Get even stronger—and get your abs involved, too—without touching a single weight.
On those arm-blasting days when you just don’t have it in you move heavy weight, there’s no shame in incorporating a gentler alternative, like bodyweight exercises.
In this case, we’re talking the triceps extension, normally associated with using a heavy dumbbell, EZ-curl bar, or even cables. But with this variation, a bodyweight overhead triceps extension, you’re able to get a good pump in your triceps without any extra load.
Even better, a few simple body adjustments can turn what is typically an isolation move into a multi-muscle masterpiece, according to Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. You'll be able to hit your core and lats as well as your arms.
To perform this bodyweight triceps extension, all you’ll need is a power rack, Smith machine, or any stable bar you can grab onto and lean against.
●Set up by grabbing the bar with both hands in an overhand grip. Extend your arms so that your elbows are locked, and maintain a tight standing plank position, keeping you glutes and abs squeezed.
●From here, bend your elbows and bring your torso forward, as your head dips under the bar. Go only as far as you can comfortably—if you force yourself too far forward, you can open your shoulders up to injury—keeping your feet planted on the ground.
●Straighten your arms, keeping your elbows in line with each other as you squeeze your triceps.
Since it is a bodyweight move, make it a high-rep move as well. Two to three AMRAP sets should do the trick here; it’s okay to push to failure with these overheads. If you want to add an additional challenge, drop down a level. By lowering the bar on the rack, you’ll force your abs and lats to work even harder, and give yourself even more of a triceps stretch.
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