Top 3 Best Tricep Exercises

Summer is sizzling and whether you like it or not, tank tops and swim wear rule the fashion scene. As a result, many female bootcampers are requesting exercises that tone the "jiggly bits" and "bat wings" on the back side of their arms. The guys are wondering how they can get that horseshoe-shaped definition in the same area. So which exercises are most effective at doing that?

The American Council on Exercise recently sponsored a study that shed some light on the answer. And not surprising, the study revealed that 2 out of the top 3 best tricep exercises use body weight for resistance!


Tricep Anatomy
Our triceps - which are located at the upper, back of our arm - have the potential to be the power house of our arms due to the fact that our triceps have about twice as much muscle mass as our biceps. The tricep brachii has 3 heads: medial, lateral and long head. Our triceps help extend our elbow, straighten the arm and helps our lattisimus dorsi (back muscles) lower the arm down towards the body.

Tip: If you want to increase the weight you bench press, increase the strength of the complimentary muscle: your triceps!

Best Tricep Exercises
To determine which tricep exercises were the most efficient and effective, researchers used electromyographic (EMG) electrodes to measure the muscle effort. They attached 2 sets of electrodes on each subject's triceps and asked them to perform a series of tricep exercises.

Which tricep exercise took home the first place prize?
Triangle Pushups!


In 2nd and 3rd place respectively were tricep kickbacks and tricep dips.

Those which scored significantly lower than Triangle Pushups included:

• rope and bar pushdowns
• lying barbell tricep extension s
• overhead tricep extensions
• close grip bench press

View the full Tricep Study

Sadly, one of my favorite tricep exercises was not featured in the study: the single arm tricep pushup. This is an especially challenging, advanced exercise. Try using one arm to bend and extend the elbow using half your body weight as resistance!

Remember, while triangle pushups, tricep kickbacks and dips are the most effective tricep exercises, overall body fat reduction is a key ingredient to getting the "toned" look in any specific body area. Be sure to incorporate a nutritious diet and cardiovascular activities into your healthy lifestyle.

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Jill Tomich is the co-founder of Boston-based Ultimate Bootcamp. Her 13 years of broad experience in the fitness industry means she has a lot of tricks - and toned triceps - up her sleeves. Read more about Jill...

Alcohol and Your Metabolism

As Ultimate Bootcampers, we have a work hard, play hard mentally. We enjoy a challenging outdoor workout, but we also love to gather with friends and enjoy a summer BBQ.

But if you're REALLY looking to get the results you want from your 4-week bootcamp experience, there is one thing you can reduce or even eliminate from your "play hard" lifestyle that will help you reach your goals quicker: alcohol.

OH! I hear the SIGHS (and arguments) right now.

"People who drink red wine moderately live longer"

"Alcohol reduces aging of the arteries"

"Dark beers give you strength because of the iron content"

I'm not saying these statements are false, but here is a bigger truth: alcohol significantly sloooooows down (we're talking turtle slow, inch worm slow) your body's normal metabolic process.

How Alcohol Slows your Metabolism

The metabolic process is your body's act of turning food and drink into other compounds that, ultimately, our body uses for energy. Throwing a wrench into your metabolism like alcohol means your body can't absorb the proper energy source it needs for day to day functions.

While you might not feel the effect a couple glasses of wine has on your everyday functions, you will absolutely feel the lack of effort your body gives to you during an intense boot camp workout. I'm talking increased shortness of breathe, legs that feel like 1 ton boulders and arms that laugh at you when attempting bicep curls. Wait, I think I just described a typical boot camp workout without alcohol...make it a 2 ton boulder. ;o)

A standard drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. Each standard drink contains a similar amount of alcohol. This alcohol prevents the proper processing of vitamins and minerals which are needed in the natural metabolic functions. Without the vitamins and minerals, energy production is reduced.

Also hindered - by even just a small amount of alcohol - is the ability of your body to bring on lipid oxidation (the burning of fats), according to the American Journal of Clinical Research.

How alcohol contributes to weight gain

Alcohol contains almost TWICE the amount of calories per gram (7 calories per gram) than proteins and carbohydrates. This is one of the reasons why it contributes to weight gain - even if you're working out regularly.

Plus, research has shown a 20% increase in calories consumed at a meal when alcohol was consumed before the meal. So, that often means that healthy summer salad you just ordered might turn into a salad + bread & oil + dessert + an extra drink or two. In studies, people who drank alcohol with their meals consumed a total of 33% more calories!

So if you're really looking to lose weight or fit into a smaller dress or pant size, kicking alcohol to the curb could help speed up the process - and your metabolism.

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Jill Tomich is the owner of Ultimate Bootcamp and a Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant who enjoys fresh mint mojitos - except when she's turning up her activities to reach her own fitness goals.