We all want sculpted arms – but working the biceps and shoulders isn't always enough. Actually, it's never enough. Working on your triceps is essential for those who want to reach Chris Hemsworth-like arm girth, and this workout can get you there sooner than doing triceps dips only. But it's not just about looks, though!
Working on your triceps – or triceps brachii – can enable you to enjoy better elbow health as the tendons and bones around the elbow joint strengthen. Added to this, your shoulders will benefit from tricep exercises, as developing the long head of your triceps will assist the shoulders' movement and stability. Finally, stronger triceps will enhance your sports performance as many sports require elbow extension.
You'll need a set of dumbbells for this workout, and it would be even better if you had a couple of adjustable dumbbells in your workout gear arsenal. Haven't got any? No problem! Check out T3's best dumbbell and best adjustable dumbbell guides, and pick one that best suits your workout goals. Without further ado, let's do this workout!
In this workout by fitness experts HASFIT, we are taken through several dumbbell exercises that will be performed as a superset, with the dumbbell weight slightly increasing after each completed set. This workout will be mostly non-stop, with a short rest in between as you adjust your dumbbell weight. The exercises are:
- Warm-up
- Diamond push-ups (8 reps x 4 sets with a 10-second rest in between each set)
- Superset 1
- Benched dumbbell tricep extension with a 3:1 tempo (1 set x 12 reps)
- Dumbell narrow press 3:1 tempo (1 set x 12 reps)
- Superset 2
- Benched dumbbell tricep extension 3:1 tempo (1 set x 10 reps)
- Dumbell narrow press 3:1 tempo (1 set x 10 reps)
- Superset 3
- Benched dumbbell tricep extension 3:1 tempo (1 set x 8 reps)
- Dumbell narrow press 3:1 tempo (1 set x 8 reps)
- Superset 4
- Seated bent-over triceps kickback (1 set x 12 reps)
- Dumbbell elbow out extension (1 set x 12 reps)
- Superset 5
- Seated bent-over triceps kickback (1 set x 10 reps)
- Dumbbell elbow out extension (1 set x 10 reps)
- Superset 6
- Seated bent-over triceps kickback (1 set x 8 reps)
- Dumbbell elbow out extension (1 set x 8 reps)
- Last push
- Tabata triceps popups/from knees (4 sets x 20 seconds on/10 seconds off)
If you enjoyed this workout and would like to try another similar one, we have a 10-minute, light dumbbell arm workout for you to check out. There is also Natalie Portman’s Thor workout if you think you're up for a challenge! Lastly, if you’re experiencing discomfort or even injury from your shoulder workouts, then we recommend reading these 14 shoulder workout tips from CrossFit Athlete Marcus Filly.
If you are feeling fatigued and struggling to recover from your workouts, then you may need to consider adding one of the best protein powder supplements to your diet to galvanise you back into action. We recommend the best mass gainers for those who want to pack some weight with their triceps workouts.