Ever wanted to get the V-shape in your triceps muscles but you are not sure how? Which weight training exercises you should be doing? I am going to discuss a few of my favorite triceps exercises that will allow you to get large and sculpted triceps with an emphasis on the V shape.
I took a couple of screenshots from 1 of my exercise videos of the v shape in my triceps from two different motions when I was creating my renegade dumbbell row video to illustrate the v-shape that I am talking about.
In my workouts, I like to do a number of different triceps weight training exercises using mainly the pulley machines and rotating the exercises from week to week as well as the order of the exercises. These exercises will hit the triceps muscles from different angles and at different intensities meaning for some of these exercises you can use much heavier weights for obtaining more muscle bulk while for others, much lighter weights, more for fine tuning and sculpting the muscle.
Here are 6 of the triceps exercises that I do. I do about 3 to 4 triceps exercises per workout and rotate them on a weekly basis. For some of the exercises I already have “how to step-by-step instruction exercise pages” so I will refer you there, while for the other exercises, I will provide you with quick and easy to follow step-by-step instructions.
1. Seated Triceps Pushdown
This is done using a machine such as a LifeFitness or Hammer Strength machine.
- Before beginning the exercise, make sure that you adjust the seat to the proper level. You don’t want it too low or too high up.
- Some of these machines come with wide and close-grip options. I prefer to use the close grip. It’s a very simple exercise to do. All you do is press down on the handles (hand grips) until your arms are fully-extended downwards without completely locking the elbows, meaning the elbows stay a little bent.
- From that position you then you release and the handles will move upwards only going as far as can go - your elbows end up being in a V-shaped position. If you go too far, your arms will force your shoulders to move upwards and you don't your shoulders to move upwards.
- Also, make sure that you keep your elbows close to your sides for this exercise. You don’t want them flying out to the sides!
- Do about 4 sets of 12 repetitions.
- Breathe out as you push down and breathe in as you release.
2. Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown on pulley machine
This exercise works the triceps from a different angle. You are pushing down or pulling down using a straight bar and an underhand grip. I have described how to do this exercise here.
3. Triceps Pushdown on pulley machine
For this exercise I use an over-hand grip and I prefer to use a bar with a very slight V bend, basically a bar in-between that of a regular v-bar and a straight bar. I find it works the triceps better. Instructions on how to do this exercise can be found here.
4. Behind the Head Rope Triceps Extension on pulley machine
For this exercise I use a rope and I do this exercise on a pulley machine.
- Set the pulley machine to the proper height, the rope should hang close to your shoulder height.
- Your right leg should be outstretched and planted firmly behind you for support and your left leg bent in front of you and your body leaning forward. This lower body support will prevent you from moving the upper body as you do the exercise allowing your triceps to do most of the work.
- Grab the ends of the rope from behind and bring the rope up and over your head and directly in front of you. Breathe out as you do this movement. Both your arms are now outstretched and in front of you. I will call this the starting position.
- Now release and bring the rope back towards your ears and over the top of your head and breathe in as you do so. Remember to keep your elbows up in a straight plane and bent as far back as you can, just a little more than 90 degrees. If you go too far back the rope will pull you backwards by raising your elbows and you will not be doing the exercise properly.
- Repeat this movement by moving the rope up over your head until your arms are fully outstretched and in front of you.
- At the top of the movement I like to twist my hands outwards so that the palms end up facing outwards thus placing a little more emphasis on the triceps muscles.
- Do about 4 sets of 12 repetitions.
5. One Hand Triceps Pushdown (Pulldown)
This exercise I like to do as the final exercise for any triceps workout. It’s more of a triceps sculpting exercise and the weights that I use are much lower. It would be very tough to do this exercise with heavy weights, you would have to have huge, massive triceps muscles. For this exercise you are using a small square handle preferably and you can read my how to instructions here.
6. Seated Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension
- Find a bench with a flat back for support. Hold a dumbbell behind your head with both hands and with elbows bent and facing upwards at around the 90 degree angle.
- Bring the dumbbell up and just over your head keeping a very slight bend in your elbows at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbell with both hands to the starting position.
- Do about 4 sets of these of 10 to 12 repetitions each.
To conclude, these exercises are great bodybuilding and sculpting exercises and they will give you the V-shape in your triceps muscles. I like to vary these exercises from week to week and rotate them from week to week so that my weight training workout routine is not always the same as well as to maximize my results.
