If in this case you experience tension or weakness while extending and contracting the arm at the shoulder, this means that you should better start to practice the best triceps stretches to make the triceps muscle more flexible.
If you are an active athlete, baseball player, tennis player, or gymnast, or have been indulging in a physical activity that involves force in extending the elbow, your triceps is likely to tighten. Going into the Best Tricep Stretches is an excellent practice that you can add to your routine to avoid tighten on your triceps.
Well, we understand that not every reader knows exactly what the structure of triceps and how to extension the muscle, and what they might look forward to in the post. So, we’d like to share with you the same and start simplifying. If you have trouble with flexibility in the upper arms and feel that your movement is restricted, this post is just for you.
Tricep Muscle Function
The group of muscles responsible for the mechanics of movement in the triceps muscles works to extend the elbow joint or straighten your arm. Even while writing, the function of the triceps muscle is to control the elbow joint so that writing can be done by engaging the forearm and hand.
Hence, the triceps muscle is a group of muscles responsible for the movements of the arms and stabilization of the shoulders during upper arm activity.
What is the Cause of Tight Triceps?
Some activities and exercises include forceful elbow extension. For example, bench press, javelin throw, hard throw baseball, gymnastics, hammering, playing tennis, etc. If these activities are your routine but stretching isn’t in your plan, you should probably consider starting to stretch today.
These and many other activities can cause the triceps muscle and possibly the tendons associated with it to tighten and may lead to increased triceps pain and possible injury.
Best Tricep Stretches
Involving stretching as part of your routine to add flexibility to your upper body is the best you can think of. Whether you are a beginner or advanced athlete or even for a better understanding of triceps stretching, below is your guide. Just follow the program’s procedure step by step and we assure you to get upper body flexibility.
To get you started with a quick stretching routine, you can start with simple static triceps stretches. These are the stretches that can be done anywhere and anytime.
There is another group of stretching exercises called dynamic triceps stretching, which can add even more to your flexibility requirements. Let’s start by discussing them one by one.
We’ll mention in each stretch routine whether it’s categorized as static or dynamic, before moving on to detailing the exercise steps, so don’t worry about that.
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Horizontal Stretches
These are simple and basic static stretches and here’s how to do them:
- Begin by extending your left arm straight at shoulder height.
- While keeping your left arm straight, move slightly toward your right side.
- Now put your right hand on the left arm at the level of the elbow so that the fingers of the right hand are holding the back of the left elbow.
- Start by pressing gently with your right wrist to move your left arm and pull it toward your chest. You will feel the stretches in the left triceps muscle.
- Keep yourself comfortable. Do not exceed the range of motion of your left arm.
- Hold this position for about 30 seconds.
- Then repeat the same steps by switching with the side of the other arm.
- Repeat for both sides at least three times.
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Overhead Tricep Stretch
These are a static stretches. Below is a step by step guide to perform them.
- Let’s start this extension also from the left side. Stand with your feet at shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Raise your left arm so that your elbow faces the ceiling.
- With the same hand, using your palm to touch the middle of your upper back.
- If you fail to reach the upper back, place the hand behind the head and bend the head forward. Bending your head in the forward direction will stretch your triceps.
- Now to help yourself complete the entire stretch, use your right hand to grab your left elbow and pull it down toward your back until you feel the stretch in your left triceps.
- Hold this position for about 30 seconds.
- Then repeat the same by switching with the side of the other arm.
- Repeat for both sides at least 4 times.
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Tricep Towel Stretch
This is another static extension and here are the steps.
- Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Hold a towel in your right hand.
- Flip the towel over on your back and raise your hand so that your right elbow is pointing toward the ceiling.
- Now, bring your left arm aside toward the middle of your back to hold the other end of the towel from below. The position now, one end of the upper towel in your right hand at top, and the other lower end in your left hand.
- Pull both hands in opposite directions to exert the extension and feel the stretch in the triceps, while pulling, just think the same way as you would to wipe your back after a shower but here to stretch, you have to be careful in straightening the towel in the middle of your back.
- Repeat the stretch, after switching to other arm side.
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Tricep Stretch using a Chair
This is another static stretch but you need a chair to perform the stretch.
- Bring a low chair or a small sturdy table of similar height that can serve the purpose as well. Then start kneeling in front of it.
- The distance between you and the chair should be about the same as your height from the top of your head to your knees.
- Tilt your upper body forward and rest both elbows on the chair in a way that your placed elbow supports the weight of your upper body.
- Now, when you are in a comfortable position, bend your face down in such a way that your head and neck are in line with your back, while keeping your upper body parallel to the floor.
- Exert force to pull your forearms back that will become past your head.
- Hold both hands and bend them just behind your neck at the point where the neck meets the back.
- Gently pull your head toward the floor with the support of your forearms to feel the stretch in your triceps. The head should not touch the chair, this stretch will be felt in both triceps muscles.
- Hold the position for a count of 30 seconds.
- Now, unlock your arms and go back to the starting kneeling position.
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Overhead Arm Swing
This is a set of dynamic stretches and here’s how to perform them.
- Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Raise both arms outwards and keep them straight.
- Now rotate both arms in back circles for about 20-30 seconds.
- Then rotate them in the opposite “forward direction” for a similar duration.
- Repeat at least three times.
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Arm Crossover Stretch
Front Arm crossover swings are dynamic Stretches.
- Stand straight with feet shoulder width apart.
- Raise your arms on both sides of your body to be parallel to the floor.
- Now bring them inwards to hug yourself as if you were holding a teddy bear.
- Open the arms back to as the previous step and then close again.
- Repeat the sequence for about a minute.
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Tricep Extension with Band
You need a loop band to perform another dynamic stretch.
- Take a exercise band and put it on the ground and step on your feet in the middle while keeping your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Hold the right end of the band with the right hand and the left end with the left hand.
- Raise your elbows by place both hands behind your head. The elbows should be pointing up.
- Now, straighten your arms by stretch the band and then lowering the forearms to an elbow level position. This movement will allow you to feel the stretching of your triceps muscles. This completes one cycle repetition.
- Repeat the cycle for 3-5 times.
Important Tip for Stretches
Always listen to your body. Stretch only to a level where you feel comfortable, and never go beyond your limits of motion, to avoid injuries.
Rules for Starting Stretching for Triceps
There are some considerations like anything we do that deserve attention as well. We’ve told you how to perform stretches, but there are a few basics rules to consider before and after extensions and we’ll discuss them here.
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Frequency
- Whether it’s part of your fitness regime or if you’re an athlete, you need to incorporate triceps stretches into your routine at least 2-3 times a week.
- If you participate in any kind of sports like baseball, gymnastics, bench press etc, you need to do it probably 5 days a week. According to our research and analysis, if you stretch your triceps daily for 3 minutes, you will gain a stronger, more flexible arms and less prone to injuries.
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Decision
- Taking decision of which side muscles need to be stretched is essential, but it is never recommended that you only use stretching exercises for the same side every time. You need to stretch evenly for both sides, whether your right muscles require more or your left muscles, but you need to be neutral and fair to stretch on both sides.
- But yes, for a quick demand of any particular side of the muscle that needs lengthening, you are good to go. You are also open to the option of stretching on an alternative basis, which means that you can perform triceps stretches on one side on one day and the other side directly on a next day.
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Warm-Up
- A warm-up is a prerequisite before performing stretching exercises. Warming up ensures an improvement in blood circulation and leads to pumping to avoid excessive stress.
- A brisk walk or jog for 5-10 minutes is a great rescue.
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Stretch Timing
- When is it better to do stretching? Before or after workout, this is another issue of concern. Therefore, we recommend that you perform the stretching exercises after complete your Tricep Workout rather than before it.
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Choice
- Since we have discussed with you both types of triceps stretches, both static and dynamic, you are not free to do whatever you want! To perform and maximize benefits, you should always start at a low level and progress to higher levels. Similarly, here too, start with static exercises and then move on to dynamic exercises.
- You have a choice over the static ones and again you have the choice among the dynamic ones, as regards in terms of deciding which one to perform, how many iterations and then how long it should be done.
- The only option we are talking about is choosing static extensions ones before heading towards dynamic extensions. This will ensure the correct sequential flow of both your blood and energy.
Why is Tricep Stretching Essential?
Incorporating triceps into your routine is essential to keep the correct upper body flexibility on track and for better athlete performance. The stability of the shoulders largely depends on the triceps muscle and needs to be stretched to avoid any restriction or tension in the movement of your arms.
Moreover, stretching imparts the muscles strength and keeps their movements smooth. It is important to start as soon as possible because as you age, only the physical strength you gain will stay with you, keep you fit and of course prevent any injuries.
Whether it’s to relieve muscle tension or recover from an injury, these stretches will help you exceed your expectations.
In addition, blood circulation will improve. Besides, to prevent muscle soreness after using the upper body as push-up and pulling activities, it becomes necessary to do triceps stretches to keep the muscles a way from tightness be stretched and effective all the time.