An all natural guide to blasting your triceps.
Anyone who endeavors to improve their physique usually does so for a specific reason. Everyone is motivated in different ways. Whether it’s a bad break up or with the intentions of competing in a competition and working your way up to the Mr. Olympia stage, a bodybuilder always has a reason for pursuing a more aesthetic physical form. For some bodybuilders the motivation can be pretty simple. A lagging body part or muscle group can be as big a motivation as any to want to eventually improve your entire physique. Those who go to the gym want a symmetrical physique, with no imbalances. After all it makes no sense to improve your biceps if your chest is going to be lacking or having well developed hamstrings with under developed calves. Proportion is the name of the game in bodybuilding, and one body part that tends to lag are the triceps.
Let’s take a look at the importance of a symmetrical physique, and how to fix the triceps.
Why Symmetry is Important
You may think that symmetry is only important for the aesthetic aspect, but that is not the case at all. Muscular symmetry also helps prevent injuries, which is something that benefits all who are indulging in strength training.
If you have one arm that is stronger than the other, you risk improper form on heavy compound movements like the bench press, which can very well lead to injury. You also risk other muscle groups working harder to make up for the imbalances, which is another thing that can risk injury and is not good.
That being said, you want a physique that is even in terms of looks and strength. One of the most underdeveloped areas of the body are the triceps, and they are responsible for a lot of movements, such as the overhead press and the bench press. That being said, you do not want your triceps to fall behind.
The Importance of Training Triceps
Arms are made up a number of different muscle groups, and each one of them important to build up in order to bring everything together nicely. Many people have trouble building up their forearms, while too many bodybuilders focus all their attention on developing mountainous biceps. The truth of the matter is that though these two muscle groups are definitely important to building up the aesthetics of your arm, without the triceps, then you can’t bring everything together.
The triceps are the biggest muscle group of the arm and to neglect them would be like wanting to have some awesome legs, without building up the quads. It would make no sense whatsoever, and you would be left with disproportionate arms that not only would look bad, but also will be weaker on those heavy pushing movements. So if you’re arms are lagging and you want to see some major improvements then the best place to start may be the largest muscle group of the body part.
How to Grow the Triceps
The triceps are a relatively simple muscle to grow naturally, meaning you don’t need a complex formula to make them bigger and stronger. Let’s take a look at a few different ways to grow your triceps.
Overload Them
The triceps are a muscle that can take a pretty serious amount of weight. That being said, you are able to overload them fairly easy. One of the best exercises to overload the triceps is the close grip bench press, as it mimics the actual bench press movement and can put a lot of weight on the triceps.
Train All Heads of the Triceps
The tricep is made of 3 heads, hence the “tri” in the name. That being said, do not let go any of these heads untouched, and be sure to hit each one with the same amount of intensity and focus that you do with any other body part.
Allow Proper Rest Time
Every day is not arm day! You need to let the muscles rest in between training sessions. For example, if you hit chest and triceps hard on a Monday, you may not want to hit any pressing movements or tricep movements on a Tuesday. That being said, finding a workout split to allow the muscles enough time to recover in between each training session.
Proper Diet and Supplementation
Hammering the triceps in the gym is only one part of making your triceps grow naturally, the rest is done outside of the gym. Obviously a good recovery time is crucial, but you also need to focus on consuming the right nutrients to help your muscles grow and recover. That being said, a great diet is necessary, but supplements are needed for the areas that you might miss with a diet.
How to Grow Your Triceps Wrap Up
Overall, a complete physique is something that should absolutely be prioritized when bodybuilding and strength training. One of the biggest areas that gives issues are the triceps, but that is how to properly grow your triceps! What’s your problem area? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
