This Triple-Dropset Builds Serious Triceps Power With Only Bodyweight
Yes, you can train your arms at home! No, that doesn't mean biceps curls. Instead, if you can't gain access to weights, focus on the muscles along the backs of your arms, your triceps. You can blast these with bodyweight, often creating overload in unique ways.
One such method comes from Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S, who has a triple-dropset series that's built to take your triceps to the limit. "This series starts with a challenging triceps move, and then gradually progresses to ever-so-slightly easier movements," says Samuel. "But by the time you reach those moves, your tris are already building fatigue, so the overall result winds up being serious triceps fatigue, and mechanism for added strength and size."
The Bodyweight Triceps Triple Dropset relies on two varieties of moves. The first is an elevated bench skullcrusher, which focuses on letting your arms move only at the elbow joint. That elbow "extension" batters your triceps early. After you do two varieties of this move, you transition into an elevated close-grip pushup.
"This seems easy," says Samuel, "and it's a scaled-down version of a standard close-grip pushup. But by the time you reach this point, you'll be finishing off your triceps. The simplicity of the move lets you focus on mind-muscle connection and a strong contraction, flushing your tris with blood."
It's a combination that sparks plenty of triceps growth, and all you need is your bodyweight to do it. Then find any elevated surface, from a bench, to a step, to an Ottoman or chair or coffee table, and you're set.
Start with your hands on the bench, shoulder-width apart, in pushup position. Tighten your core.
Aiming to keep your shoulders steady and moving primarily at the elbows, lower your torso toward the bench. Pause. Press back up. Do 8 of these paused bench skullcrushers.
Follow with 8 standard bench skullcrushers with no pause.
Shift your feet forward slightly. You're now in position for close-grip pushups. Do 8 paused reps.
Do 8 standard close-grip pushups.
Do 3 sets.
Use this series anywhere in your workouts. It can easily be a brutal push-day or triceps workout finisher if you're in a gym. Or it can also be a starting move to an arm workout or a bodyweight triceps workout. Or if you need a quick triceps pump, anytime, anywhere, consider this your go-to. "There are multiple ways to use this," says Samuel. "But they're proof you can grow your arms anywhere."
For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts. If you want to try an even more dedicated routine, consider Eb's New Rules of Muscle program.
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