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Here's How to Get Insanely Toned Triceps -- in 5 Minutes

Whip your flabby arms into shape with moves you can pull off while binge-watching your favorite show.
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If you've ever stopped waving at someone only to have the back of your arm continue to jiggle, then you know that excess fat has an annoying tendency to reside in triceps.

While vanity may drive our desire to firm this flabby area, it turns out there's another reason -- you know, aside from a strong desire to eliminate unsightly bingo wings -- that we should target the notoriously neglected muscle. Working out triceps can also help combat that perma-hunched shoulder look that many of us acquire from working at a computer all day or constantly looking down at our tablets and phones, says Dr. Robert Pomahac, a chiropractor, former bodybuilder and founder of Los Angeles' MaxHealth LA integrated medical center.

According to Pomahac, triceps help stabilize the upper part of your body and help pull back shoulders to keep your posture in check.

But if beautifully sculpted arms and perfect posture aren't incentive enough to tackle triceps, consider this: "As you get older, the No. 1 issue that people have -- women, specifically -- is osteoporosis and osteopenia, which is a breakdown of bone tissue," says Pomahac. "The main thing to improve bone structure density is resistance training."

And we've pretty much made it impossible for you to remain resistant to resistance training by tapping Pomahac, yoga expert Yvette Charlton and celebrity trainer Josh Holland to provide us with quick-and-easy triceps exercises that require absolutely no equipment.

Better start deciding which sleeveless outfits you're going to want to wear now.

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Close Grip or Yogi Pushup
Charlton, expert yogi and co-founder of La Vie Boheme Yoga, suggests combining a close-grip or yogi pushup with a plank to maximize the benefits to both the triceps and shoulders. Pomahac says moving your hands closer together increases the intensity of this pushup.

1. Hold a plank for one minute.
2. Proceed to a close grip or yogi pushup by assuming a traditional pushup position, but make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders. Keep your arms and elbows close to your body.
3. Bend your elbows, making sure to keep them close to your body.
4. Extend your elbow to return to the starting position.
5. Do one set of 20.


Photo courtesy of La Vie Boheme Yoga

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Reverse Plank Dip
Celebrity trainer Holland has helped train a number of celebrities, including sculpted arm queen Madonna -- so you know he knows a thing or two about toning triceps. He recommends this move to target the back of the arms, as well as the shoulders and upper back.

1. Start in a reverse tabletop position (pictured) with your arms slightly bent.
2. Press your hands and feet into the floor as you squeeze your glutes and raise your hips to the sky until your torso is parallel to the floor. Make sure to squeeze your upper back and slightly lean your weight over your hands.
3. Slowly lower yourself to the start position.
4. Repeat 10 times.


Photo courtesy of Josh Holland

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Side Pushup
"The side arm pushup is much more challenging than a regular pushup because you're isolating one arm at a time," says Charlton. "It takes a higher level of skill to perform a side arm pushup."

1. Lay on your right side with knees bent slightly.
2. Wrap your right arm around your waist or left bicep and keep it there.
3. Put your left hand on the floor beside your right elbow. Use this arm to push your upper body off the floor; extend your arm until it's straight.
4. Do 10 repetitions on each side.


Photo courtesy of La Vie Boheme Yoga

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Tricep Dip
"This is a very easy and effective way to tone those arms really quickly using your own body weight," says Charlton.

1. Place your hands on the edge of a stable surface, such as a chair or bench.
2. Extend your legs in front of you.
3. Lower yourself slowly by bending your elbows to a 90-degree angle.
4. Straighten your elbows to return to the starting position.
5. Do 20 repetitions.

Pro tip: Make sure your elbow is not behind your body and that it is parallel to your body and torso," cautions Pomahac. "If you're bringing your elbow behind your body to do the dip, you're putting your shoulder in a vulnerable position."

Photo courtesy of Dr. Robert Pomahac

BY ROSE CURIEL | OCT 5, 2015 | SHARES
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