5 steps to bigger triceps!

The triceps are often one of the hardest muscles in your upper body to train and build. But by using correct tricep building exercise and techniques with a muscle building diet you can add some serious size and strength to your triceps. Today we're going to look at 5 simple steps that will help you build big triceps. If you follow these steps correctly you WILL build your tricep muscles.

Step 1: Eat, eat and keep eating!

To build muscle you need to be eating more calories than your body burns every day. For optimum muscle growth you need to be eating more than 5 meals per day and a wide range of fresh food, meat and complex carbohydrates. You need to consume as much protein as possible to really build your triceps. A good guide is 1.5 - 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day to build muscle. Make sure you eat plenty of carbs before (leave 1/2 hour before workouts) and after your workouts. Carbs will give you the energy you need to workout. Make sure you eat around 30 grams of protein before you go to bed, you build the most muscle when you're asleep (see step 2).

Step 2: Get plenty of rest

When you're in the gym you're not actually building your muscles you're breaking them down. Your muscles build and repair while you're resting so it makes sense to get plenty of rest. You should try to get as much sleep as possible, aim for 9 hours per night. You build the MOST muscle while you're sleeping. Also, you need to have enough time between your workouts to let your tricep muscles fully recover from the workout. Aim for 3 days between your tricep workouts. And finally try to keep cardio to a minimum. Cardio can use up protein stores that your triceps need to grow.

Step 3: Tricep exercise technique

Tricep exercises are well known for bad technique. It's so easy to use incorrect form when training your triceps. That's why to give your triceps the workout they need your really need to concentrate on your technique. With lying tricep extensions keep your elbows in, with kickbacks don't swing the weight up etc etc. You can get advice on the correct technique to use in each tricep exercise in our tricep exercises section. This is REALLY important. You need to isolate your triceps on every rep in order to give them the best workout possible.

Step 4: Train your triceps twice a week

This subject has been up for debate for years, whether to train your arms once or twice per week. We definately say train your triceps twice per week. Why? Because your triceps are a small muscle and they tire easily, but they also recover quickly. A good chest workout can leave your chest sore for 5 days but after a tricep workout you may recover in half that time. Also, the triceps tend to respond better to training twice a week than once. We have tested this theory on many of guys and most of them grew bigger triceps (and got increased tricep strength) using the twice a week method.

Step 5: Get a good tricep workout and rotate it

It's important that you choose the right tricep workout that suits your goals. Most people do not understand the difference between a tricep workout for strength and for muscle growth. We have some good workouts available on our tricep workout page. After some time your muscles get used to your current tricep workout so it's important that you rotate your workouts every 6-8 weeks. You need to shock your muscles into growth. You may choose a completely different tricep workout or you might just choose to switch your exercises around. This is often the best way to beat a tricep plateau!

An Important Note:
Everyone can build big triceps, no matter what your age or body type. But it's going to take some hard work! You need to work hard in the gym and eat an controlled diet. If you only put in a "half-hearted" effort you will not achieve the gains you're looking for. Also remember knowledge is power in the gym. Read all the information available on this site before your next tricep workout.