I Have Wings on the Back of My Arms OH MY!
This is a question I received via email but is such a common question I figured I would answer on my blog
QUESTION: The back of my arms are a serious problem area. I have been doing basic triceps exercises for months, but I still don’t see the results I want. I’m also doing cardio. Any suggestions?
ANSWER: It seems like you’re doing all the right things. So please don’t get discouraged. You may simply need to add some cross-training variety to your triceps routines.
Many people make the mistake of only targeting the back of the arms. However, that’s not good enough. The most complained about part of the arm is the long head. That’s the middle part of the muscle. But the triceps muscle actually consists of three heads: a long, a medial and a lateral head. The medial and lateral heads are important too; they form the inner and outer parts.
If your goal is to have fabulous, well-formed triceps, you’ll need to train allthree heads. So even if your routine already consists of two or three different triceps exercises, you may not be working the entire muscle. Of course, complete isolation of each head is impossible. But, you can focus on certain areas. Here are some exercises you may want to try:
1. Overhead Extension Movements. These maximally engage the long head of the triceps. They include one and two-arm extensions.
2. Straight Arm Pushbacks, Triceps Kickbacks and Step Dips. These engage the medial and lateral heads. They focus on the inner and outer portions of the muscle. They help to finish, or “round-out,” nice toned triceps.
3. Triceps Extensions In a Lying Position. These train the entire muscle equally. They’re a great overall triceps exercise.
4. Chest and Shoulder Presses. These help shape the sides of the triceps. The triceps also assist most presses as a secondary muscle group (a little bonus!).
Note: always make sure you’re targeting each head of the triceps when training. Using different pieces of equipment and varying your grip will also support your cross-training efforts. Try a triceps kickback with a free weight. Now do it again with resistance tubing. Then maybe add a kickback with palms facing in. Finally, one more time with the palms facing back. Each variation trains the muscle in a slightly different way.
Lastly, don’t stop doing the cardio. Burning body fat is also a critical element in eliminating those “saggy arms.” So, keep up the good work — you will see results
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