Top 5 Best Triceps Exercises for Women at Home

Best Triceps Exercises for Women; No Skull Crushers Necessary!

You probably have seen it at the gym, or at least have heard about the bench move that trims up the tries! The skull crusher is a classic barbell move where the hands are placed bit closer together and positioned above the forehead, the bar is then lowered down towards the forehead until the arms are perpendicular to the floor and then…ouch! You go a little too far and crush your skull! Yes, this is an apply-named move that certainly targets the triceps, but most women like to steer clear of it. In fact, many women like to stay out of the free weight room altogether! If that sounds like you, here are the best triceps exercises for women that require little or no weight, and can be done in the comfort of your own home. No headaches. No pain. Just some killer moves that will be sure to take that turkey jiggle out of your upper arms and turn them into triceps so tight you can bounce a quarter off of ’em!

The key ingredients of a strength training program are repetition, frequency, intensity, and type of movement. Changing any one of these variables in any way will elicit muscular adaptation; in laymen’s terms, you will build your muscles! Normally, a beginner should start out with about 8-10 reps using light weights, do 1-2 sets, and do the workout 2-3 times a week on non-consecutive days. Intermediate and advanced exercisers might increase the weight, add a few more reps, and more sets when they no longer feel the “burn”. The bottom line is to always start out light and easy, and work your way up to heavier and harder.

There are countless ways of achieving your desired results and many types of exercises for each specific muscle. Many women like to keep it simple and do their workouts at home with little or no equipment. This is why I will focus on what can be done with a simple pair of free weights, or if you don’t have those, some water bottles or soup cans will do the trick as well! If you would rather use no weight at all, then focus on doing the movement for a certain period of time, like 1 minute, rather than a certain number of reps and sets. Doing any one of these movements for 1-2 minutes without weight will fatigue the muscles and create the burn that means business! You choose your approach. Let’s take a look at a few super triceps trimmers that will get you started!

The Top 5 Best Triceps Exercises for Women at Home

#1. Overhead Extension:

This can be done either sitting or standing. Hold a weight in each hand, or hold one weight with both hands right behind your head. The elbows are fully flexed and pointed outward (if they were eyes they would be looking straight in front of you.) Extend the weights upward until the elbows are fully extended and then return to the starting position. Repeat this move for 10 reps and try to do 2-3 sets.

#2. Classic Kick Back:

You can do this move seated, standing, or using a weight bench; the arm movement is the same. Use light hand weights in each hand. Keeping both elbows behind you, as if you have your arms draped over a stick that is behind your back, extend the arms straight out. Only your forearm should be moving as you bend your elbow and then straighten the arm. (The elbows stay “draped” over that imaginary stick behind your back.) Repeat 10 times and try 2-3 sets.

#3. Doorknobs:

This one is great for a final fatiguing tweak! This is done with or without weights. Simply keep your arms extended from the previous move and twist your wrists back and forth as if you are turning a doorknob. Yikes! Do this for 1-2 minutes and you will really feel the burn, not only in the triceps but all over your arms!

#4. Diamond Hands Push Up:

This is simply a variation of hand placement with the basic push up. Whether you are doing a regular push up, modified with your knees on the floor, using a chair, or pushing against a wall, you want to keep your hand close together so your triceps are targeted. Simply make a diamond shape with your thumb and forefingers touching and place that on the floor between your chest and chin. Complete the desired amount of push-ups with the hands in this position. Again, try for 10 reps and do 2-3 sets.

#5. Seal Pose Press:

Lie on your stomach with your elbows next to your torso. Walk the arms out a few inches in front of you like the seal pose in yoga. Press your palms into the floor and straighten your arms as your elbows reach a full extension. Go back down and touch your elbows and forearms to the floor at the starting position, and then complete the remainder of the desired repetitions. This one can be pretty intense! The more of an angle you make by walking your hands out in front of you, the harder it will be, but don’t go too far or you will begin to take the emphasis off of your triceps.

Best calorie burning cardio workout to get ripped: Interval Training!

Do you want to blast the most amount of calories possible in the shortest amount of time? Do you want to whittle away that layer of fat that is hiding your newly-tones muscles? Then look no further than Interval Training!

Interval training has been used by athletes for decades and it has been shown to burn more fat and improve fitness levels more quickly than steady-state exercise. This type of workout is simply doing a number of short “bursts” of intense exercise followed by short recovery periods in between. Not only does interval training burn more fat and calories during exercise, but your post exercise metabolic rate continues to stay elevated for hours after your workout! Interval training should be mixed into your fitness routine 1-3 times a week and can be used while running, swimming, biking, or using any exercise machine at the gym. You can also do your own interval routine with no equipment needed! It is possible to get more for less!

Studies have shown that interval training does not have to be “all out” in order to be effective. Doing 10 one-minute sprints on a bike with one minute of rest in between, three times a week, worked just as well in improving muscles than as many hours of steady-state biking that was less strenuous. (1)

So let’s ditch the normal excuse of “I have no time” for not exercising and start to use this time-efficient, safe workout alternative to boost your results and get ripped! Click Here to Watch My at Home Interval Workout

Nutrition Tips for Women

What Should I Eat?  We all know that what we eat is the larger part of the weight loss equation and we need to be sure to fuel our bodies with the best nutrients possible, while at the same time monitoring our caloric intake each day. Here is a review of the general nutrition and protein guidelines from previous articles in this series to help you choose the right foods to fuel your body in order to get lean and show off those newly-toned muscles.

Drink Water:

Sip lemon water throughout the day. The more water your body has going through it, the more it will release what it is holding in reserve. Lemons are a natural diuretic, so adding this to your water will help to release any stubborn water retention that you might be experiencing. Not only is it refreshing and hydrating for your body, it aides in digestion and cleanses the system. Lemons are also known to curb the appetite!

Fiber:

Get your fill of fiber with plenty of fruits and veggies! If your diet consists of mostly fruit and veggies, you are less likely to get bloated and feel that “thick around the middle” feeling.  Pineapple and parsley are two of the most well-known bloat busters. Keep in mind that some veggies produce a little more gas, especially broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.

Limit sodium:

Highly processed foods tend to be high in sodium and low in fiber, both of which can contribute to becoming bloated and holding on to water weight. Get in the habit of reading food labels; food choices should have no more than 500 mg of sodium per serving, with a total of only 1,500 to 2,300 mg of sodium per day.

Supplements:

Try probiotics! Whether you are using an over-the-counter supplement or eating specialty yogurt that had added probiotics, these can really help to clear out your intestinal track from unwanted bacteria that can cause gas and bloating. When used appropriately, probiotics (good bacteria) can really help to deflate a bloated stomach!

Protein:

Anyone who is trying to build muscle is usually concerned about adding more protein to their diet. Although most of us get our protein requirements each day with our normal diet, it is always good to know how much we should really be getting; 10%-15% of our daily calories should be coming from protein. Some people get quite a bit more, especially if they are following one of the high-protein diet fads that are so prevalent nowadays. Here are the recommendations for what the average person really needs.

• Teenage boys need up to 52 grams a day.
• Teenage girls need 46 grams a day.
• Adult men need about 56 grams a day.
• Adult women need about 46 grams a day (71 grams, if pregnant or breastfeeding)

Take a look at food labels to determine how many grams of protein are in what you are eating and how much protein you are getting each day. Try spreading your protein throughout the day to help keep you feeling full. This diet strategy alone can shave loads of calories off of your day!

The Bottom Line

Achieving a ripped and defined body is more than just building muscle, it’s about fueling your body with the right ingredients and doing the right type of cardio workouts to shave off that layer of pudge that is coming between you and your ultimate physique! By using the tips outlined here, as well as other articles in my series, you will be well on your way to achieving your best-self. Now go and work those tries and complete the interval video to get you moving in the right direction! No skull crushers necessary!

References:

1. Wiley – Blackwell, (2010, March 12). High-intensity interval training is time-efficient and effective, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 10, 2015 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100311123639.htm

About Heather Preston

Heather is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a Personal Trainer, is a certified Wellness Coach through WellCoaches, a NCHEC Health Education Specialist, and published author. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Health Education/Promotion and a B.A. in Health Care Studies. Her mission is to make wellness seem “doable” for everyone, regardless of fitness level or hectic schedule. More Heather: http://www.facebook.com/minutemoves http://www.minutemoves10.com Purchase Heather's Book