The 4 Best Chest and Triceps Exercises

Developing the chest and triceps is easy with the right exercise. But before you train the triceps and pecs, you need to know the anatomy of your upper body. This will be your guide in isolating the right muscle groups.

The triceps are made up of three bundles of muscles. They run from the shoulder blades to the forearms. These muscles are called lateral, medial and long head.

As for the chest, the major muscle groups to isolate are the pectoralis major and rotator cuff. The pectoral muscles are located on either side of the chest while the rotator cuff is near the shoulder joints. In today’s post, we are listing down the best exercises for both the chest and triceps area:

For the Chest

Dumbbell Flyes

Nothing beats the classic. The dumbbell flye will engage the pecs and rotator cuff in one sweep. Start by sitting down on a flat bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lie back and slowly lift the dumbbells over the chest, extending the arms. Keep the elbows slightly bent and the shoulders and hips flat on the bench.

Lower the dumbbell to the sides in an arc-like motion. Once you reach the lowest point, keep the elbows in a horizontal plane, even with the bench. Bring the weights back up over the chest in an arc motion. The motion should be slow, controlled and deliberate to engage the right muscles.

Pushups

What’s so great about pushup? It’s a total body workout. It will engage major muscle groups including the triceps and pecs!

Drop down on all fours, with arms wider than shoulder apart. Move the feet back with toes on the floor. Keep the legs pin straight. Slowly, bring yourself down. The neck and head have to be in line with the body as you bring yourself down the floor. If they’re not, you’re straining the back. Bend the elbows slowly as you go down then push yourself up the floor using your upper body muscles. That’s one rep.

For the Triceps

Seated Triceps Extension

This exercise will put a great deal of resistance to all muscle heads. Choose a weight bench with an adjustable seat. Get a dumbbell and hold it with both hands. Raise the weight up behind the head.

As you hold the weight, carefully lower it behind the head. Stop at the base of the head right before the nape. If you go beyond that point, you could over-strain the muscles. Raise the weight back overhead, extending the arms fully.

Clapping Diamond Pushups

The key to efficient muscle building is resistance. You want to increase resistance in order to gain mass. Performing clapping diamond pushup will push those triceps muscles to their limit. This exercise will bring on the pain, but it will be worth it.

Go down on all fours in a classic push-up position. But instead of putting the arms at wider than shoulder apart, bring the hands together. The index fingers and thumbs should be touching to form a diamond shape.

Now bring yourself down and up. To clap the hands, push yourself up with enough force to allow you to leave the floor. This gives you enough height to clap and bring the hands back to the diamond form.