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Technique tips

Keep these tips in mind as you perform the triceps kickback:

Keep your abdominals pulled in and your knees relaxed, and don’t

allow your back to round.

Don’t lock your elbow at the top of the movement.Straighten your

arm, but keep your elbow slightly bent.

Don’t allow your upper arm to move or your shoulder to drop below

waist-level.

Keep your wrist straight.

Gym alternative: Triceps-extension machine

Adjust the seat so when you sit down with your arms straight out, they’re

level with your shoulders and your elbows are lined up with the moving

hinge or pulley of the machine. Sit down and tip the handles back so the hand

grips are alongside your shoulders.

Grasp a handle in each hand with your palms facing inward. Straighten your

arms out in front of you to lift the weight stack, and then slowly bend your

arms to lower the weight. (See Figure 14-16.)

Photograph by Sunstreak Productions, Inc.

Basic crunch

The basic crunch is the consummate abdominal exercise. Pay special atten-

tion to your form if you have lower-back or neck problems. We don’t offer a

machine alternative for the basic crunch because we think abdominal crunch

Figure 14-16:

Use the

triceps-

extension

machine at

the gym

as an

alternative

to the

triceps

kickback.

232 Part IV: Lift and Curl: Building a Stronger Bod with Weights