Wave goodbye with your hands, not your triceps. It’s possible with a cardio routine, general strength training and triceps exercises. For additional fitness benefits such as increased balance and core strength, add a stability ball to your routine. The National Academy of Sports Medicine training book “NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training” teaches personal trainers that stabilization exercises are the foundation to strength training.
Lying Triceps Extention
To perform a triceps extension on a stability ball, get into a bridge position on the ball. Slowly roll from a seated position onto your back until the ball is under your head, neck and upper portion of your shoulders. Keep your hips up by pushing through your feet and bending your knees at a 90-degree angle. Pull in your abs to keep your back straight. Grab the weight; you can use dumbbells or a weighted bar. Fully extend your arms without locking your elbows straight up from the shoulder point. Slowly lower the weight by bending your elbows until they are a little less than a 90-degree bend. Fully extend your arms and repeat. During the exercise avoid moving your shoulders and keep your hips up. Perform 10 to 15 for general strength and stability training.
Seated Overhead Triceps Extension
The American Council on Exercise’s library rates the overhead triceps extension sitting on a stability ball as an intermediate difficulty exercise. To perform this exercise, sit on the stability ball with a dumbbell extended over your head. Both feet should be flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Grip the weight with both hands holding one end. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head by bending your arms at the elbows. Do not move your arm at your shoulder. Maintain a straight back by keeping your core engaged or your belly button pulled in toward your spine. Keep your head and neck in natural alignment, forward and straight. Repeat the process 10 to 15 times for general strength and stability training.
Triceps Dip
This triceps exercise is performed using a bench or platform for your hands and a stability ball for your feet. To do the exercise, bring the ball close by. Sit on the platform and place your hands tightly against your body on the platform. The ball should be in front of you, a little less than legs’ length. Put your feet on the ball, then shift your body forward off of the platform. At the same time slightly bend your knees and keep your hips bent and your back straight. Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows. Then push, through your hands, your body back to the starting position and repeat. This is a highly advanced exercise. Try it only if you have a strong foundation with core and stability training. Do 10 to 15 repetitions for general strength and stability training.
About this Author
Jessica DeLisa graduated from Drexel University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in communication. To explore her interest in fitness she became a certified personal trainer in 2007. She has been writing for about two years, including for the magazine she started, “Fit In NJ Magazine.”
