Pilates Exercises for a Great Tricep Workout: Part II.

We all want those sleek, tone, and beautiful arms!   Every week I hear about a celebrity that has enviable arms.  I always hear, “I want arms like…”   In last week’s post, I explained that there is more to beautiful arms than 100 tricep dips!  Last week I wrote about the impact of efficient shoulder movement to the overall muscle tone of the arms.  I even explained a few exercises that would increase the width across the front of the chest so that the shoulders are prepared for the arm workout of this week’s post.  Now that you’re ready and waiting..I have to play the role of my own devil’s advocate.

You’ll notice that only one of the seven exercises explained below “isolates” the triceps.  And if you’ve done any amount of internet research you’ll find that these exercises are not usually listed anywhere near a tricep workout, so technically if you are looking for a workout that isolates the triceps you haven’t found it!  But then again there is this soapbox from which I’ve been known to spout gobbs and gobbs of opinionated movement blather, and I’ve stepped up onto it again to say:  It is my firm belief that to truly effect change in the muscle tone of the body, it is absolutely necessary to strengthen the individual muscles within the greater context of muscular function and integrated movement.  We must teach the body how to move and the muscle tone will follow, and more importantly (in my opinion) when we are moving better and more efficiently the long and sleek arms of others won’t register a blip on our  “I should be better” radar!

Think of it this way.  Go ahead a give a squeeze to your upper trapezius (The muscle tissue between the top of the shoulder and the ear.)  Do these muscles have muscle tone?  Are they rock hard? That is how strong you are!  Now think back to your exercise regimen, do you do any exercises to tone the upper trapezius? Or possibly are all of the tricep exercises that you are doing actually increasing the muscle tone of your upper trapezius and not touching your triceps at all?…Okay, now I shall step off of the soapbox and plead that the following workout will make your upper body change, and maybe once the change has happened your triceps might not even be a part of your thought process.  Maybe just maybe you’ll be standing so tall that you see the world in a completely different way!

Watch the video below, and then look farther for more explanation:

This brings me to our first exercise.:

Prone extension:  This exercise accomplishes two goals.  First, it provides an opportunity for your body to slide the shoulder blades away from the ears and secondly it allows the body to bear weight through the arms while maintaining an open chest.  This exercise teaches the form that is necessary for any tricep exercise.  It teaches the open chest posture that allows the triceps to engage whenever you move your arms.

Our next exercise progresses the work of Prone Extension into the Swan:

The Swan has two very important moments for the triceps.  First, as you are lifting your body and your elbows lengthen the triceps are very much involved, but if your shoulder blades slip higher to your ears your body will recruit muscles of the lumbar spine and the upper trapezius to complete the movement.  So as you are straightening your arms be sure to keep the shoulder blades sliding down to the ground. 

The second part of the exercise also requires tricep control.  As you bend the elbows, it is absolutely imperative to keep the chest open and slowly let the elbows descend to the ground so that the triceps are able to do their part!

From here we’re ready to release the hands, you’ll extend your arms behind you in the Dart.  This exercise is the closest you’ll get in this workout to an isolated tricep exercise, but really you are also employing your spine extensors and you are definitely still sliding the shoulder blades down away from your ears!

Next we have the side plank and twist prep.

First sitting on your hip and bearing weight on one hand requires that the entire side of your body be involved in the “arm” work.  As you are shrugging your shoulder you are exploring the range of motion and finding the stable place where your arm bone is completely connected to your shoulder blade.  Then as you continue and lift your hips into space, you are maintaining that shoulder stability!

This exercise then progresses into to side plank and the twist, which allows the body to take what it has learned into a full body integrated movement….

If you haven't watched it yet, here is the video again.  See the workout for yourself and as an admission, my triceps were sore for two days after filming this video! 

Katrina Hawley C.M.A, R.S.M.E

Co-director of The Pilates Studio