5 exercises to build triceps

The Top 5 Exercises for Increasing Triceps – The Breakdown

There are a number of exercises that will work the triceps, with many focusing on a broad range of muscles in the arm. There are however a number of specific exercises that will target primarily the triceps and deliver the best results.

While this article focuses primarily on using free-weights in the top 5 exercises for increasing triceps, there is some use of a machine within. Keep in mind that you can alter your own exercises to use the appropriate machines and weights, provided you understand the form and function of the muscle groups within the triceps.

Top Triceps Exercise #1 – Weighted Dips

Muscle is improved by providing resistance. The primary source of resistance is by adding weight. Weighted dips rely primarily on your own body weight, though additional weight can be added in your lap to increase the resistance on the muscles.

Use two benches, placed approximately 3-5 feet apart. Sit on one bench with your heels resting on the other; you may need to adjust the distance between the benches depending on your height. Place your palms on the bench you’re sitting on and slide forward, using your arms to support your weight. Now, slowly lower yourself until the bend of your elbows reaches a 90 degree angle. Maintain tension and push yourself back up until your arms are completed extended.

Top Triceps Exercise #2 – Close Grip Bench Press

This press keeps the elbows close to the body, with the hands no more than a foot apart – they should not extend out beyond your shoulders. The focus of the close grip bench press is on the muscle groups of the triceps however the mechanics of the bench press will supply some additional workout to the pectoral muscles as well the muscle groups of the biceps.

As you un-rack the weight bar, begin with arms fully extended and lower the weight toward the lower part of the chest slowly while keeping the elbows tucked in. Bring the weight back just before you touch the bar to your chest and return your arms to a fully-extended position.

Top Triceps Exercise #3 – Seated Triceps Extension

This position places a great deal of emphasis on the triceps equally. For this exercise, it’s important to use a seat or weight bench of some kind with an adjustable seat to aid in back support. Choose an appropriate dumbbell weight and hold it with both hands. Raise the weight up and behind the head.

While holding the dumbbell, carefully lower it behind your head. Lower the weight behind your head so that it is even with the lower part of the back of your head – try not to let the weight fall too far to avoid over-exertion of the triceps during this exercise. Raise the dumbbell back overhead so that arms are fully extended and repeat.

Top Triceps Exercise #4 – Clapping Diamond Pushups

We talk a lot about how resistance will bring on muscle gain. If you want your muscles to increase in mass then you have to use them. You need to use them a lot, from different angles and in different ways. This may seem a little unorthodox but this method will definitely push triceps to the limit.

Position your hands under chest like a push up but bring your hands together so that your index fingers and your thumbs are touching, forming a diamond shape. Perform 10 pushups like this. In order to get the clap in between each push up, you’ll need to push yourself with enough force to leave the floor, gaining enough height to insert the clap and still bring your hands back to a diamond form.

Top Triceps Exercise #5 – Rope Pushdowns

This can be easily done with a number of machines. When using a machine, try to balance the weight so you can fit it a set of approximately 10 reps easily while still feeling the proper burn in the triceps. This top triceps exercise requires a bit more form than others. When pulling the weight with the rope, it’s important to keep your upper arms locked at your sides while keeping your back straight.

If you release your arms, twist or bend your back you’ll start using your shoulders and back to take the brunt of the weight, giving little gain to your triceps.

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Quick and easy meals
Prepare a simple and satisfying dinner with these healthy recipes. We'll show you how to make everything from pasta and pizza to burgers and burritos, all with less than 15 grams of fat.

Fusilli Michelangelo With Roasted Chicken

This recipe is packed with fiber, protein, and a healthy dose of iron, but it contains only 3 grams of saturated fat. That's a claim not too many pasta dishes can make.

Ingredients: Sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, sugar, whole-wheat fusilli, mushrooms, olive oil, garlic, basil, tomato sauce, Parmesan, rotisserie chicken, arugula, pine nuts

Calories: 428

Quick and simple meal that just about anyone can make with the basic cooking materials. It's delicious and something you and the whole family can and will enjoy!

Tips about Running

Running is the best activity a human being can commit to in this life. It is the natural activity of the body. The benefits to the mind, body and soul are more numerous than modern science has yet to conceive.

The benefits on the mind include increased cognitive abilities of concentration, mental speed, mental stability, clarity of thought, and on and on…

The benefits to the body extend to all avenues; especially when running true to nature. Thus running combined with aerobics, dancing, or other agility activities brings running closer to the true natural form. Specific physical benefits include bone density, modest strength (especially in the legs), improved conditioning, regulated breathing, regulated appetite, regulated weight, better heart, better lungs, better intestines, vitality, etc.…

Regardless of religious affiliation, for inspiration, running allows this uninhibited moment moving through the world to be limited only by one’s effort (or capability) with the reward of a pleasant attitude. Furthermore, the instinctual vision and responses during a run require a certain amount of inner self trust; and the more one runs the more comfortable one becomes with this sense of inner flight.

Running is part of the human being’s destiny on this Earth. Even if running is not possible for someone, or if one has already completed a fatiguing run, visualization of running free over the Earth is majestic in and of itself.

Tips for dead lift

know a ton of people that love deads, but are wondering if training them every week with no time off is an issue. To all you people out there, the deadlift is a basic movement. It’s one of the primary movements we as humans perform routinely, as we routinely find a need to bend down and pick sh/t up.

There’s nothing wrong with making exercises you love a staple in your routine as long as it doesn’t interfere with your goals. Let’s say for example, you have 3 herniated discs and your goal is to reduce lumbar load during a rehabilitation period, then deadlifts may not be in the mix of things for you to do.

All that aside, there are many different ways to load, unload, deload, periodize, accommodate, assist, speed up, slow down and do whatever other things you can think of when training your deadlift.

My main concern is that you are not routinely pulling heavy. This will lead to issues. You can’t always move heavy sh/t and not eventually have some kind of problem. Much like everything else in life, it can be used as a stress release technique, although lifting and resistance training causes its own stress, so you need to be careful as to how you utilize it.

A safe way to load the deadlift for a significant period of time is to utilize Jim Wendler’s 5-3-1 program without training to failure on any set. The sets and reps are based off Prelipins chart and are submaximal.

Next, you can perform speed deadlifts. Speed deads are usually performed with 40-60% of your 1RM (1 rep max) and not done to fatigue. They’re a great way to excite the nervous system while stimulating strength and growth.

Another way is to perform them oxidatively. By definition, work becomes aerobic at 2 minutes, so you can perform deadlifts at a steady tempo for 2+ minutes, obviously at low weight, 25% and below. Another variation of aerobic work is interval fashion, perform a higher intensity at a steady tempo for 40 seconds, keep your heart rate within a certain range, once the heart rate drops below that range, get lifting again.

Accommodating resistance is always a favorite with deadlifts. Guys love feeling bad ass when pulling with chains, the sound, the weight, you can tell people how much is on the bar and neglect to explain how it’s only heaviest at the top, it’s pretty sweet. But if done properly, it’s a great way to keep stress off the back initially at the ground where most occurs.

And lastly, shortening the range of motion is always a great choice. For one, it takes the stress off the back from the ground. Next, you can handle more weight and it’s a great ego booster. But again, if done correctly, it’s a very useful tool.
Perform all these variations of the deadlift sub maximally and you’ll be able to perform them routinely with out much of a problem.

vitamins I use

B-Complex: 100 mg of B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, PABA, Choline, Inositol, 100 mcg of B-12 & Biotin, 400 mcg of Folic Acid; C-Complex: Vitamin C - 1000 mg, Lemon Bioflavonoids - 100 mg; rutin 50 mg, Hesperidan Complex 50 mg, Acerola 10 mg, Quercitin 50 mg, Vitamin E - 400 I.U. from d-Alpha Tocopherol, Lecithin - 1200 mg; Vitamin A - 10,000 I.U. and Vitamin D - 600 I.U. from Fish Liver Oil. MINERALS: Calcium Citrate 500 mg, Magnesium Citrate 250 mg, Iron 4 mg (amino acid chelate), Zinc 25 mg (amino acid chelate), Manganese 5 mg (amino acid chelate), Copper 150 mcg (amino acid chelate), Iodine 100 mcg (from Kelp), Potassium 48 mg, Boron (citrate) 1.5 mg, Chromium Picolinate 100 mcg, Molybdenum 50 mcg, Selenium 100 mcg. Vitamins to enhance your body and mind.

health

5 tips to survive the summer heat

1. Drink plenty of water! Your sweating so you need to replenish what you've lost by taking more water in. 2. Eat plenty of fruits! Fruits are high in vitamins and sugar, so you will stay energized for your summer activities. 3. wear some sun screen, or some skin protective lotion. This will help keep your skin protected from harmful UV-rays. 4. Eat protein! Just because your out and about doesn't mean you can't make a nice protein shake for that run or walk. Often when we are busy in the sun we forget that our body needs it's nutrition. 5. Have aloe handy. Aloe is high in nutrients and will help the skin heal if you do happen to get sun burn.

that feel

God like?

Logo a friend made for me... might make it for a shirt or something.

That time!

AVOID FAST FOOD

Fast-food restaurants deliver filling, inexpensive meals and snacks. But there’s usually a hidden added cost: a wallop of salt (sodium) that isn’t good for cardiovascular health. Even with the current clamor for reducing sodium in the American diet, and industry promising to do just that, the amount of sodium in prepared foods hasn’t changed much since 2005, according to a report published in the latest issue of JAMA Internal Medicine. Why does sodium matter? Too much of it can increase blood pressure and make the kidneys work harder. High blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease, and more. Current recommendations urge us to consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day, equivalent to about a teaspoon of table salt. The bar is set lower—1,500 mg a day—for those with cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure. Yet the average American takes in about 3,400 mg a day. Harvard researchers recently conducted a study that assessed the cumulative health effects of excess sodium. They estimated that excess sodium accounts for the 2.3 million deaths each year around the world. The U.S. ranked 19th out of the 30 largest countries, with 429 deaths per million adults due to taking in too much sodium. That represents one in 10 U.S. deaths due to heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. Counting the milligrams For the JAMA Internal Medicine study, researchers with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in Washington, DC, evaluated the sodium in 78 foods served at fast food and chain restaurants between 2005 and 2011, collecting nutritional information from the company websites. They did the same for foods plucked from shelves at stores in Washington, DC, and at one Walmart in Elverston, Pennsylvania. The average sodium in chain restaurant items increased 2.6% between 2005 and 2011. In packaged foods, it fell on average 3.5%. The sodium in some products fell as much as 30%, although a greater number increased by more than 30%. Food manufacturers have developed lower-sodium foods—none of which were included in the JAMA Internal Medicine study—and have reduced sodium in other products. So far these efforts, plus continuing public education campaigns, have failed to change this sobering fact: the average American still takes in far more sodium that their bodies need. CSPI, which sponsored the study, has called for tighter government regulation on the sodium content in processed and restaurant foods, including phasing in ever-stricter limits on how much sodium foods may contain. “Stronger action…is needed to lower sodium levels and reduce the prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases,” wrote Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., and colleagues, the authors of the JAMA Internal Medicine study. When applied to millions of people, even small changes in sodium consumption can save lives. “The evidence is convincing that substantially reducing sodium intakes from current levels will have significant population benefits,” says Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, associate professor of medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “The data justify government intervention to reduce sodium levels in all processed, pre-prepared, restaurant, and other commercial foods.”

Weight Loss

The theory: There’s more to dieting than counting calories—if you make healthy choices that fill you up, you’ll eat less. Weight Watchers’ PointsPlus program, launched in November 2010, assigns every food a points value, based on its protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber, calories, and how hard your body has to work to burn it off. Choices that fill you up the longest “cost” the least, and nutritionally dense foods cost less than empty calories. So if you’re wavering between a 200-calorie fruit smoothie and a 200-calorie iced coffee, the smoothie is the smarter choice. In other words what you eat has to be burned. If you eat more than you burn then you will gain weight it's quite simple! Exercise and burn unnecessary carbs and calories so you can look lean and mean.

10 foods to boost your Iron intake

To boost the amount of iron in your diet, try these foods: 1.Red meat 2.Egg yolks 3.Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards) 4.Dried fruit (prunes, raisins) 5.Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels) 6.Mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops) 7.Turkey or chicken giblets 8.Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans 9.Liver 10.Artichokes And here's a tip: If you eat iron-rich foods along with foods that provide plenty of vitamin C, your body can better absorb the iron.

Mind Over Matter

pic by Thomas Watkin

From our 3rd photo shoot together getting excited to go back and get more work!

an pic from an older photo shoot by model factory

3 key steps to weight loss

The three steps to losing weight are what people typically miss, and know it's not diet supplements or even joining a gym. The most important thing to losing weight is your attitude. If you are constantly doubting yourself then you will NEVER lose weight. It's simple psychologically really. Instead talk yourself up and tell yourself you will do it and you will with work lose it! Secondly write down your goals with DATES!!!! I Can not tell you enough how important this is. Buy a day planner or write your goals down in a journal, This way you will stay on top of things and find time to get what you need to get done, DONE! You will have better time management and will be able to prepare yourself better without being rushed etc. Third step is keep working at it and don't quit! Typically the average person quits their workout program after three months! The reason for this, is because they see results and think they will be okay. That is in fact not the case you must continue to workout and continue the healthy life style You can't just hop on board then hop off when you want. That's not how the body works. Now with that being said, I hope you change your attitude, be positive, become better, and ultimately achieve what you set out to do!

5 steps to reading labels

Serving Size This number is at the top for a reason: The nutritional information on the rest of the label applies to one serving. The FDA sets serving sizes for all foods―they are measurements, not recommendations. Total calories are calculated per serving, as are total calories from fat, so be sure to look at the servings per container. A bag of potato chips might say it has 150 calories per serving, but the entire bag might be three servings, or 450 calories. Percent of Daily Value This is calculated for a moderately active woman, or a fairly sedentary man, who eats 2,000 calories a day. (Highly active women, moderately active men, and growing teen boys may need closer to 2,500 calories a day.) A serving of Cheerios with ½ cup of skim milk gives the average adult just 3 percent of the daily value of fat intake and 11 percent of the daily value of fiber intake recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fat More important than total fat are the numbers for saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and trans fats. You want to see that the food contains relatively little saturated fat and trans fat, and relatively more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Keep in mind that "fat-free" doesn't equal "calorie-free." Many fat-free and low-fat foods have added sugar. Cholesterol This is a fatlike chemical that's an essential component of cell membranes, a covering for nerve-cell fibers, and a building block of hormones. Only animal products contain cholesterol. Adults are advised to limit their daily intake to 300 milligrams. Too much can elevate your blood cholesterol, raising your heart-disease risk. Sodium The recommended daily limit for an average adult is 2,300 milligrams; too much sodium can cause high blood pressure. By the USDA's reckoning, a food is low in sodium if it contains no more than 140 milligrams. (A serving of Cheerios has 210 milligrams and is therefore not low in sodium.) A single serving of soup or a frozen dinner may contain 1,000 milligrams or more of sodium, which is nearly half the daily limit.

pic from photo shoot

picture from photo shoot by Thomas Watkin

no carb diets stupid

No carb diets are probably the dumbest thing you can do to your body. If you don't eat carbs, and you exercise your body will then use protein for energy and your gains will atrophy. The carbs are burned for energy so they should be consumed through out the day, So they will be burned. After your done with your daily activities cut back on high carb foods. This is why it's good to eat 6 small meals instead of 3 large meals. Your body isn't meant to digest a ton of crab at once, but if you evenly distribute your proteins, vitamins ect. Your body will tolerate it much better. And overall you will just flat out feel better. Skipping meals is stupid!! NEVER SKIP MEALS! AND I mean NEVER. If you don't have anything in your body to workout, you wont see any gains. You are starving your body and your workout wont be as good and you will feel like shit. Your body needs nutrients. If your body doesn't have the nutrients then your body will go into starvation mode and will hold fat. Keep this in mind at all times. Thanks.