Triceps Push-Up

In this lesson, you will learn how to do triceps push-ups. The triceps push-up is an excellent bodyweight exercise you can do anywhere. By the way, there is another variation called the triceps/shoulder push-up, where you place your hands under your waist. Many people confuse these two exercises. Find more triceps exercises on the weight training main page.

Execution

• Place your hands directly under or slightly in front of your shoulders and fully extend your elbows.
• Keep your arms parallel throughout the entire exercise.
• The distance between your hands should be about one shoulder width.
  • If your hands are too far forward, your feet might slide back as you lower yourself. For this reason, I often do triceps push-ups against a wall.
• Engage your abdominal muscles slightly and keep your entire body straight. Do not let your hips sag.
• Lower your chest and elbows simultaneously, inhale as you do this.
  • The closer your elbows come to the floor, the more intense the triceps push-up becomes.
  • If your hands are not placed far enough forward, you may not be able to lower yourself much at all.
  • Keep your arms parallel.
  • At first, you may not be able to go all the way down, but aim to bend your arms at least 90°.
• Push yourself back up and exhale slowly.
  • Fully extend your arms and squeeze your triceps at the top.
  • Do not flare your elbows out to the sides.
  • The upward motion should be slightly faster than the downward motion.

Advice

• Stop immediately if you feel pain in your elbows or shoulders.
• I recommend 3 sets of 8 to 20 repetitions, with 1 to 2 minutes rest between sets.
• Stretch your triceps between sets and exercises.
• Move slowly and with concentration.
• Do not let your elbows flare out.
• The closer your elbows come to the floor, the more intense the exercise.

Suggestions

• The Triceps Muscles
• Triceps & Shoulder Push-Up
• Close-Grip Triceps Bench Press
• Triceps Extension
• Triceps Pushdown
• Bent-Over Cable Triceps Extension with Rope Attachment
• Triceps Kickbacks with Dumbbells
• Triceps Bench Dips