Excuse me, but what do you think lifting basics are? The foundation for all lifting is the barbell. Full stop. This is where people should start so they can build real strength, then decide where they want to go ultimately.

What do you think lifting basics are, machines? Machines teach you nothing about lifting fundamentals. A person can have bad form on a machine just as easily as anywhere else, and have as much injury too. The isolation work won't give them a strong foundation for all other lifts.

For the record I didn't start with the barbell, but I wish I had. I started with dumbbells and bodyweight exercises, and eventually discovered barbell lifting. I would have been better off starting with the barbell though. It was my lack of knowledge and experience that had me using other stuff first.

Anyone serious about lifting should start with stronglifts 5x5 and learn lifting fundamentals the right way, with the barbell. I'm entirely self taught, I study and research, and I practice good form. Watch videos of Rippetoe instructing people on proper deadlifting form, a lot of good knowledge there. Machines are actually for when you want to do some specific muscle isolation sculpting, which is fine to incorporate after you've built your foundation with functional barbell work.

__freckles__

<---Went to a personal trainer to learn proper form when I began lifting weights last year. Then read Starting Strength and learned more than I did in any of my PT sessions. Wish I had saved my money and just read the book.

Just checking in.

__freckles__

<---Went to a personal trainer to learn proper form when I began lifting weights last year. Then read Starting Strength and learned more than I did in any of my PT sessions. Wish I had saved my money and just read the book.

Just checking in.

Real happy for you that you got a personal trainer. I am sure they taught you what reps are, sets, how to contract the working muscles, keep everything symetrical, breathing ETC... glad it helped you get started in to big multijoint movements.

I only went to 4 sessions. She taught me improper form on the big lifts and wanted me to focus on machines. Glad I quit going once I read the book. Pretty much started over from scratch and taught myself how to lift.

EvgeniZyntx

this is the last time im going to post something so no worries i'll take my lack of common sense somewhere else

Maybe I seen you around and notice you where a bit rude yourself to people...

yeah for good reason. i never would just immediately make someone feel dumb for asking a question. I sure do get angry with people who are just senselessly rude

No one can make you feel anything over the internet. That'd be all on you taking it how you decide to take it.

You guys/gals need to all stop telling other people how to feel. I deal with drunk a holes for a living in a dive bar where I remove knives from train tramps and crackheads and pretty much the people on the internet have a lot more balls in being blatantly rude for no reason, probably because they'd get knocked out in RL. It's cute.

Does it make me feel bad? No, except I feel bad for the people doing it because they must have a lot of unresolved issues in RL if they have so little compassion that they have to get high on dishing out snark for no reason behind a computer screen. Sad.

You're a white knight in real life too?

OP - stick to a general lifting program - specific tricep work can be added if you want it but the "toning" you are looking for will be best served by any upper body lift that uses the arms. Triceps need very little specific work from a physiological point for a beginner. Weight loss and good program will be a better use of your time than just focusing on small muscles in your arms (IMHO)

RECowgill

Point was... this comment you made "If people could only learn to lift under direct supervision, there'd be A LOT of people who lift now that would never have attempted it." which is false. There is a A LOT of people who can' t lift correctly. Just because someone can lift doesn't mean they're doing it right. that's my point.

This poster is misinformed.

First you start trying to tear down rippetoe. I'm sorry I will take his expertise over yours any day.

There are lots of random people on the internet who think they know better than mark rippetoe. They don't.

Then you say something factually wrong: that people need to do lifting basics before doing barbell work. Excuse me, but what do you think lifting basics are? The foundation for all lifting is the barbell. Full stop. This is where people should start so they can build real strength, then decide where they want to go ultimately.

What do you think lifting basics are, machines? Machines teach you nothing about lifting fundamentals. A person can have bad form on a machine just as easily as anywhere else, and have as much injury too. The isolation work won't give them a strong foundation for all other lifts.

For the record I didn't start with the barbell, but I wish I had. I started with dumbbells and bodyweight exercises, and eventually discovered barbell lifting. I would have been better off starting with the barbell though. It was my lack of knowledge and experience that had me using other stuff first.

Anyone serious about lifting should start with stronglifts 5x5 and learn lifting fundamentals the right way, with the barbell. I'm entirely self taught, I study and research, and I practice good form. Watch videos of Rippetoe instructing people on proper deadlifting form, a lot of good knowledge there. Machines are actually for when you want to do some specific muscle isolation sculpting, which is fine to incorporate after you've built your foundation with functional barbell work.

On Rippetoe I was saying he's biased. I never said he didn't know what he was talking about in terms of lifting.

You're right, we can have just as much injury with dumbells and machines. I rather have an injury doing a dumbell press, or a leg press, than having a few hundred pounds crashing down on my chest breaking my sternum or my back. See my point? Oh btw I injured my back really bad for a month doing deadlifting. and this was after I have been lifting for a while and read rippetoes book.

People don't wake up one day and say, "hey I am deciding I am going to do power lifting exercises." Doesn't work that way. They need a solid foundation. I do agree that barbells are good, and can develop a good foundation. But the issue is someone who has never picked up a weight in their entire life. You think they should be doing power lifting exercises? Not the best idea.

We have different experiences. Worst injury I had was on a machine using bad form. I have a bad back and do heavy deadlifting all the time. Deadlifts haven't hurt me, they've helped quite a bit.

Should someone who never picked up a weight in their life do barbell exercises? Yes! They should start with the 5 barbell foundation exercises and just do those. Those moves are the bench press, the squat, deadlift, bent over row and overhead press. Anyone and everyone can and should do them. There's no reason you can't, and learning them informs everything else you will do.

You act like those strength training exercises belong only to powerlifting. The barbell basics are, in fact, strength training moves. They are the basis for any particular discipline a person eventually wants to get into, whether its crossfit, powerlifting, bodybuilding or whatever. The best bodybuilders for instance, were all powerlifters. Because anybody who wants to build real, functional strength needs to do those barbell exercises. And definitely, preferably as the first thing they learn. To learn something else first is just wasting time.

To put it another way, nobody who starts lifting is gonna have an informed goal in mind. You can ask them what their goals are, but its always half-nonsensical and ill informed. Something like "toning" or "lose weight" or "I want to be a bodybuilder" etc, but they don't know what they're talking about. People often think bodybuilder means weightlifter, it doesn't. People don't really know the differences, and they don't really know the best ways to lose fat, or even to know that should be their goal as opposed to "lose weight". The often think cardio is a must. The amount of misinformation and lack of knowledge out there is staggering.

But the one thing they should all do is build functional strength and learn the foundations of lifting. And that is done with a barbell and the 5 moves. Wherever their goals eventually develop, whatever they eventually get informed and educated about, being comfortable with and learning good form with the 5 basic exercises will serve them well. It will help them with any goal, any sport, any target for their own body.

It's been said before but it needs to be reiterated, there is no male or female lifting. There is just lifting for humans. The 5 barbell exercises cover every part of the body, anything else you choose to do past that is just nuance. It's you expanding your knowledge and experience. But start with the foundation because the sooner you learn it the more easily you will master it. The 5 exercises have a lot of subtleties to them, a person can do them for decades and not know everything about them. The sooner a person starts the better off they will be.

RECowgill

I rather have an injury doing a dumbell press, or a leg press, than having a few hundred pounds crashing down on my chest breaking my sternum or my back. See my point?

This one almost slipped by me.

No I'm afraid I don't see your point.

You can bench a few hundred pounds? Is that your squat? If not why are you worried about hypotheticals that wouldn't happen to you?

Why would a person who is a practiced, accomplished lifter (you'd have to be to be benching or squatting 300+ lbs) be lifting something their body can't handle? You don't blame the barbell for their idiocy.

Besides a person who could bench or squat 300lbs would not be a beginner anyway. They're at least intermediate, and outside the scope of the concern of what new lifters might do.

RECowgill

I rather have an injury doing a dumbell press, or a leg press, than having a few hundred pounds crashing down on my chest breaking my sternum or my back. See my point?

This one almost slipped by me.

No I'm afraid I don't see your point.

You can bench a few hundred pounds? Is that your squat? If not why are you worried about hypotheticals that wouldn't happen to you?

Why would a person who is a practiced, accomplished lifter (you'd have to be to be benching or squatting 300+ lbs) be lifting something their body can't handle? You don't blame the barbell for their idiocy.

Besides a person who could bench or squat 300lbs would not be a beginner anyway. They're at least intermediate, and outside the scope of the concern of what new lifters might do.

The weight is relative. For her(the op) of course it would be less.

Right and for a new lifter, like the OP, it would not be 300lbs. It would be the bar, 45lbs, or less. Either way, nothing would come 'crashing down' on her back or sternum with only 10-45lbs of weight.

neandermagnon

I handled dumping a barbell on the floor (rubber plates) and the "roll of shame" as a beginner. It's easy, you just look up how to do that. There's a first time for everything, for everyone. You don't need to be experienced to learn how to do these things. No-one's experienced the first time they do anything.

And to continue with what RECowgill's saying...... no-one should be lifting weights they can't handle. If a beginner is trying to bench 300lb the first time they ever try a bench press then that's just f-ing stupid. No-one, anywhere on this thread, has said that. Barbells don't have to be heavy. You can get very light barbells. I used to train using a barbell that was just 13lb. I had to add a bunch of plates to it just to start Stronglifts. I have good genetics though (naturally strong) so the starting Stronglifts weights were fine for me - someone who's never done any strength training in their life and is genetically predisposed to have small muscles can start with stronglifts, they just use a lighter barbell. The programme tells you to start with a weight that's very easy to practice form. You only add weight to the bar after you've got the hang of them at that weight. If the suggested weights (45lb empty bar for most of them, a bit heavier for pendlays and deadlifts) - then use a lighter bar. Or even a broom handle if there's no barbell light enough. Point is you learn the movements with a weight that feels very light and easy to handle. When you've learned the movements, you then start adding weights, just 5lb at a time (or less if you prefer - especially if you're female for the upper body lifts)... and slowly you build up your strength.

At no point are you trying to handle weights that are too heavy for you to handle such that you risk a crushed sternum and broken ribs. Also, a spotter or safety bars can prevent that and are a good idea even when you're lifting weights that you can handle, just in case. And beginners absolutely should learn what to do if they get stuck at the bottom of a squat and how to do the "roll of shame" - there's no reason at all why someone can't learn this as a beginner. I did. And used them. They're not difficult, they're common sense. As I said, no-one who is following any of the beginner barbell training programmes like stronglifts or starting strength properly will be using weights that are too heavy for them to handle. If they are then they're doing it wrong.

RECowgill

On point, my biggest reason I said "it's not for beginners" was more for safety reasons than anything else. If I was going to recommend something, I'd recommend 5x5, due to the progression scheme. I think that's the safest way to go. Yet i still can't see a beginner knowing how to get the bar out of a squat rack safety. Getting out under a bar during a bench press if you can't lift it(a roll out). I'd bet my money on the some of the people above who recommended Starting Strength don't even know what a roll out is. I don't recall the over head press being in Starting Strength...

So if I was going for a recommendation, it would be 5x5 for a compound movement based exercise. Also with the big compound movements, we have the issue of a persons goals and rep ranges, which is another story, stabilization, in NASM the fundamentals of resistance training starts with stabilization. There are no compound movements in this phase. After the stabilization phase is the strength phase, this is where compound movements can be found. The stabilization phase is about maximizing the signals from the brain to the muscles.

ETA: just watched one of your youtube videos. You probably have more experience lifting the the people who recommend Starting Strength, . You greatly defended Rippetoe, I am sure you have read his book and watched his videos more then the people above. You probably read his book a few times...

Did you notice your leaning on your right leg when you do the exercise with a dumbell that involves the squat? Also when you dead lift you're leaning forward?

Point in case. Also the barbells locked should be used. I see a ton of people make this mistake. As you know, as you lift the plates move a little. This movement will make the bar unsymmetrical. Sometimes I see like plates 1/8-1/4inch farther out then where it was placed. This issue can cause a big change in lever leading to imbalances and injuries.

We might have some agreement there, cause I would skip all others and go straight to recommending StrongLifts 5x5. It's free and does everything important. Other sources and books can be fine, but I find them to be too complex. If you are new just do StrongLifts and don't overthink it.

Of course a beginner isn't going to know how to do a bench correctly or squat correctly, they need to learn! Whatever their preferred learning method is, whether its the internet, a book or a PT, its the first thing they should learn. That is a lifting basic, its a fundamental. A person will learn stabilization, strength and muscular adaptation doing barbell exercises. They don't have to worry about rep ranges, StrongLifts has that covered.

Of course I don't have perfect form on my lifts. I am all the time still learning and researching. As I said before a person could squat and deadlift for decades and still not do them perfectly, they are very difficult to master. I have actually only been compound lifting for a little less than 1.5 years.

neandermagnon

ETA: just watched one of your youtube videos. You probably have more experience lifting the the people who recommend Starting Strength, . You greatly defended Rippetoe, I am sure you have read his book and watched his videos more then the people above. You probably read his book a few times...

Did you notice your leaning on your right leg when you do the exercise with a dumbell that involves the squat? Also when you dead lift you're leaning forward?

Point in case. Also the barbells locked should be used. I see a ton of people make this mistake. As you know, as you lift the plates move a little. This movement will make the bar unsymmetrical. Sometimes I see like plates 1/8-1/4inch farther out then where it was placed. This issue can cause a big change in lever leading to imbalances and injuries.

Nitpicking someone's form does not prove your point. People have to learn form and it's a process that takes time and practice. It doesn't matter whether you start barbell training with a 10lb barbell or whether you do machine exercises until you can handle a 100lb barbell - the first time you start barbell training, you're a beginner and have to learn form. Frankly, the risk of injury is much less with a 10lb barbell than with a 100lb barbell. And machine exercises do not teach you how to lift a barbell. It's better to start very light and work up and there's no need to do other exercises to "prepare" you for a barbell. Do you do exercises to prepare yourself for lifting a baby, a handbag, lifting things off the floor and putting them in cupboards...? no. If they're too heavy you get help. Or you start lifting light boxes and when you get stronger from that you can handle heavier boxes... or you start lifting your baby as a 7lb newborn and the baby just gets heavier and before you even know it you're lugging around a 30lb toddler.... barbell training's no different. Start with light barbells and gradually increase the weight and then you end up being able to lift heavy barbells. And learning the correct form is mostly done when the barbells are very light, but obviously you're not going to be perfect and you'll need to make form adjustments as you go along.

All exercise has a risk of injury - barbell training done the stronglifts way has a pretty low risk compared to a lot of sports. You can't eliminate risk completely. You risk getting killed every time you travel by car. But people still do it. They learn how to drive safely and have stuff like side impact bars, seatbelts and air bags in their car. THere are lots of things like spotters, safety bars, videos that teach correct form, mirrors, video phones (so you can watch yourself and spot your own errors) friends that can watch your videos or lifting buddies in the gym, all these can reduce the risk of injury from barbell training and are totally recommended, but the idea that you have to do a bunch of lifting to prepare for barbell training is erroneous - all you're doing is delaying the beginner barbell phase until a time when a person's trying to be a beginner with heavier weights, and that's *more* likely to result in injury. Plus the fact that isolation exercises have a much greater risk in terms of injuries caused by muscular imbalances than free weights. So really, if you're going to lift barbells, start by lifting light barbells.

kdeaux1959

To reduce fat and flab to the arms, calorie restriction is the way to go. Eat less than what you take in and flab goes away. That being said, developing your triceps will certainly help you gain strength and make firm up the muscle (aka - tone)... There are many exercises to help with this including:

1. Tricep machine
2. Skull Crushers
3. pull down exercises on the cable machine
4. weighted punches off the cable machine

Non-isolation exercises that affect the triceps are:
5. Bench press
6. Chest Press
7. Most shoulder exercises such as military press

In essence, any exercise that adds resistance to an exercise that is based upon a contraction of the tricep will help with toning that muscle.

Best wishes on attaining your goals

crystalblair2355

These are great for your triceps...

^^^YES they are i agree!!! also tire flips are also good for arms!!

zericaaaaa

wow everybody wanted to quote everybody! lol!!!

kickbacks are good with weights (5-10 lbs)
pushups keeping your elbow in by your sides are awesome!


If you have access to Jillian Michaels dvds use them! she cover every part of your body!

Oh, yeah, you can't spot reduce, but you CAN target muscle areas… some peole over use that phrase, "You can't spot reduce" like it's gonna make them sound smart or something… :P

have fun!!! getting fit and healthy is great!!!

thank you! i'll definitely add those to the list. haven't been able to do push ups in years so that'll be one of my new goals

jimmmer

On point, my biggest reason I said "it's not for beginners" was more for safety reasons than anything else. If I was going to recommend something, I'd recommend 5x5, due to the progression scheme. I think that's the safest way to go. Yet i still can't see a beginner knowing how to get the bar out of a squat rack safety. Getting out under a bar during a bench press if you can't lift it(a roll out). I'd bet my money on the some of the people above who recommended Starting Strength don't even know what a roll out is. I don't recall the over head press being in Starting Strength...

So if I was going for a recommendation, it would be 5x5 for a compound movement based exercise. Also with the big compound movements, we have the issue of a persons goals and rep ranges, which is another story, stabilization, in NASM the fundamentals of resistance training starts with stabilization. There are no compound movements in this phase. After the stabilization phase is the strength phase, this is where compound movements can be found. The stabilization phase is about maximizing the signals from the brain to the muscles.

ETA: just watched one of your youtube videos. You probably have more experience lifting the the people who recommend Starting Strength, . You greatly defended Rippetoe, I am sure you have read his book and watched his videos more then the people above. You probably read his book a few times...

Did you notice your leaning on your right leg when you do the exercise with a dumbell that involves the squat? Also when you dead lift you're leaning forward?

Point in case. Also the barbells locked should be used. I see a ton of people make this mistake. As you know, as you lift the plates move a little. This movement will make the bar unsymmetrical. Sometimes I see like plates 1/8-1/4inch farther out then where it was placed. This issue can cause a big change in lever leading to imbalances and injuries.

We might have some agreement there, cause I would skip all others and go straight to recommending StrongLifts 5x5. It's free and does everything important. Other sources and books can be fine, but I find them to be too complex. If you are new just do StrongLifts and don't overthink it.

Of course a beginner isn't going to know how to do a bench correctly or squat correctly, they need to learn! Whatever their preferred learning method is, whether its the internet, a book or a PT, its the first thing they should learn. That is a lifting basic, its a fundamental. A person will learn stabilization, strength and muscular adaptation doing barbell exercises. They don't have to worry about rep ranges, StrongLifts has that covered.

Of course I don't have perfect form on my lifts. I am all the time still learning and researching. As I said before a person could squat and deadlift for decades and still not do them perfectly, they are very difficult to master. I have actually only been compound lifting for a little less than 1.5 years.

Yes you're right, I am also making a mountain out of a mole hill. Not many people have perfect form. I know I don't. I guess I'll get to the point directly. My concern with Starting Strength is that if I remember correctly, It was a moderate to heavy read. Some people have the attention span of a gnat, more now a days.Also if she does read it, she will see some big guys, some weird stuff, that just might intimidate her and put her off. Basically demotivate her. I just basically told her, "learn to lift" or something along those lines. There are many ways to learn, you can learn by watching, you don't necessarily need to read.


And honestly, people on this site, many of them want quick results, they come and they go. The experienced members are still here for a reason. They put in the time, they put in the work. A lot of people don't. A lot of time I have seen stuff I write on my wall advice/tips yet then I see a post of someone complaining about the issue I just addressed. They mostly want to be spoon fed. I doubt the OP is still even reading this discussion. I guess what I am trying to say, I don't think this will end well over all. Hopefully I am wrong, but from what I have seen, I doubt it.

Just trying to prevent them from being demotivated by that book. It's a good book to read for form.

Because reading is hard and stuff?

Seriously, stop digging.

Starting strength is a great description of what you need to know as a beginner form-wise and also progression-wise.

Not everybody is going to pay attention, do enough research. Many people will think they are fabulous and don't care enough to seek out what they need to know. Not everybody is going to stick with weight training. That's a fact. And it's okay. Really it is. It doesn't actually matter.

But if you are going to do it, you may as well learn properly and SS is a great resource. Hopefully, you'll continue to care and to learn and to seek out new information. ****, it might even do you some good. Fancy that!

zericaaaaa

Gee, the first page wasn't harsh or mean at all, and the OP already flounced.
Wow. Talk about oversensitive. :ohwell:

In addition to the "you can't spot reduce" advice, and "do tricep dips", I'll add that you should always work opposing muscle groups.
If you do triceps, also do biceps.
Quads & glutes / hamstrings.
Situps & back extensions.
Front & back flys.

thank you for your suggestions! and yes I'm super duper sensitive as well as extremely naïve.