Unless they're sore from an upper-body workout, people often neglect to stretch the backs of their upper arms — the muscle known as the triceps brachii (triceps for short).
But adding just 30-second bursts of triceps stretches into your routine can bring big benefits, including reduced muscle tension, increased range of motion, improved circulation, stress reduction and injury prevention.
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Regular stretching can also increase the ease with which you perform daily activities, like carrying groceries, putting things away on a shelf overhead and picking up your kids or pets. Plus, stretching can be incorporated into many aspects of your day and be done practically anywhere — like while you're watching television, before bed or at your desk at work — and it usually doesn't require any equipment.
Here, Winnie Yu, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments Physical Therapy, shares how to stretch your triceps with her go-to moves to do when you need a break from your desk or after an arm workout.
The 5 Best Triceps Stretches
1. Overhead Triceps Stretch
- Start by standing tall with both arms by your side.
- Extend your right arm straight above your head.
- Bend your right arm at the elbow and reach your right hand toward your left shoulder blade.
- Bring your left arm above your head.
- With your left hand, reach up and overhead to gently apply downward pressure to your right elbow.
- While holding this position, lean slightly to the left to feel a stretch along your right triceps.
- Hold this stretch for 30 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
Tip
You can change this into a dynamic stretch (stretching your muscles while moving around) if you're trying it before your workout or sport. "You can do this by moving in and out of the stretch and holding for only 3 to 5 seconds at the end position instead of 30 seconds," Yu says.
2. Overhead Triceps Stretch With Towel
- Start by standing tall with both arms by your side and holding a towel.
- While holding the towel in your right hand, reach your right arm up and overhead to reach toward your left shoulder blade.
- Reach your left hand behind your back to grab the bottom of the towel.
- Gently pull the towel with your left hand to guide your right hand farther down your upper back and to feel a stretch along your right triceps.
- Hold this stretch for 3 to 5 seconds before loosening the pull on your left hand.
- Repeat 8 to 10 times on this side before switching to the other side.
Tip
You can change this into a static stretch (stretching your muscles while being still) if you're cooling down after a workout by holding the stretch for 30 seconds instead of moving in and out of the stretch.
3. Triceps Stretch Against Wall
- Start by standing a few inches away from a wall, facing the wall.
- Bend your right elbow and lift your right arm overhead to place your right elbow on the wall.
- Reach your left hand overhead to place your left hand over your right hand to stabilize the position.
- Step your right foot back to achieve a staggered-stance position and slowly sit your hips slightly back until you feel a stretch along your right triceps.
- Hold this stretch for 20 to 30 seconds before returning back to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side.
Tip
If you have limited mobility on one side and aren't able to reach overhead to stabilize the stretch of the other arm, you can modify the stretch by holding a towel in the hand of the side being stretched and pulling on the towel with the opposite side, Yu says.
4. Kneeling Prayer Stretch
- Start by kneeling on an exercise mat facing a chair, couch or bench.
- Hinge forward from your hips and place both elbows on the edge of the chair.
- Allow your hands to reach toward your upper back as you hinge your body forward until your trunk is parallel to the mat.
- Slowly sit your hips back toward your heels and allow your chest to lower toward the mat while maintaining contact of your elbows with the chair. You should feel a stretch along your latissimus dorsi muscles (back muscles) and triceps muscles.
- You can adjust the intensity of the stretch by how much you sit your hips back. The farther you sit your hips back, the more you'll feel this stretch.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds before returning to the starting position.
Tip
If you don't have the range of motion to perform this exercise or if you have any discomfort in your shoulders, upper back or elbows, try this modification: Place your elbows on a higher surface or hold a towel with both hands if you aren’t able to reach both hands to your upper back.
If you have trouble kneeling, you can stand next to a countertop instead.
5. Cross-Body Triceps Stretch
- Start by standing tall with your arms by your side.
- Lift your right arm to just below shoulder-level and reach it across your body toward the left.
- With your left hand, gently reach toward your right arm to hold your right arm just above your right elbow.
- Slowly pull your right arm toward your body with your left hand until you feel a stretch along your triceps and rear deltoid (back of your shoulder).
- Hold this position for 30 seconds before returning to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side.
Tip
You can make this a dynamic stretch by holding the end position for 3 to 5 seconds instead of 30 seconds before releasing the pull and repeating. If this stretch feels too intense or causes any discomfort in your shoulders, you can adjust the pull of your left hand on your right arm by moving through a smaller range of motion, Yu says.
3 Benefits of Stretching Your Triceps
1. You'll Warm Up Your Muscles
Even if you're doing a quick biceps or triceps workout, don't skip your warmup.
"By performing the dynamic versions of these stretches prior to your workout or sport, you can help bring more blood flow to the muscles targeted to help prime your shoulders and elbows for the sport," Yu says. This can help you perform better and reduce your risk of straining a muscle.
2. You'll Reduce Your Risk of Injury
Your triceps is an important muscle that supports your shoulder and elbow joints.
"By performing triceps stretches, you can help to reduce risk of injury at the shoulder and elbow by increasing your mobility and maintaining a normal and functional range of motion within the two joints," Yu says.
3. You'll Gain Flexibility
Cooling down after a workout is a great way to reduce sore triceps and further improve your flexibility. "If you perform the static versions of these stretches after your workout, you can help to improve the flexibility of these muscles," Yu says.
When to Skip Triceps Stretches
If you're currently dealing with any injuries, always err on the side caution. For example, the overhead position can sometimes be challenging for those with shoulder injuries.
"Always ease into the stretch with slow and controlled movements and allow yourself to get deeper into the range of motion with each repetition rather than forcing yourself to go deep into the stretch on the first repetition," Yu says.
If you feel any pain — like sharp, aching, throbbing or even tingling, sensations — stop the stretch immediately, Yu says.
"You can always decrease the range of motion performed within the stretch to stay within a pain-free range, or you can perform modifications of the stretches as mentioned," she says.