Tricep help

Sup guys, so here's the deal:

I'm 20 years old, 5'6ish 154 pounds (give or take)

I've been going to the gym pretty regularly ( 3-4 days a week) for the last 3 years (been more serious the last 2 years) and I'm trying to get my arms bigger- primarily my triceps.


Here's some pictures of what I got atm, from multiple angles so you know where I'm coming from:

first one is arm to the side flexed

second one is arm straight out flexed

third is arm pressed to the side

fourth is arm straight out unflexed

and for the fifth is my arm unflexed (I decided to put pants on for the last picture, kinda felt like a douche just chillin in my boxers taking pictures of my arms lol)

So as you can see, my arms (imo) look somewhat decent when flexed or held to my side, but unflexed they look very unimpressive (by my own standards).

I usually try to do bis and tris together and my current routine is the following:

-4 sets weighted dips (10-12 reps), starting with a 25 pound weight, then going to 45, 45 again and then back down to 25

- 4 sets weighted chin ups (6-10 reps), starting at 25, then going to 45, 45, 45 (or down to 25 if I'm feeling tired)

-4 sets of close grip bench press (6-8 reps)

-4 sets cable curl (6-8 reps)

-3-4 sets of rope pull downs (8-10 reps)

2 sets of hammer curls (12-15 reps no rest)

So basically my question is this: how I can get my triceps (and arms in general) bigger when unflexed? (without steroids)

if anybody has any advice, I'd greatly appreciate it



PS. I drink like 8 cups of coffee a day, dunno if that has anything to do with it, but I thought it might be worth noting lol

Edited by Valcurium, 10 May 2012 - 03:40 AM.

I would say throw some skull crushers, kick backs and do sets of tricep pull downs with the smaller straight bar, and then alternate grips of palms up and back of the hand up.
Also when your doing your tri stuff dont hold on with your thumb. You get a better range of motion and peak.

I would also suggest changing your work out plan so you work bis and tris on different days. Because you obviously work your tris some while your doing your bis. What I do is chest/tri/ab, back/bis/calves, shoulders/calves, legs/abs/traps.

I could send you a copy of the work out plan I just started. I've been on it for 3 weeks and have already started seeing better definition. Plus it has videos, explanations and shows you proper form for the new exercises you'd be doing.

Edited by Pauly420, 10 May 2012 - 04:02 AM.

I would say throw some skull crushers, kick backs and do sets of tricep pull downs with the smaller straight bar, and then alternate grips of palms up and back of the hand up.
Also when your doing your tri stuff dont hold on with your thumb. You get a better range of motion and peak.

I would also suggest changing your work out plan so you work bis and tris on different days. Because you obviously work your tris some while your doing your bis. What I do is chest/tri/ab, back/bis/calves, shoulders/calves, legs/abs/traps.

I could send you a copy of the work out plan I just started. I've been on it for 3 weeks and have already started seeing better definition. Plus it has videos, explanations and shows you proper form for the new exercises you'd be doing.

that would be awesome bro

edit: ooo, I totally forgot about skull crushers, great idea! =)

You are over training. Arms are a relatively small muscle group and are the most prone to overtraining because they are used on all other upper body exercises as well as being trained alone. My suggestion is to pick 3 exercises for bi's and three for tri's and superset them and be done. If you are training more than 45 minutes to an hour then you are cheating yourself. Oh, and by the way, I stand 6'5" at 290 lbs with 22" arms. Just keep at it and you will get there.

I would say throw some skull crushers, kick backs and do sets of tricep pull downs with the smaller straight bar, and then alternate grips of palms up and back of the hand up.
Also when your doing your tri stuff dont hold on with your thumb. You get a better range of motion and peak.

I would also suggest changing your work out plan so you work bis and tris on different days. Because you obviously work your tris some while your doing your bis. What I do is chest/tri/ab, back/bis/calves, shoulders/calves, legs/abs/traps.

I could send you a copy of the work out plan I just started. I've been on it for 3 weeks and have already started seeing better definition. Plus it has videos, explanations and shows you proper form for the new exercises you'd be doing.

Hey can you send me the workout as well? Thanks man!

Hey can you send me the workout as well? Thanks man!

for sure brothaman, ill get that sent out to both yall right meow!

I'm starting this workout ^ next week, so excited to see the results!

I would say throw some skull crushers, kick backs and do sets of tricep pull downs with the smaller straight bar, and then alternate grips of palms up and back of the hand up.
Also when your doing your tri stuff dont hold on with your thumb. You get a better range of motion and peak.

I would also suggest changing your work out plan so you work bis and tris on different days. Because you obviously work your tris some while your doing your bis. What I do is chest/tri/ab, back/bis/calves, shoulders/calves, legs/abs/traps.

I could send you a copy of the work out plan I just started. I've been on it for 3 weeks and have already started seeing better definition. Plus it has videos, explanations and shows you proper form for the new exercises you'd be doing.

Could I get a copy too If you could dude. Thanks!

You'll be on Jersey Shore in no time Bro!

You'll be on Jersey Shore in no time Bro!

haha, not sure if that's a dig or a compliment

Do you have a lower body work out as well?

Do you have a lower body work out as well?

I mean I'll do legs on and off, usually like calf raises and goblet squats. I bike alot so that usually counts as my leg workout

If you're not against it, I'd take creatine.
Makes it look like you're flexing all the time.

Really, best way is to use dumbells. Hold the weight behind your head and lift, focuses on triceps. Another is to stand kinda bent over, like your gonna do a bicep curl but with your arm further back and extend your arm instead of curling, will really only feel it in your triceps

Even better, try this http://www.bodybuild.../muscle/triceps

Try some burnout sets. For instance, lets say you're doing your close-grip bench press, after you hit your last rep on your last set just put lower weight on the bar and rip through like 25 reps straight til your muscles burnout. Save the burnout set for the end though lol you don't want to kill your muscles half way through a workout