The Body Sculpting Bible for Women (89 page)

As you reach the top of the movement, squeeze the triceps muscles as hard as you can without locking out your elbow joints.

Hold this contraction for one second.

Make sure that there is a smooth transition when switching directions from the top position going into the lowering of the bar, and also from the bottom position going into the extension or raising of the bar. There should be no rest at all when switching from the bottom position into the upward extension of the bar.

FAQ:

I thought that it was necessary and much more effective to keep the hands close together in order to work the triceps
.

ANSWER:

Not at all. keeping your hands too close together can seriously damage your wrists and shoulders. You will get more than enough triceps stimulation by keeping your hands 8 to 10 inches apart.

Close-Grip Dumbbell Press

The close-grip dumbbell press is an excellent compound movement that not only targets the triceps muscles, but also, as a bonus, targets the middle of your chest. The alignment used for this exercise is the same as the alignment used for chest exercises with the exception that you will need to retract the scapula (bring the shoulder blades towards one another) in order to bring the chest above the shoulders. The reason for this technique is to make sure that the chest muscles receive the secondary emphasis over the shoulders.

PROPER ALIGNMENT

This exercise will incorporate virtually the same alignment positions as the E-Z curl bar close-grip press.

Choose your dumbbells and, from a seated position, place them on your lap.

Bring the dumbbells back into position as you learned earlier in the proper lifting and dumbbell positioning techniques.

Before lifting the dumbbells, lay back on the bench and place your feet flat onto the floor, pointing straight ahead.

Remember to make sure that your whole arm is in direct line with your front shoulder (anterior deltoid). Your arms must stay close to your body and follow in a straight line from shoulder, to elbow, to arm. This is what will create primary isolation on the triceps muscles and allow better control of the bar.

Take a position on the dumbbells so that your hands are positioned directly in the middle of the dumbbell handles.