Getting it right: Triceps hinges

The triceps muscle works in opposition with the biceps to bend and straighten the arm. It’s the wobbly bit at the back of your upper arm and a pair is sometimes rather unkindly called mother-in-law arms, Bingo arms or tuck-shop arms. 🙂 It is probably the muscle ladies want to tone more than any other – at least in the upper body.

Two Vertifirm™ moves that target the triceps are Hinge Back and Hinge Sides. The elbow is the hinge. In both moves, the only part of the arm that moves is the forearm. From shoulder to elbow, the upper arm remains still. In both moves, keep your neck long and don’t hunch up your shoulders. As with all Vertifirm™ moves, focus on the targeted muscle, feeling it alternately contract and relax, and think resistance and control.

Hinge Side. This session, we Hinge Side in Vertifirm™ during Pose Behind Then Squat, and also in the Booster, in the Long Glide in and out of the circle.

Your elbows point to the side walls and your fists extend out to the sides and back to the chest as your forearms hinge down nearly 180 degrees. Keep your fists close to your body, not out in front, as your arms bend. Your knuckles face front throughout the move.

Common mistakes: dropping the upper arm; engaging the back muscles by hunching the shoulders.

Hinge Back. This session, we Hinge Back during the Hover Squats in Vertifirm™. Your elbows point to the back wall while your fists extend back till the arm is straight, then arc in to end near your armpits. Don’t drop your elbows as your fists move forward or you’ll be working your deltoids, not your triceps. Your knuckles face the side walls throughout the move, and you should not see your arms at any time.

Common mistakes: dropping the elbows to the waist and swinging the forearms to the front of the body as the arm bends. Check your form by standing side-on at a mirror and ensuring that your entire arm remains behind your back and your upper arm does not move.