This Light-Dumbbell Finisher Will Pump Your Triceps into Oblivion
One of the keys to adding size to your arms is building a strong, powerful set of triceps. But it's not always easy to hit your tris. Building triceps muscle means learning to squeeze your triceps, and, very often, instead of really squeezing their triceps, people just lock out their elbow instead.
A key way to fix that, says Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is to challenge your arm to stay straight from an angle that forces it to face gravity — and that's exactly what you're doing in Samuel's kickback holds-to-reps finisher. "This is all about finding a way to create challenge in the straight-arm position," Samuel says. "The triceps is a key muscle involved in straightening your arm, but it's easy to forget that since it's so easy to just lock out our elbows."
You can't do that during the kickback holds in this finisher because of the angle of the levers involved, says Samuel. "You have to earn the straight-arm position here," he says, "and that's going to make your triceps stronger because of it."
It's all about piling up time-under-tension says Samuel. "From the angle we're going to work, you can't really just lock out your elbow and survive," says Samuel, "so your triceps wind up having to do the work."
The best part: The move works with a light weight. In fact, you can't go heavy. "Go too heavy," says Samuel, "and you're destined to cheat." You'll need a pair of dumbbells to pull off the holds-to-reps finisher. Don't have one? Check out this adjustable model from Bowflex.
Kneel on the ground, holding two lightweight dumbbells at your sides. Tighten your core and hinge your hips backwards. Squeeze your back muscles, raising your upper arms so your elbows and shoulders are on the same plane and parallel with the ground. Look at the ground. This is the starting position.
Squeeze your triceps, straightening your arms. Pause in this position, keeping your core tight, and hold for four seconds. Follow with four kickback reps.
Do a 3-second iso-hold, then do 3 kickback reps. Then a 2-second hold and 2 reps, then do a 1-second hold and 1 rep.
That's 1 set. Do 3 sets.
Expect to feel this move in more than your triceps too, says Samuel. "The position we're using, the tall kneeling position, is a challenge in and of itself," says Samuel. "And a proper kickback is going to tax your mid-back muscles since, essentially, your shoulders are in slight extension, a function of your back muscles." That means you get more bang for your buck from this move than you think, even though you're doing this move on a triceps or arm day.
Ideally, you're using this as your final triceps exercise, says Samuel. "This is a great way to finish out a triceps or push day, but it shouldn't be your first move," he says. "You're not loading enough to make this that lead exercise. But you're going to focus on form and detail, and your tris will be done at the end."
For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts. If you want to try an even more dedicated routine, consider Eb's New Rules of Muscle program.
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