Bodyweight Triceps Routine

Developing bigger arms or toning the upper arm only happens if you do triceps exercises. Doing them with body weight can be a great way to go.

Most think that the only way to work the triceps is by using weights. But the truth is that weight-bearing exercises are very efficient and can build muscle mass and strength.

The importance of training the triceps

The triceps is about three times the size of the biceps. However, most people spend most of their training effort developing biceps. When the arms hang down (it happens 99% of the time), the development of the triceps is what will give your arms that impressive size.

For an impressive triceps, you need to work all three heads. When fully developed, each of the three separate heads should be clearly visible. Although there are exercises that can target each of the heads of the triceps, you cannot work any of them in isolation. However, by knowing the function of each of the heads, exercises can be chosen to develop that particular part of the muscle:

  • The long head extends the shoulder. To train it, you must do movements where your hands are placed above the head.
  • The medial head is hit by vertical pressure movements, such as tricep curls and bodyweight dips.
  • The lateral head requires pressing exercises with the thumbs about six inches apart.

mujer haciendo ejercicios de tríceps con peso corporal

Bodyweight Beginner Triceps Exercises

Here are the most beneficial bodyweight triceps exercises you can do to tone and strengthen your muscles.

Reverse close grip pushups

This is an exercise to build mass in the middle of the triceps. It’s a variant of the traditional push-up that requires you to reverse your hand position and bring your hands closer together. It may take a bit of getting used to, but it’s worth a try.

  • Get on the floor, face down with your hands about 10 inches apart.
  • Keep your feet together, while maintaining a neutral spine, and straighten your arms to lift them to the top push-up position.
  • Tighten your abdomen and keep your butt aligned with your torso. Stare straight ahead.
  • Reverse the position of your hands so that your palms face each other. At the same time, move your hands about six inches toward your stomach.
  • Now do a push-up lowering your body.

Triceps Bench Dips

For this exercise, you will need a low bench or the edge of a chair. This is a great move to develop the long head of the triceps and quickly increase the power of the upper arms.

  • Stand in front of a bench or low chair, facing away from you with your hands behind you resting on the bench. Your hands should be approximately 6 inches apart and your legs extended in front of you so that your body forms a straight line.
  • From this position, bend your elbows to lower your core area toward the ground.
  • From a lower position, work your way back up concentrating on your triceps to get the job done.
  • Make sure your hips and legs remain neutral throughout the movement.
  • You should also consciously keep your elbows inward, rather than allowing them to move outward.

Triceps extension

This exercise is a variation on the standard pushup. If the movement is too difficult, a modified version can be done on your knees.

  • Get into a push-up position. Place your hands approximately 6 centimeters apart and higher than in a normal push-up position.
  • Fingertips should be slightly past the forehead. Place your hands facing straight ahead with your palms facing down.
  • Maintaining a straight body line with your feet together, lower yourself until your forearms touch the ground.
  • Push up to the starting position.
  • Focus on pushing with your triceps, keeping your elbows in at all times.

Close grip pushups

This variation of push-ups puts more intensity on the triceps the closer the hands are brought together. Start a few inches apart and close more as you get stronger.

  • Lie on the floor as if you were going to do a standard pushup.
  • Your feet should be together and your hands should be under your shoulders.
  • Keep your torso straight with a neutral spine.
  • Squeeze your abdomen and look forward, not allowing your head to drop down. Now lift to fully extended arm position.
  • Without allowing your elbows to open, lower yourself to the ground.

Intermediate level exercises for triceps

If the previous exercises are affordable or you need new impulses, below you will discover new movements that will shake your triceps.

Side lying triceps extension

This bodyweight exercise places a lot of emphasis on the difficult to reach in the medial head of the triceps, while also providing a good warm-up for the forearm muscles. Make sure you are not leaning on your abdomen to help you get up; the force must come exclusively from the triceps.

  • Lie on your left side with your legs extended and one foot on top of the other.
  • Cross your left arm over your upper thigh so it’s out of the way. Your right arm should be on the floor, palm down in line with your chest. The palm should be as close to the body as possible.
  • Keeping your head parallel to the ground, push with the palm of your hand to lift your upper body off the ground. The force for the lift will be done entirely with the triceps.
  • Make sure you don’t rest at the bottom of each rep. Keep the tension on your triceps at all times.

Decline push-ups

  • Lie on the floor as if you were going to do a standard pushup. Put your feet on a chair or bench.
  • Move your hands inward so that your thumbs are about eight inches apart. Move your hands a little more forward than you would if you were doing a normal push-up.
  • While keeping your back straight and your spine neutral, lower yourself to bring your forearms to the ground. Don’t let your elbows widen.
  • Push back to the starting position, focusing on pushing through your triceps.

Diamond Dive Flex

  • Lie on the floor in a normal push-up position. Spread your legs and bring your hands inward and spread your fingers.
  • Raise your hips as high as you can.
  • Lower your head and bring your feet forward so that your body takes an inverted “V” shape.
  • While keeping your elbows from swinging out, lower your body down in an arcing motion toward the ground. Touch the ground with your chest and then work your way up to a fully extended arm position. In this position, your back will be arched and you will be looking up at the ceiling.
  • Reverse the movement to lower your head between your hands and return to the starting position.

Bodyweight exercises for advanced

For more experienced athletes, more intense calisthenics will be their next challenge.

Triceps dips in parallel

  • Stand in front of some parallel bars. Place your hands on the grips and lift yourself into position so that your arms are fully extended and your torso is straight up and down.
  • Cross your feet. Contract your abs to stabilize your body.
  • Keeping your elbows open and your body upright, lower yourself to fully bend your elbows. Try to go down instead of leaning forward.
  • From the bottom position, focus on pushing through the triceps to return to the starting position. Remember to keep your elbows as close to your body as possible at all times.

Modified L-Sit

  • Sit on the floor in front of a wall or other vertical structure. Place your hands on the ground at your sides.
  • The legs should be straight in front of you.
  • Tense your thighs and lock your knees. Place your feet against the wall or upright a few inches off the ground. Now push down with your triceps as you contract your abs. Lift your hips off the floor, so that you maintain a sitting ‘L’ position with your legs and buttocks off the floor.
  • Hold this position for as long as you can. Work up to 30-second sets.

Wall extension

This overhead triceps movement puts emphasis on the long head of the triceps. You will need to have a wall for this move or a bar to get your head underneath. It is recommended to be barefoot.

  • Put your hands on the top of the wall and put your body back with your feet together and about half a meter.
  • The further you move away from the wall, the more difficult the exercise will be.
  • Keeping your elbows in, lower your forehead toward the wall.
  • Push back to the starting position, using triceps strength all the way. Remember to inhale through your nose as you go down and exhale through your mouth as you push up.