As I mentioned during the Triceps Extension Challenge, the triceps are naturally larger muscles than the biceps, so if you want to strengthen your arms, you need to work both sides of your upper arms This movement, also known as the bench dip, is one of the best and most accurate exercises to target the triceps and improve overall arm strength In addition, there is a pleasant surprise in this exercise

The triceps dip is a no nonsense body weight exercise As the name suggests, it primarily works the triceps, but it also works the pectoralis major and the front part of the shoulder (anterior deltoid) This exercise is popular not only because the form is very simple, but also because it can be performed at an appropriate height, such as a park bench

For this challenge, I used a kitchen bench I've seen people do this move with chairs, but I stick to benches because I can't help but imagine them either leaping backward at an alarming rate or suddenly leaning forward with two front legs There are variations on this move, and they get more interesting as they get stronger

Now let's get started Here's how to do triceps dips with perfect form:

I've done this move before, but usually with my legs bent, so I started with my legs straight This is an exercise that does not require much thought in terms of maintaining proper form, so I tend to run through it However, as usual, when I slowed down, I realized that I could do this movement better, not that I was doing it wrong, but I could get more out of it

On the first day, I did three sets of 20 repetitions and felt my entire chest extended more than usual because I was concentrating on the movement Keep an eye on your elbows (figuratively) as they may be out to the side instead of behind you Keep your elbows close to your sides

When doing a challenge like this, take notes each day to document improvements in form For this move, I found that there was little to distinguish one day from the next in that regard, so my goal was to see what progress I could make with respect to reps in seven days By the second day, I was up to three sets of 30 reps with a minute of rest between each set

As I increased my reps, I noticed that I was working the rhomboids in my upper back a bit The rhomboids are the muscles that move the shoulder blades, because they are drawn in during the movement If you sit in a chair with your back straight and pull your shoulder blades together, you will immediately feel your back straighten I have also noticed that pulling my toes toward my shins stretches my calves and hamstrings I was reminded once again that even these targeted exercises can do more than you think

On day 5, I did 3 sets of 35 reps and finally decided that I had reached my rep limit for the week; on days 6 and 7, I tried a cross bench variation where I put my heels on a chair instead of the floor Of course, this is quite difficult and should be attempted after getting used to the straight leg version; I was careful to limit it to no more than 3 sets of 20 repetitions [It's technically easy, great for increasing triceps strength and size, and can be done almost anywhere