Triceps kickback

The triceps kickback works your triceps. Use caution if you have elbow or lower back problems.

Getting set
Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, and stand next to the long side of your bench. Lean forward at the hips until your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor, and place your free hand on top of the bench for support. Bend your right elbow so your upper arm is parallel to the floor, your forearm is perpendicular to the floor, and your palm faces in (see photo A). Keep your elbow close to your waist. Pull your abdominals in and relax your knees.

The exercise
Keeping your upper arm still, straighten your arm behind you until the end of the dumbbell is pointing down (see photo B). Slowly bend your arm to lower the weight. When you’ve completed the set, repeat the exercise with your left arm.

Do’s and don’ts

• DO keep your abdominals pulled in and your knees relaxed to protect your lower back.
• DON’T lock your elbow at the top of the movement; do straighten your arm but keep your elbow relaxed.
• DON’T allow your upper arm to move or your shoulder to drop below waist level.

Other options
Cable triceps kickback: Put the pulley on the topmost setting and attach a horseshoe handle. Grasping the handle in one hand, position yourself in the same way described in the basic kickback, and perform the same exercise. You may have to step a foot or two away from the cable tower to prevent the cable from going slack.
Triceps kickback with a twist (harder): As you straighten your arm, twist it
so that at the top of the movement, your palm faces up.

Triceps pushdown

The triceps pushdown targets your triceps. Pay special attention to your form if you have elbow problems. Standing up straight with your abdominal muscles pulled in helps you avoid lower back problems.

Getting set
Set the pulley of the cable at the topmost setting and attach a straight or Ushaped bar. Grasp the bar with your palms facing down and your hands about a thumb’s distance from the center of the bar. You can stand either with your feet parallel or with one foot slightly in front of the other. Bend your elbows so your forearms are parallel to the floor and your elbows are alongside your waist (see photo A of Figure 14-6). You can lean slightly forward at the hips, but keep your abdominals pulled in and your knees relaxed. See photo B.

The exercise
Push the bar straight down, keeping your elbows close to your sides (see photo B). Then bend your arms to allow the bar to rise slowly until your arms are slightly above parallel to the ground.

Do’s and don’ts

• DO push down smoothly, exerting the same amount of pressure with both hands so both sides of the bar travel down evenly. _ DON’T lean too far forward or too heavily on the bar.
• DON’T allow your elbows to splay out to the sides, especially as you push down.
• DON’T let your arms fly back up as you return the bar to the starting position. Concentrate on controlling the bar.

Other options

Reverse grip pushdown (easier): Turn your hands around and use an underhanded grip. Because this version allows your biceps to assist your triceps a great deal, it’s less challenging than the basic version.

One-hand triceps pushdown: Attach the horseshoe, and grasp it with one hand in an underhand grip. (You can also use an overhand grip, although it’s tougher.) Place your other hand on your hip. Straighten your arm, pushing the handle until it’s alongside your hip. Then slowly raise the handle back up.

Rope attachment (harder): Use the rope attachment, and move your hands a few inches apart as you press the rope down. You may need to use less weight with the rope than you do with a bar.

Arm curl machine

The arm curl machine focuses on your biceps. Be careful if you’ve had elbow injuries.

Getting set
Adjust the seat so when you sit down and extend your arms straight out,
your arms are level with your shoulders and your elbows are lined up with the moving hinge or pulley of the machine. Sit down and grasp a handle in each hand with an underhand grip. See photo A in Figure

The exercise
Bend your elbows and pull the handles until they’re just above your shoulders (see photo B ), and then slowly lower the handles back down.

Do’s and don’ts

• DO make sure that you set the seat height correctly. If you set the seat too low, you’ll have trouble bending your arms and may place too much strain on your elbows.
• DO sit up tall and make an effort to pull exclusively with your arms as opposed to hunching up your shoulders or leaning back.
  
• DON’T use a chest pad to help haul the weight. If there’s a pad, use it for light support only.

Other options
Some gyms have arm curl machines that do a fair job of mimicking dumbbell work: The two sides aren’t connected so each arm has to do the work of lifting the weight. This type of machine is a good substitute or supplement for free weight work.