Triceps

jhall585
jhall585 Posts: 61
in Fitness and Exercise
I do it all in the gym - kickbacks, dips, variations on push ups etc etc, but I still can't seem to get my tricep to pop. Am I missing something? Am I genetically cursed? Any advice would help.

Replies

  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
    eat more
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    What does your workout routine look like?
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    how much of a calorie surplus are you eating? Are you progressively loading?
    Tried bench/close grip bench? Tricep rope push downs?
  • Easywider
    Easywider Posts: 434 Member
    They'll grow, give them time. Stick with your dips, french press, close-grip bench, diamond pushups, ect. Steady, controlled, compound exercises.
  • jhall585
    jhall585 Posts: 61
    My workout is essentially some from of cardio 5 or 6x a week and strength training variety 4x a week. I don't log the majority of strength sessions or my vegetables.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    My workout is essentially some from of cardio 5 or 6x a week and strength training variety 4x a week. I don't log the majority of strength sessions or my vegetables.

    What are you doing for strength training it terms of exercises, sets and reps. More importantly, is the amount your are lifting progressively increasing?
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    Bench press + overhead press + calorie surplus are a good start.
  • jhall585
    jhall585 Posts: 61
    My workout is essentially some from of cardio 5 or 6x a week and strength training variety 4x a week. I don't log the majority of strength sessions or my vegetables.

    What are you doing for strength training it terms of exercises, sets and reps. More importantly, is the amount your are lifting progressively increasing?

    I mostly work with free weights in the gym, I have a really hard time keeping my form right with anything past 10/12 lbs.

    I usually break it up into 3 sets of 12 reps and sometimes i'll use the heavier weight on the last set.

    What i've been mostly doing are: straight arm kickbacks, bent arm kickbacks, dips on the pull up machine or on a bench, and chattarunga pushups.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    My workout is essentially some from of cardio 5 or 6x a week and strength training variety 4x a week. I don't log the majority of strength sessions or my vegetables.

    What are you doing for strength training it terms of exercises, sets and reps. More importantly, is the amount your are lifting progressively increasing?

    I mostly work with free weights in the gym, I have a really hard time keeping my form right with anything past 10/12 lbs.

    I usually break it up into 3 sets of 12 reps and sometimes i'll use the heavier weight on the last set.

    What i've been mostly doing are: straight arm kickbacks, bent arm kickbacks, dips on the pull up machine or on a bench, and chattarunga pushups.

    I would recommend decreasing the amount of reps you do to the 6-8 rep range. Increase the weight after you can do 3 sets of 8 reps.

    As fullofwin alluded to, getting stronger at pressing exercises like bench press and overhead press is going to take you a lot further than what you're doing now.

    Also, you need to be in a calorie surplus to gain muscle. If you current goal is still fat loss, you aren't going to gain much muscle right now. This isn't to say that you shouldn't be lifting, you absolutely should, just realize that muscle retention is what you are shooting for when you're in a caloric deficit, rather than muscle gains.
  • jhall585
    jhall585 Posts: 61
    My workout is essentially some from of cardio 5 or 6x a week and strength training variety 4x a week. I don't log the majority of strength sessions or my vegetables.

    What are you doing for strength training it terms of exercises, sets and reps. More importantly, is the amount your are lifting progressively increasing?

    I mostly work with free weights in the gym, I have a really hard time keeping my form right with anything past 10/12 lbs.

    I usually break it up into 3 sets of 12 reps and sometimes i'll use the heavier weight on the last set.

    What i've been mostly doing are: straight arm kickbacks, bent arm kickbacks, dips on the pull up machine or on a bench, and chattarunga pushups.

    I would recommend decreasing the amount of reps you do to the 6-8 rep range. Increase the weight after you can do 3 sets of 8 reps.

    As fullofwin alluded to, getting stronger at pressing exercises like bench press and overhead press is going to take you a lot further than what you're doing now.

    Also, you need to be in a calorie surplus to gain muscle. If you current goal is still fat loss, you aren't going to gain much muscle right now. This isn't to say that you shouldn't be lifting, you absolutely should, just realize that muscle retention is what you are shooting for when you're in a caloric deficit, rather than muscle gains.

    I guess i'm always looking to lose fat on some level, what girl isn't, but i'll give all of this advice a shot. Thanks!!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Only adding this because I didn't see it mentioned at it may be relevant: Depending on your bodyfat levels and fat distribution, the issue may not be getting the triceps to grow, it could just be that your bodyfat isn't low enough for your triceps to "pop" as you say it.
  • anil8er
    anil8er Posts: 20
    try 3 sets of dips first to get the general area awake(blood flowing/pump)

    then pinpoint the part of the tricep you want to work(burnout sets)

    3 sets of rope pull down(elbows will be in locked position causing only the triceps to work, twist your wrist outward at full extension and target the back tricep muscle,concentrate and flex the tricep at full extension 2second pause)

    3 sets of kickbacks(elbow is locked in a fixed position, bring your hand back and flex and hold your tricep for 5 seconds, do the next 9 at normal count flexing at each full extension and on the 10'th rep, once again hold a 5 second count)

    the weight should be moderate to heavy, just enough to finish your last 2 reps, remember the flexing and holding is going to burn the muscles faster causing you to barely finish your last set.( 60 second rest period between sets)

    try it...you will get results
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Only adding this because I didn't see it mentioned at it may be relevant: Depending on your bodyfat levels and fat distribution, the issue may not be getting the triceps to grow, it could just be that your bodyfat isn't low enough for your triceps to "pop" as you say it.

    ^^this

    Women can have a tendency to hold some of their fat in their upper arms so it is harder to see the muscle you have.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    Sorry, just bumping so I can look over these workout suggestions later :)
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    eat more

    ^^^ this... any time i have a frustrating strength plateau or muscle size plateau you just eat more calories and the muscles grow!!
  • jhall585
    jhall585 Posts: 61
    try 3 sets of dips first to get the general area awake(blood flowing/pump)

    then pinpoint the part of the tricep you want to work(burnout sets)

    3 sets of rope pull down(elbows will be in locked position causing only the triceps to work, twist your wrist outward at full extension and target the back tricep muscle,concentrate and flex the tricep at full extension 2second pause)

    3 sets of kickbacks(elbow is locked in a fixed position, bring your hand back and flex and hold your tricep for 5 seconds, do the next 9 at normal count flexing at each full extension and on the 10'th rep, once again hold a 5 second count)

    the weight should be moderate to heavy, just enough to finish your last 2 reps, remember the flexing and holding is going to burn the muscles faster causing you to barely finish your last set.( 60 second rest period between sets)

    try it...you will get results

    Did this yesterday. Awesome!
  • jhall585
    jhall585 Posts: 61
    Only adding this because I didn't see it mentioned at it may be relevant: Depending on your bodyfat levels and fat distribution, the issue may not be getting the triceps to grow, it could just be that your bodyfat isn't low enough for your triceps to "pop" as you say it.

    ^^this

    Women can have a tendency to hold some of their fat in their upper arms so it is harder to see the muscle you have.

    absolutely. most of my bf is in my triceps.

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