{Fit and Strong Day 8}: Toughen Those Triceps

Not actually the triceps lol!

Stand in front of the mirror, ladies.  Hold out your hands straight to the side, same level as your shoulder with palms facing front.  Keeping the arms straight, relax your wrists and flap your hands vigorously, going from front to back.  Do you see a portion of your upper arm dangling and jiggling?  Kind of a bummer if you have buff biceps but with jell-o triceps right?  

It's more than just aesthetics though.  On the practical side, we do a lot with our arms right?  If we have stronger arms, we have better lifting power.  And for those who engage in sports or fitness activities such as swimming, yoga, pilates, weightlifting, martial arts, and other contact sports, having strong arms is a definite advantage.  

For tougher, firmer triceps, the kickback is my staple exercise using a 5-lb dumbbell for each hand.  For variation, I also hold the kickback position for 10-15 seconds, this time using 3-lb dumbbells simultaneously.  

I also go for some chair dips, with bent knees.  If you want to make it a little harder, straighten your legs as you do the dips.  Still wanting more challenge?  Do it like this:

Also, try this dumbbell skull crusher from Real Simple.  No worries, as long as you do it correctly, your skull is safe.

Tough triceps, here we go!

Fit and Strong