Today we are discussing tricep definition. For those of you who are looking to develop that look, I will break it down for you in terms of workout and nutrition. The biggest issue people have developing the coveted tricep is not working the right muscle to begin with. And a close second is, even if you are exercising your triceps correctly, it’s unfortunately covered by a layer of fat or water retention. Both will prevent the tricep from popping.
So let’s address the first one. Do you know your tricep muscles? Do you know exactly which muscles are engaged when you are working out? The problem with some people is their tricep routine ends up being more of a shoulder or pec workout than a tricep workout. While it’s true that triceps are supporting muscles in many exercises like push-ups and chest presses, it is advisable to isolate and target triceps directly if you want that definition. Also, I see a lot of people doing dips wrong placing a lot of stress on traps and on the shoulder joint while tricep never gets a chance to go through the full range of motion.
Now, let’s address the nutritional aspect of your muscle definition. What you eat will directly affect your muscle definition and tricep is no different. Remember, carbs help your body retain water so make sure you only eat good quality complex carbs that give you energy and nutrition. Good examples would be sweet potato, quinoa, oatmeal, zucchini, brown rice, etc. You have got to train your body to not crave the white stuff (breads, pastas, cookies, pastries, or any added sugar in general) which is basically empty calories. All it does is cause water retention, insulin spike, and as a result becomes fat storage.
Basic isolated tricep workout circuit
Diamond push-ups
Tricep kick backs
Overhead tricep extension
Tricep cable push down
Dips on the bench
Tricep plank(dip position on the floor, hold the plank)
Do two sets of this circuit with 10-12 reps each. Let your muscles rest at least two days before attempting the routine again. Remember to consume good quality protein after the workout to help the muscle repair process.