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Sometimes, the best exercises are the simplest ones. The moves you can do wherever, whenever, with zero gear. That’s definitely true of this bodyweight triceps burner from trainer Paul Sklar, C.S.C.S.
Sklar’s series is simpe: He performs 5 sets of incline triceps pushups to fatigue. That’s it. The workout leaves the triceps simultaneously gassed and pumped. This “looks easy but ends in a sea of fire,” Sklar writes in the caption the goes with the video.
To make sure you’re tapping the triceps, you have to zero-in on that mind-muscle connection. Concentrate on actively holding tension in your triceps and using them to power the movement. You should be carrying 95 percent of your weight in your triceps, he says.
Set up with your body at an incline, hands slightly narrower than shoulder-width and your body forward so that, when you lower, your wrists are at the bottom of your sternum. Keep your elbows in and glutes and abs braced at all times.
Check in with yourself throughout your sets to make sure the work is focused squarely on your triceps as opposed to chest. If things feel easy on your chest, shift your weight forward, tuck those elbows, and access how your muscles are working then.
For a great push-day finisher, Sklar recommends performing 5 sets, taking each to fatigue and resting for 20 seconds between them. He’s also pro holding your body at a 30-degree incline, which, to do, you’ll need a sturdy surface that’s around groin-height. But you could easily use a different angle, especially if you’re churning out reps with your hands against a kitchen counter or arm of a couch.
After all, this exercise is also just great for getting in a pump on demand.
If you’re interested in staying fit over 40 like Sklar, check out the Men’s Health Muscle After 40 program. You’ll get a whole set of routines designed for guys who have gotten older, but aren’t even close to throwing in the towel on their fitness.