The Bikini division show featured 16 IFBB Pro League athletes. Tara Grier won silver and Kimberly Bonilla won bronze. The final order of finish is below:
Delgado was a breakout star in 2023, scoring five pro wins. She started out her 2024 season with a narrow second-place rank to Lauralie Chapados at the 2024 Bikini International in Columbus, OH.
Delgado received a perfect score from the judges at the 2024 San Diego Championships Pro and left the stage with a qualification for the 2024 Bikini Olympia in Las Vegas, NV, on Oct. 10-13, 2024. Should Delgado step on the 2024 Olympia stage, she will aim to improve upon her sixth-place finish from 2023.
Delgado confirmed she will compete at the 2024 Wasatch Warrior Pro event on April 20, 2024, in Salt Lake City, UT.
Second Place — Tara Grier
This was Grier’s second straight runner-up finish. She also scored silver behind Vania Auguste at the 2024 Bikini International UK in Birmingham, England on March 16, 2024. Grier must still win a pro show to qualify for the 2024 Olympia. She has until Sept. 15, 2024, to do so.
Third Place — Kimberly Bonilla
This was Bonilla’s 2024 season debut and her second pro show. She placed fifth at the 2023 GRL PWR Pro event in her debut. She received unanimous third-place votes on the scorecards.
Other Notes
This was one of two pro Bikini shows that occurred on March 30, 2024. The other was the 2024 Klash Series Championships in Orlando, FL, won by Alexandra Vattahauer.
The next IFBB Pro League Bikini division show is the 2024 TW Pro on April 4-5, 2024, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Everyone likes to bench — us included. But let’s be honest, unless you’re a beginner, you won’t get far by waltzing into the gym, loading up a barbell, and mindlessly pounding away at set after set.
To build strength, gain muscle, you need a bench press program. The right programming style can help you increase your bench press, pack mass onto your pecs, and provide the structure you need to excel in the gym. Here are five of our picks for the types of bench press programs you can use:
This article was originally published by Eric Bugera, a veteran coach and Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). On Mar. 28, 2024, it was reviewed and updated for accessibility by BarBend Senior Writer Jake Dickson.
1. Starting Strength
Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength is a great introductory strength training program designed to take advantage of a “young” training age. Being new to lifting usually means a rapid (and borderline unfair) speed of progress. The Starting Strength program harnesses frequent increases in bar weight to speed the trainee through their “newbie gains” as quickly as possible.
Starting Strength is a full-body, barbell-centric linear training program. While linear progressions can be implemented for a reasonable amount of time, the overarching goal is to acquire the easy, early gains from strength training without adhering to classical periodization tenets that may be obtrusive to new trainees.
Starting Strength builds full-body strength utilizing two workouts performed three days per week in alternating fashion.
Workout A:
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Squat
3
5
Bench Press
3
5
Deadlift
1
5
Workout B:
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Squat
3
5
Press
3
5
Deadlift
1
5
For example:
Week 1
Day
Workout
Monday
Workout A
Wednesday
Workout B
Friday
Workout A
Week 2
Day
Workout
Monday
Workout B
Wednesday
Workout A
Friday
Workout B
Why We Like It: “I ran Starting Strength myself early in my lifting career and loved it,” Dickson says of the program. He notes that Starting Strength’s selling point is its simplicity, serving as a great introduction to periodization for beginners.
2. Block Periodization
A natural next step once newbie gains have been exhausted is to begin dabbling in periodization models. Periodization means that a structure behind set, repetition, and weight selection is in place to ensure you won’t get overwhelmed by increased workout difficulty that may outpace your ability to recover. Block periodization is one example of implementing a periodized approach.
One form of block periodization increases the weight lifted per session while decreasing the number of repetitions. This style requires a more experienced trainee to know (or estimate) their 1-repetition maximum (1RM) on the bench press to program their workouts accurately.
Block periodization applies to the bench press (or other major compound exercises) specifically, leaving ample room to tailor a custom workout around the other exercises you may also need to see progress.
Week
Sets
Reps
Week 1
3
12 with 65% of 1-rep max
Week 2
3
10 with 70% of 1-rep max
Week 3
3
8 with 75% of 1-rep max
Week 4
3
6 with 80% of 1-rep max
Week 5
3
5 with 85% of 1-rep max
Week 6
3
3 with 90% of 1-rep max
Week 7
3
1 with 92.5% of 1-rep max
Week 8
2
1 with 95% of 1-rep max
Why We Like It: Dickson remarks that block periodization is ideal for folks who want to beef up their bench press, but hate performing the exact same workouts over and over. This type of program adjusts your intensity and reps on a weekly basis, which adds diversity to your workouts.
3. 5/3/1
Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 program is a no-frills brute strength program designed around the squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press. The major selling point is that it takes the guesswork out of your programming similar to Starting Strength but accounts for a more advanced trainee’s necessity to recover more between workouts.
5/3/1 is a weekly undulating periodization program that changes the load and volume of each exercise progressively over three weeks before allowing for a deload (lighter) week. As straightforward as it seems, it is recommended that you do not deviate from the main and accessory lift prescriptions, as it is tightly calibrated to do one thing — make you brutally strong.
Note: All %1RM calculations are actually based on 90% of your true one-rep-max. This is referred to as a “training max,” a weight you could reliably hit on most days in the gym.
Week 1:
5 repetitions at 65% of training max
5 repetitions at 75% of training max
5+ repetitions at 85% of training max
Week 2:
3 repetitions at 70% of training max
3 repetitions at 80% of training max
3+ repetitions at 90% of training max
Week 3:
5 repetitions at 75% of training max
3 repetitions at 85% of training max
1+ repetition at 95% of training max.
Week 4:
5 repetitions at 40% of training max
5 repetitions at 50% of training max
5 repetitions at 60% of training max
Why We Like It: “This is a stellar pick for anyone with a few years of lifting experience,” Dickson says. He believes that 5/3/1 can serve as a great “bridge” between beginner programs and more involved forms of periodization.
4. Daily Undulating Periodization
Daily undulating periodization places frequency at the forefront of your bench press training. Many people may benefit from increased frequency to help pack on muscle or improve strength on the bench press, yet stick to programs that have them benching only once per week.
That isn’t to say it doesn’t work, but increasing frequency could play a big role in breaking bench press plateaus by increasing proficiency and building more upper body muscle at the same time.
A daily undulating program does not have to be complex. A simple example could be training your bench press heavy, medium, and light once per week for a total of three workouts.
While the bench press volume may be increased over the course of the week relative to other programs, it should still leave plenty of room for you to structure other exercises into your days to account for building a well-rounded training session.
Day
Sets
Reps
Day 1 (medium)
5
5
Day 2 (light)
3
12
Day 3 (heavy)
3
3
Note: Medium, light, and heavy refer to the intensity relative to your one-rep-max. Effort should still be relatively high on a set-by-set basis since you’re performing different rep ranges.
Why We Like It: “DUP” plays to the strengths of periodization. By varying the stimulus every session, your workouts will never feel stale, and you can build up strength while also adding muscle mass or improving your endurance. “In my experience, DUP is extremely sustainable long-term for most people,” says Dickson.
5. Concurrent
Another programming method is the concurrent style of training — where multiple goals are pursued within the same session. Where in strength-orientated programming, you may train the bench press using heavier weights almost exclusively, concurrent training methods would see you train the bench press for strength before training the chest itself through a range of muscle-building exercises. These are also some of the guiding principles found in many power-building routines.
To create a concurrent-style of program, first, choose a periodization method to guide your bench press routine. From there, add in additional exercises prioritizing chest size and strength to complement the bench press, such as dumbbell presses or pec flyes.
Oftentimes, these workouts start with heavier weights before stacking many more sets, repetitions, and moderate training loads to fully train the chest across a spectrum of challenges within the same day.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Bench Press
3
5 with 85% of 1RM (block periodization style)
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
3
10
Cable or Machine Flye
3
12
Push-ups
2
AMRAP
Why We Like It: Dickson recommends concurrent programming for anyone who wants to do more than just get strong on the bench press. This style of program is ideal for powerbuilders or athletes in the off-season.
Bench Press Alternatives
If your goal is to lift heavier weights in the bench press, you’re going to have to perform the bench press. However, many of the principles and programs outlined apply to other exercises that may provide a better mind-muscle connection, be less aggravating on your joints, or be more fun to train.
So, if you don’t want to bench with the bar, no worries, we’ve got you covered. Here are some alternatives to the bench press you can do — bear in mind, though, that the programs outlined in this article are designed for the barbell bench. If you swap these alternatives in, you may have to tweak things on the fly.
Performing the bench press movement with dumbbells is the closest cousin to the iconic barbell lift. Separate, independent movement of the arms allows for a more personalized technique and may be more comfortable on the shoulders or elbows. However, even a good pair of adjustable dumbbells are not as acutely loadable as a barbell, so certain progression pathways may not work as well.
Incline Bench Press
Whether with a barbell or set of dumbbells, the incline bench press is a phenomenal upper chest builder. The inclination of the bench can slightly — or significantly, if that’s your cup of tea — alter the resistance path and resulting training response. The incline bench can fit into a standard bench program if you’re after more upper pec development or stronger delts. Note, though, that you will not be able to lift as much absolute weight.
The weighted dip is a significant step up in difficulty from the calisthenics classic performed on a set of gymnastics bars or at a machine station. It is possible to apply linear or undulating progression blueprints to this exercise, but many external variables may impede smooth, consistent progress. That said, a set of dips with one or two weight plates attached to your waist will definitely turn heads at the gym.
How Getting Stronger Works
Strength is an expression of full-body coordination and force production. During the bench press, your prime movers (your chest, triceps, and shoulders) must be able to exert force to move the barbell.
But gaining strength is as much about your mind as it is your body. When you lift heavy weights consistently over time, your central nervous system (CNS) adapts to the demand, becoming more efficient at coordinating things like muscle contraction and joint stability.
Getting strong requires a long-term commitment to technical practice and moderate to heavy loading to accomplish those two tasks. If a strong bench press (or big chest) is your goal, committing to the exercise for the long haul — along with having plenty of patience — is a must.
Benefits of Doing the Bench Press
As with most barbell exercises, many of the benefits of successfully performing the bench press are actually achieved by the work you do to become a good bencher in the first place. Benefits such as improved mobility, joint stability, and upper body size and strength are all involved in building the bench press, and bleed into other aspects of your fitness.
Improved Mobility
To perform the bench press successfully and for a long enough time to see real progress, you must first gain the required hip, trunk, and shoulder mobility to perform the best possible bench press technique. This often requires the addition of hip flexor, pec and lat, thoracic spine, and shoulder warm-up drills to be involved in bench press training and thus carries over to many other exercises.
Increased Joint Stability
Being strong is intimately tied to the ability to stabilize your body through only one range of motion — that of the bench press. Having adequate joint stability is necessary to prevent plateaus in the bench press from elbows and wrists losing position, or the legs wobbling around uncontrollably during hard attempts.
Improved Upper Body Size and Strength
Everyone who has a strong bench press, and thus a strong chest, has probably realized that to keep seeing progress, they need to build more muscle. Ultimately, a bigger torso (back, shoulders, arms, and chest) gained by building the upper body musculature translates into a bigger bench by cushioning the joints and providing more muscle to produce force.
Types of Progression
Increasing strength and size is not an accident. Applying structured intensification to a training program helps to ensure that steady progress can be made while limiting risk of injury or plateau.
There are several methods of periodization, all of which modify total sets, repetitions, or load prescriptions for your main exercises (in this case, the bench press) over time.
Linear Periodization
Linear periodization is the most fundamental method of progression. It calls for an increase in repetitions with the same load week over week, or, an increase in load with the same repetitions. It is well-suited for beginners or trainees who enjoy simplicity in their programs.
Non-linear / Undulating Periodization
Unlike linear periodization, non-linear or undulating periodization often requires a change of multiple training variables (sets, repetitions, or load) week over week or even within the same week. 5/3/1 is an example of undulating periodization, and fluctuations in loading parameters can be especially useful once you’ve got a few years of training under your belt.
Block Periodization
Block periodization for strength training typically involves two to four week “blocks” of workouts designed around specific, progressive parameters. Often, the training emphasis per block flows from hypertrophy to strength and finally peaking. Block periodization is particularly applicable to anyone preparing for a competition or interested in testing their strength in the gym.
Final Word
Strength development may seem like a far-off goal with many winding roads. However, it is better to think of the various methods or programs as tools in a toolbox. The key difference, though, is that no individual program or principle is a Swiss army knife.
If you want to build a herculean bench press or grow your pecs to rival Arnold, picking the right workout program is the first step on your journey. Once you’ve planned out where you’re going, all that remains is to hit the gas pedal.
FAQs
What muscles does the bench press work?
The bench press primarily engages your chest, shoulders, and triceps. But it’s a fantastic overall upper-body exercise.
How can you increase your bench press?
The best way to bench more is to bench more. But in seriousness, a good bench press powerlifting program will do the trick. Programs take the guesswork out of the equation and guide you on how much weight to lift, how often, and for how many sets and reps.
What is the best bench press routine?
The “best” bench press workout routine is the one that you can stick to and follow through to completion. Any structured program should work, provided it is suitable for your experience level. No matter which bench plan you choose, the most important factor is adhering to it from start to finish.
At my gym, (and probably at yours, too) there’s an older gentleman who spends his workouts idling on various machines, performing quarter-range-of-motion everything before heading home. Good on him for staying active. I would have scoffed at his “suboptimal” technique in years past.
But in 2024, this individual is an evidence-based, scientifically optimized muscle-building Gigachad. Long-length partials — let’s call them LLPs — are the hottest thing in bodybuilding since Chris Bumstead.
But just like the feeling that washes over me on the rare occasion my phone lights up with a notification saying I finally got a new match on Hinge, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The dialogue around LLPs is too good to be true. I’m going to go ahead and hollow out the hype: long-length partial reps are overrated.
What Are Long-Length Partials?
LLPs are regarded as the next big thing in muscle-building science, thanks to a growing body of research and a robust press tour from creators and academics like Milo Wolf. Dr. Wolf is a researcher whose doctoral thesis (1) concerned the hypertrophy and strength effects of training your muscles in stretched (or lengthened) positions.
Speaking to Dr. Mike Israetel, Wolf defined LLPs as: “…partial reps [of resistance training exercises] performed atlonger average muscle lengths.” In more practical terms, Wolf urges you to imagine the bottom half of a biceps curl.
When your elbow is fully bent, your biceps are contracted and shortened. As you open your arm, your biceps stretch out against the weight of whatever you’re holding. That’s where the magic happens. Simple enough.
You can find Wolf all over fitness podcasts singing the praises of LLPs, while thought leaders like Dr. Israetel and Jeff Nippard have pounced on the concept because it’s new. And shiny. And converts nicely into clickable content (BarBendisn’t innocent here either). And, in fairness, the (2) evidence (3) does (4) exist. (5)
Exercise science literature usually plays things pretty close to the chest — lots of “compelling but inconclusive” or “we think this works for some people sometimes, but only under these specific conditions.” Academia may be endorsing LLPs with more zest than usual, but that doesn’t mean we should all stop locking out our knees and elbows during our bodybuilding workouts or only perform bottom-half reps.
Why They’re Overrated
I get why Wolf & Co. are so excited. Sports science isn’t exactly an emerging field of study; the bulk of what works for muscle-building was discovered years back, and while there’s nuance to how to build muscle, it’s mostly settled law. Anyone who says otherwise probably wants to sell you something.
LLPs are very promising, but you’re wise to be wary of any individual or group that will bat a little too hard for any idea. The current discourse surrounding lengthened-partial training tends to ignore some of its limitations:
They may not work for every muscle.
The magnitude of change is small.
Peak muscle contractions are important for bodybuilders.
Full range of motion training has unique benefits.
I don’t want to give the impression that Drs. Wolf & Israetel, or any other prominent evidence-based voice in the bodybuilding space, might be turning a blind eye to the limitations of LLPs.
To their credit, these guys habitually argue against themselves in the spirit of intellectual honesty, or are candid about where lengthened-partial training falls short. Swords sheathed? Good, let’s dig in.
They May Not Work for Every Muscle
Plenty of studies sing the praises of LLPs, but other research has presented conflicting findings, particularly regarding how individual muscles or muscle groups respond to the technique.
In 2020, Nunes et al. investigated the effects of long vs. short-length training with the preacher curl. In the abstract, they say, “hypertrophy was similar…whether torque emphasis was carried out in the final or initial degrees of the range of motion.” (6)
Stasinaski & colleagues carried out a similar study on the triceps muscle in 2018: “These results indicate that muscle strength and architecture of elbow extensors adapt similarly…at either long or short fascicle length.” (7)
Dr. Wolf, who is much more educated and informed on exercise science literature than myself, addressed the limitations of the Stasinaski paper on social media. You can find that here.
It’s premature to declare that LLPs work wonders for all of your muscles, all of the time. In fairness, lengthened partials (or long-duration loaded stretches) might work exceptionally well for the calf muscles. (3)(8) There appears to be variability in both directions.
The Amount of “Extra” Growth Is Small
Remarking on the magnitude of most existing LLP studies, Wolf credits the technique with increasing hypertrophy outcomes by about 3 to 8% compared to using a full range of motion (ROM). In the context of a single study or if you’re a rank beginner, an eight-percent increase can be pretty spectacular. In the real world, it might not be worth your time.
This isn’t to say that any proponent of lengthened partials deliberately obfuscates their merit. No sane person, whether they have a microphone at their lips or not, would suggest that utilizing LLPs will turn you into the next Mr. Olympia.
It’s just something to keep in mind — the technique does appear to move the needle, but banging out some lengthened partials won’t supercharge your muscle-building endeavors, especially if you’ve got a half-baked training plan, recover like crap, or don’t eat properly in the first place.
Peak Contractions Are Important for Bodybuilders
Shortened partials or emphasizing the “peak contraction”, as Dr. Israetel regards it, may be physiologically subpar for hypertrophy, but doing so is still valuable for any competitively-inclined bodybuilder.
One common bodybuilding cue during the lat pulldown is to pretend to perform a back-double-biceps pose as you execute each rep. If you only do the first half of the range of motion, you skip opportunities to practice and demonstrate muscular control.
Do you need to fully contract your pecs during machine chest flyes to know how to perform the “most-muscular” pose? Of course not. But you can’t tell me with a straight face that squeezing your pecs together on chest day — along with the pump it provides — isn’t one of the best feelings in bodybuilding.
Should you bin LLPs altogether just to savor the ecstasy of a pumped-up posing session? Hard telling, but probably not. It’s just something to consider.
Full Range of Motion Training Has Other Benefits
Bodybuilding is about growing as much muscle as possible. But most of us don’t train under the supervision of professional coaches or in a laboratory setting where it’s reasonable to analyze or pursue one adaptation while ignoring others.
In simpler terms, even if you’re a bodybuilder, you’re still lifting weights, and full-ROM resistance training provides all sorts of tangential benefits that inadvertently help you put on mass. Studies tend to show that strength gain is specific to range of motion; if you only perform the bottom half of a bench press, your lockout strength will undoubtedly suffer come max-out day. (2)(9)(10)
Furthermore, deliberately omitting a portion of your ROM probably isn’t conducive to joint integrity and postural control.Who wants to lose confidence in their ability to hold something heavy overhead because it’s a single-digit percentage “better” to only do the first half of the shoulder press?
Never mind that arbitrarily cutting your range of motion short (or long, in this case) makes it more difficult to track progress. When you train with a full ROM, the “start” and “end” of each repetition are clearly defined; on the bench, touch your chest and then lock your elbows. This makes it easy to standardize and measure your strength.
A Measured Approach
Long-length partials are quite compelling on paper. In practice, diving headfirst into a training technique that endorses not mastering a full range of motion isn’t wise. If your favorite content creators want you to implement LLPs throughout your bodybuilding program, go for it. You might eke out a bit of extra muscle.
But take a measured, practical approach — bottom-halving your bench presses may be scientifically optimal or whatever, but from the outside, it kind of looks like a new flavor of ego-lifting. If you ever want to compete in a powerlifting meet, you’ll have a lot of ground to make up.
Remember: Science is meant to inform, discover, guide, and rationalize. It’s not religious dogma. Hell, Tommy Lee Jones said it best almost three decades ago in Men In Black:
“Fifteen hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat.
Imagine what you’ll know tomorrow.”
References
Wolf, M., Androulakis-Korakakis, P., Fisher, J., Schoenfeld, B., & Steele, J. (2023). Partial Vs Full Range of Motion Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 3(1).
Pedrosa, G. F., Lima, F. V., Schoenfeld, B. J., Lacerda, L. T., Simões, M. G., Pereira, M. R., Diniz, R. C. R., & Chagas, M. H. (2022). Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. European journal of sport science, 22(8), 1250–1260.
Kassiano, W., Costa, B., Kunevaliki, G., Soares, D., Zacarias, G., Manske, I., Takaki, Y., Ruggiero, M. F., Stavinski, N., Francsuel, J., Tricoli, I., Carneiro, M. A. S., & Cyrino, E. S. (2023). Greater Gastrocnemius Muscle Hypertrophy After Partial Range of Motion Training Performed at Long Muscle Lengths. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 37(9), 1746–1753.
Pedrosa, G. F., Simões, M. G., Figueiredo, M. O. C., Lacerda, L. T., Schoenfeld, B. J., Lima, F. V., Chagas, M. H., & Diniz, R. C. R. (2023). Training in the Initial Range of Motion Promotes Greater Muscle Adaptations Than at Final in the Arm Curl. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 11(2), 39.
Maeo, S., Huang, M., Wu, Y., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2021). Greater Hamstrings Muscle Hypertrophy but Similar Damage Protection after Training at Long versus Short Muscle Lengths. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 53(4), 825–837.
Nunes, J. P., Jacinto, J. L., Ribeiro, A. S., Mayhew, J. L., Nakamura, M., Capel, D. M. G., Santos, L. R., Santos, L., Cyrino, E. S., & Aguiar, A. F. (2020). Placing Greater Torque at Shorter or Longer Muscle Lengths? Effects of Cable vs. Barbell Preacher Curl Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy in Young Adults. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(16), 5859.
Stasinaki, A.-N.; Zaras, N.; Methenitis, S.; Tsitkanou, S.; Krase, A.; Kavvoura, A.; Terzis, G. Triceps Brachii Muscle Strength and Architectural Adaptations with Resistance Training Exercises at Short or Long Fascicle Length. J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2018, 3, 28.
Warneke, K., Brinkmann, A., Hillebrecht, M., & Schiemann, S. (2022). Influence of Long-Lasting Static Stretching on Maximal Strength, Muscle Thickness and Flexibility. Frontiers in physiology, 13, 878955.
Graves, J. E., Pollock, M. L., Jones, A. E., Colvin, A. B., & Leggett, S. H. (1989). Specificity of limited range of motion variable resistance training. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 21(1), 84–89.
Bazyler, C. D., Sato, K., Wassinger, C. A., Lamont, H. S., & Stone, M. H. (2014). The efficacy of incorporating partial squats in maximal strength training. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 28(11), 3024–3032.
Eight athletes will face off in the Lone Star State.
Last updated on March 29th, 2024
The 2024 Houston Tournament of Champions Proshow will occur in The Woodlands, TX, on Saturday, March 30, 2024. The headline of this event will be the IFBB Pro League Wellness division, and eight athletes are slated to grace the stage and face the judges.
The contest’s winner will earn qualification to the 2024 Wellness Olympia on Oct. 10-13, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV. Going into the 2024 Houston Tournament of Champions, none of the contestants have yet qualified for the 2024 Olympia. The roster for this show is below, with names in alphabetical order, courtesy of the IFBB Pro League website:
Amanda Burnett is the defending champion, having won it in 2023. She will aim to repeat as champion and earn that Olympia qualification. Burnett competed in the 2023 Wellness Olympia in Orlando, FL, finishing outside the top 15.
Burnett was also the 2022 Legion Sports Fest Pro winner. She is coming off a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Wellness International UK event in Birmingham, England.
Jennifer Zollars
Jennifer Zollars ranked second to Burnett in the 2023 edition of this contest. She finished in the top five of all five pro shows she competed in during the 2023 season with two silver placings but did not achieve a win and, therefore, did not advance to the 2023 Olympia.
Zollars kicks off her third pro season at this show and hopes to secure her first victory in the pro ranks. The rematch with Burnett will certainly be one to watch.
Cassandra Pennington
Casandra Pennington was the runner-up to Bruna Seredich at the 2024 Sampson Showdown Pro show on March 23, 2024. Although that rank didn’t score Pennington qualification for the Olympia, she can still make it to bodybuilding’s grandest stage by winning a pro show before Sept. 15, 2024.
This will be the second show of Pennington’s second pro season. She kicked off her pro career in 2023 with two shows. Her best finish was silver at the Southern California Pro.
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Featured Image: @tiffany.padilla.9843 on Instagram
Vatthauer scored the win to become Olympia-qualified.
Last updated on April 1st, 2024
Twenty-four IFBB Pro League Bikini division athletes graced the stage at the 2024 Klash Series Championships Pro show in Orlando, FL, on March 30, 2024. After the judges compared all the physiques, the champion’s trophy and 2024 Olympia qualification were awarded to Alexandra Vatthauer.
Marie-Even Duchesneau of Canada was named the runner-up, and Iulia Baba rounded out the top three. The full results from the contest are below:
Vatthauer made her 2024 season debut at this show to kick off her second pro season. Along with the gold was the $2,000 prize purse. The scorecards showed all first-place votes for Vatthauer, resulting in her first pro win and Olympia qualification.
Vatthauer competed in four pro shows in 2023, scoring two silvers. The 2024 Olympia will be the 60th Olympia Weekend. It is set for Las Vegas, NV, on Oct. 10-13, 2024.
Second Place — Marie-Eve Duchesneau
Duchesneau garnered significant attention when she ranked third at the 2024 Bikini International UK contest in Birmingham, England, on March 16, 2024. This was her second show of 2024.
She has until Sept. 15, 2024, to win a show and qualify for the Olympia. There’s a good chance she will compete again before then.
Third Place — Iulia Baba
This was Baba’s first pro show of 2024. She was coming off a successful 2023 campaign, including her Olympia debut, finishing outside the top 15.
Baba shared on her Instagram page that she was happy with her performance in Orlando, FL. She competed eight times in 2023 and has shown she can maintain a competition-ready physique for extended periods of time.
The biceps get too much credit. Don’t get us wrong; training your biceps is a must for bigger and stronger arms. But your triceps make up two-thirds of your upper arm mass and cover the entirety of the back of your arm. That’s a chunk of prime real estate.
With that in mind, here are 11 of the best triceps exercises and provide knowledge on how to train the muscle to help you improve your bench press strength and build a meatier pair of arms.
Recent Updates: This article was originally written by Mike Dewar, a veteran BarBend contributor and coach. Dewar has a number of certifications as well as a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology. On Mar. 26, 2024, BarBend Senior Writer Jake Dickson updated the exercise selections in this article to better reflect BarBend’s evolving standards for training content. You can read more about that process here!
Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.
This compound triceps exercise has you lift a bar with your hands set shoulder-width apart. This bench press variation shifts the load more to your triceps. You won’t be able to lift as much weight with the close-grip bench press, but you’ll strengthen your triceps.
The arms-in form you need to target your triceps will take the onus off of your shoulder joint. More muscle mass on the back of your arms will directly carry over to the lockout, or top portion, of your standard bench press.
How To Do It
Set yourself up similar to a flat bench press, with your hands set inside shoulder-width and your elbows tucked into the body.
Pull the bar out of the rack and stabilize it over your chest.
Pull the elbows inwards as the bar descends to the chest.
Once you have touched the chest, press through the palms, feel the triceps engage, and lift the weight back up.
Modifications
Make It Easier: If you prefer dumbbell triceps exercises, this move can be performed with dumbbells as well.
Make It Harder: Try pausing at the bottom of each rep with the bar on your chest.
Coach’s Tip: The barbell will make contact with your chest lower down than if you used a standard wide grip.
2. Dip
Equipment Needed
Dip station, plyo box or chair, wrist wraps (optional), dip belt (optional)
Muscles Worked
Triceps, chest, shoulders, core
Sets & Reps
2 – 3 x 10+
Performing regular dips on a set of parallel bars instead of angled bars or rings will recruit your triceps more as arms will be tucked in, not flared out. Your shoulders should feel better, too, since they’re in a more neutral position throughout the exercise.
You’ll also be more stable as the bars are closer together than angled dipping bars or rings. Lastly, we like dips since they can be done effectively with just your body weight.
How To Do It
Grab the parallel bars with your torso upright (with a slight lean forward) as you are suspended.
Have your elbows almost fully extended to support this position.
With the chest up and shoulder blades squeezed together, bend at the elbows as you lower yourself downward until the elbows reach 90 degrees.
Press yourself upwards until you fully extend the elbows and repeat.
Modifications
Make It Easier: The bench dip or chair dip are great options to help you progress toward doing full bodyweight dips.
Make It Harder: Add weight by wearing a dip belt or holding a small dumbbell between your ankles.
Coach’s Tip: Keep your shoulders depressed and away from your ears the entire time.
You can really isolate your triceps with the triceps pushdown. To perform the pushdown, you either grab a resistance band or a cable pulley, step back, so the band or cable is taut, and then push it downward by flexing your triceps. Since just your triceps are moving the weight, you can better hone in on them.
We think the pushdown is one of the best tricep exercises for mass because it completely isolates the muscle, which leads to great pumps and plenty of hypertrophy.
How To Do It
Set the cables or band at a high anchor point. With your body facing the band, place your feet together and elbows to your sides (by your ribs).
The chest should be up, and the back flat, with the hips angled slightly forward.
Grab the handles or band and fully extend the elbows to push the handles or band down, making sure to keep the elbows slightly in front of the shoulders.
Modifications
Make It Easier: Play around with different cable attachments until you find the one that is most comfortable for you.
Make It Harder: Try a drop set at the end of your pushdown workout.
Coach’s Tip: Press the band both down and into your thighs as well.
Straight or cambered barbell, weight plates (optional), flat bench
Muscles Worked
Triceps
Sets & Reps
2 – 3 x 10 – 12
This triceps exercise variation has you lower a barbell (or dumbbells or cable pulley or kettlebells) to your forehead to stretch the triceps muscle.
You’ll be able to isolate the triceps with the skull crusher, but in a position that also allows you to move heavier weight than you could with a pushdown. As a result, the skull crusher is a great free weight triceps exercise.
How To Do It
Start by lying back down on a bench, with the hands supporting a weight (a barbell, dumbbells, or various cable attachments) at the top of the bench pressing position. The back and hips should be set up identical to a bench press.
Pull the elbows back slightly so that they are pointing behind you (rather than directly vertical) as you bend the elbow joint, lowering the bar handle or loads towards your head.
The bar should nearly make contact with the forehead. Feel the stretch on the triceps and partially on the lats. Push the bar back up.
Modifications
Make It Easier: Do this move on the floor or work with dumbbells instead of a barbell.
Make It Harder: Lie on an adjustable bench with the backrest set at a low (10 to 20-degree) incline.
Coach’s Tip: Keep the insides of your upper arms pointing inwards at your head.
This is a popular bench press variation among powerlifters who need to strengthen the top portion of the lift. By pressing a barbell from the floor, you’re limiting your arms’ range of motion.
This means you can typically press more weight, which equates to a stronger bench press and stronger triceps. The floor press is also a suitable work around if you can’t bench with a full range of motion due to an injury or, even, because all the benches are taken in a busy gym.
How To Do It
Lay down in front of a power rack and extend your arms. Take note of where they end and adjust the hooks so that the barbell sits where your hands reach.
Get back under the now-loaded barbell and plant your feet firmly on the floor.
Grab the bar with your typical types of bench press grip. Lift the bar out of the rack, and lower the barbell to your sternum. Keep your elbows tucked in at 45 degrees. Press back up.
Coach’s Tip: Think about gently brushing your elbows against the floor.
6. Overhead Triceps Extension
Equipment Needed
Adjustable cable station, attachment of choice
Muscles Worked
Triceps
Sets & Reps
1 – 2 x 12 – 15
Triceps extensions are performed with a variety of tools and in a variety of postures. When performing overhead triceps extensions with a resistance band, the extra stretch on the band provides ample tension from the get-go and only gets harder as you extend the elbows.
This movement is great for both muscular hypertrophy and lockout strength. It’s also one of the only long head triceps exercises out there. If you prefer cable triceps exercises, you can do this one with a cable instead.
How To Do It
With the band underneath the middle of both feet, step forward with one foot and bring the handles of the band up behind your ears.
Standing tall and keeping your elbows tucked in, extend the elbows until lockout, and pause for a second.
Slowly lower down to the starting position and then repeat.
Modifications
Make It Easier: Try this move one arm at a time if you have inflexible shoulders. You can also do it seated if necessary.
Make It Harder: Try one-and-a-half reps to emphasize the stretched position.
Coach’s Tip: Try to get your upper arms exactly perpendicular to the floor for max triceps engagement.
If you can’t train your triceps pain-free, the standing landmine press can come in clutch. The nature of the implement used increases scapular stability and control.
The grip and upper arm position will also likely allow you to train around elbow or shoulder discomfort and still get a good session in.
How To Do It
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold the end of the barbell just in front of your shoulder. Brace your core and lats and grip the barbell tight.
Then, press to lockout by extending the elbow and reaching forward at the end of the movement. Slowly lower back down and repeat.
Coach’s Tip: Resist any twisting at the torso while you perform your reps.
8. Diamond Push-Up
Equipment Needed
Exercise mat (optional)
Muscles Worked
Triceps, chest, shoulders
Sets & Reps
3 x 15
Like the close-grip bench press, the hand placement of the diamond push-up shifts more of the emphasis on the triceps. Due to the narrower base of support, you’ll get increased core stability while training the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Because of this, you may not be able to do as many reps as in your usual push-up, but your triceps will love it. You can also utilize diamond push-ups as an at-home triceps exercise.
How To Do It
Making a perfect diamond with your hands is not necessary, but the idea is to keep your hands close to focus on the triceps. Adjust your hand position to see what works for you.
Perform a push-up with control while keeping your core and glutes tight to keep your spine neutral.
Keep your elbows tucked alongside your ribcage, without flaring, during the entire movement.
Modifications
Make It Easier: You can do this one on your knees or with your hands not quite touching to make it easier.
Make It Harder: Try decline diamond push-ups by elevating your feet slightly.
Coach’s Tip: If this movement is tough on your wrists, consider a pair of wrist wraps.
With enough weight on the barbell, just about any pressing movement can be considered a triceps exercise as well. Overhead pressing is fantastic for overall upper-body strength, but your performance may not be limited by your triceps specifically.
By using your leg drive to power through the first half of the lift — where your shoulders do the most work — the push press helps you apply tons of mechanical tension to your triceps. Sets of five reps have never felt so hard.
How To Do It
Unrack a barbell from a squat rack and hold it in the front rack position with a loose grip and your feet planted under your hips or slightly wider.
Dip into a half squat; sink down until your knees come in line with your toes, but not much deeper.
Aggressively reverse the motion and push into the floor hard as if you were going to jump.
Your entire lower body should extend, at which point tilt your head back and allow the bar to fly off your shoulders.
As the bar passes your head, press with your arms to lock it out firmly overhead.
Coach’s Tip: Avoid pressing with your arms early. Allow your legs to do the work of getting the bar past eye level before you use your arms.
When it comes to triceps training, cables are your best friend. While free weights are in no way inherently dangerous, plenty of folks find it easier and more comfortable on the elbows to perform high-intensity training on the arm with exercises like the cable cross-body extension.
Bodybuilders in particular adore this movement for its hypertrophic potential; few exercises will allow you to apply so much stress to your triceps with such little weight. You also get the benefits of working each triceps separately during a simultaneous double-armed set. This saves time while not allowing one arm to pick up the slack of the other.
How To Do It
Stand between two cable trees with each shoulder-height attachment in your opposite hand; your right hand should hold the left attachment, and vice versa.
Take a step or two backward to pull the plate stack up and apply some tension to the cable. Your forearms should be crossed in front of your body forming an “X” shape.
From here, extend your elbows while keeping your upper arms tucked to your sides or slightly behind your body.
Coach’s Tip: You can play around with torso angle or arm position to find the posture that does the most damage to your triceps.
11. Cable Kickback
Equipment Needed
Adjustable cable station
Muscles Worked
Triceps
Sets & Reps
2 x 15
As dumbbell triceps workouts go, the kickback is less than ideal. Its biggest hindrance is the inconsistent resistance curve; your reps are very easy at the beginning and too difficult at the end.
Working with cables instead of a dumbbell resolves this issue and transforms an otherwise mediocre movement into a killer triceps exercise. Use this one to cap off your next arm workout and see for yourself.
How To Do It
Set a cable fixture at around waist height and grab the attachment in your palm. Use your non-working arm to brace yourself against the cable tree itself.
Tip over so your torso is roughly parallel to the floor and stagger your feet.
Tuck your upper arm back and against your torso.
Use your triceps to extend your elbow.
Modifications
Make It Easier: If you can’t hinge over, do this move standing up with your elbow pushed back behind your torso slightly.
Make It Harder: Try it with two cables at the same time.
Coach’s Tip: Keep your upper arm parallel to the ground as you perform your sets. Reduce the weight if you need to. Squeeze your triceps hard at the top of each rep.
4 Triceps Workouts To Try
Yes, your triceps will get plenty of action from your best chest exercises and shoulder exercises. But when you’re aiming to bust through some next level shirt sleeves, try the best triceps workouts out there to give your arms the boost they need.
As a beginner, targeted arm training may not be necessary to reap some gains in the gym. That said, if you’re looking to add triceps mass specifically, remember as a beginner that it is important to prioritize frequency and mindful practice over lifting the heaviest weights possible. Strength training is a long road, so set yourself up for success by building good habits early.
Perform this workout with higher training frequency and less intensity (meaning weight on the bar) for at least three to four weeks of consistent training. You can do this workout two to three times per week with the rest of your workout split.
A1. Close-Grip Bench Press: 3 x 10-12 reps
B1. Cable Overhead Triceps Extension: 3 x 15
C1. Cable Triceps Pushdown: 3 x 15
Triceps Workout for Muscle
To elicit muscle growth, you want to perform this workout with relatively high intensities and at a frequency of up to three times per week. That said, you’re only able to train as hard as you can recover, so prioritize your nutrition and rest so you can properly recover between intense workouts.
Skull Crusher: 3 x 12-15, followed by 2 x 8 – 10 at a slightly heavier weight
Weighted Dip: 3 sets at an RPE 8 with a moderate weight
Cable Overhead Extension: 3 x 15
Cable Single-arm Kickback: 3 x 15
Push-Up: 3 sets of as many repetitions as possible
Triceps Workout for Strength
You’ll hit two strength-focused workouts per week. In total, you’ll accumulate 29 sets for your triceps. You’ll also be lifting in a combination of rep ranges — six to 10 so you’re handling larger weights, and then 12 and up to ensure you build a fatigue resistance.
Assuming you want stronger triceps for a bigger bench press, the first two movements of each day are a bench press variation. Specificity is king, so if you want a stronger bench press, you need to bench press.
Big Bench Press Accessory Day 1
A1. JM Press: 3 x 10 / 2 x 6, rest 2-3 minutes between sets
B1. Cable Triceps Pushdown: 3 x 12-15
C1. Weighted Triceps Dip: 2 x 8, 2 x 6, rest 2-3 minutes between sets
Big Bench Press Accessory Day 2
A1. Pin Press or Floor Press: 3 x 6 / 2 x 4, rest 2-3 minutes between sets
B1. Skull Crusher: 3 x 8-10, rest 2-3 minutes between sets
C1. Overhead Cable Triceps Extension: 3 x 15 reps
C2. Cable Triceps Kickback: 3 x 15 reps
C3: Push-Up: 3 x AMRAP
Triceps Workout for Bodyweight
You’ve got options when it comes to building your triceps on any free weights. You’ll rely on high rep sets to near-failure since adding more weight to the bar isn’t an option.
Pick one workout and perform it a few times per week — minimum two times, maximum four times. “RIR” stands for reps in reserve and seeing “2 RIR” means you should stop two reps short of mechanical failure. As you progress, aim to add reps to your sets. Ideally, you can do more reps while still feeling as though you’re two reps from failure.
For Beginner Calisthenics Athletes
A1. Bench Dip: 3 sets x 2 RIR
B1. Elevated Push-Up: 3 sets x 2 RIR
*C1. Pike Push-Up: 3 sets x 2 RIR
*Bring chin or neck to bar or stair upon descent allowing elbows to brush the sides of one’s ribs
C1. Elevated Bodyweight Triceps Extension: 3 sets x 2 RIR
D1: Push-Up: 3 sets x AMRAP
Triceps Warm-Up
Especially if you’re going to do a heavy triceps workout, make sure you’re not going in cold. Even if you’re going to focus mainly on your chest or shoulders, your triceps will need to be ready for a hefty ride. Here’s a solid triceps dynamic warm-up to integrate into your program before your upper body workouts.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Banded Triceps Pushdown
1
20 – 25
Triceps Kickback
1
12 – 15 per side
Close-Grip Push-Up
1
10 – 15
How To Train Your Triceps
Depending on your workout split, you’ll want to either include short triceps-specific workouts at the end of days focused on bigger upper body exercises or simply take an extra rest day while you’re in the process of building your arms.
Exercise Selection: To build strength, prioritize free-weight, compound triceps exercises like bench presses. To isolate your triceps for growth, include cable triceps exercises as well and perform most sets to nearly failure.
Sets and Reps: We tend to prefer lower reps (5 to 8) for compound exercises like presses or dips, and higher reps in the 12 to 20 range for isolation moves.
Choose Your Volume
Most evidence-based recommendations regarding optimal training volume fall between 10 and 20 “working” sets per muscle, per week. (1) If you’re used to hitting it hard in the gym, this may seem like a light load.
However, the good news is that you can probably get the same, or better, arm gains without committing to multi-hour workouts. Mind also that compound lifts do factor into this benchmark; if you perform plenty of heavy bench or overhead presses twice a week, you probably don’t need 15 sets of triceps extensions on top of it all.
Find the Right Angle
It pays to be flexible in your pursuit of eye-popping, shirt-busting triceps. Yes, you need good mobility in your elbows and shoulders for some arm exercises, but you should really open yourself up to a wide array of exercises and angles during your workouts if you want to maximize your gains.
As a three-headed muscle, certain sections of your triceps will work harder than others on certain exercises based on your posture and leverages at any given moment. (2) For example, the long head of the muscle gets the most love when your arm is extended behind your head.
Go Overhead
Some compelling research has shown that overhead extensions, when your arm is raised up behind your head, can be more effective at both long head emphasis and overall triceps growth — even more than traditional press downs. (3)
Mix in at least one overhead-based triceps exercise every time you train your arms and the results will likely speak for themselves.
Benefits of Training Your Triceps
Bigger, stronger triceps make you, well, bigger and stronger. You aren’t going to win and bodybuilding shows if your guns are only loaded in the front. Your triceps may also be the limiting factor the next time you try to test your 1-rep max on the bench press. There are plenty of good reasons to prioritize your triceps in the gym.
Better Pressing Strength
Your triceps fight half the battle on all pressing movements, whether you’re on the barbell bench press or working with dumbbells. If your elbow extensors are underdeveloped or weak, don’t expect to lock out any of your max-effort reps. Some extra triceps work is a great way to safeguard yourself against missing a max attempt.
Balanced Physique Development
Well-developed arms may not win bodybuilding shows on their own, but if your triceps are lacking on the physique stage, it can bring down your entire physique. Even if you don’t have competitive aspirations, doing nothing but biceps curls and neglecting your tris is no way to build an impressive physique.
Your triceps make up the majority of overall muscle in your upper arm, and that’s before training. That means plenty of untapped hypertrophic potential. If you want to look symmetrical and proportional, carving out those horseshoes is an absolute must.
Triceps Anatomy
The triceps are made up of three muscles (hence the name, tri-ceps): The lateral head, the long head, and the medial head. All three of these muscles attach to your elbow and are responsible for extending your elbow.
The triceps are involved in the latter half of most pressing exercises. Think about how you bench press. Your pecs work hard at first to get the barbell off of your chest, but once your arms break 90 degrees, your triceps flex to extend your forearms and fully extend your arms. The same is true for an overhead press.
FAQs
How many triceps exercises should you do per workout?
Your triceps get a lot of work, even when you aren’t working them directly. If you perform upper-body exercises like bench presses or push-ups, we recommend including only one or two triceps isolation moves as well.
How do you work all 3 heads of the triceps?
Two parts of your triceps are used when you extend your elbow, no matter where your arm is. So, any triceps exercise will cover your bases. To target the long head, you’ll need to perform at least one overhead triceps movement.
Are dips a good exercise for triceps?
Yes, but there’s a catch — bodyweight dips are easy enough for most folks, but rapidly become quite difficult once you start adding weight. If you enjoy dips you can certainly make them a main triceps movement, but if they’re more trouble than they’re worth, feel free to discard dips for other moves.
References
Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2017). Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of sports sciences, 35(11), 1073–1082.
Kholinne, E., Zulkarnain, R. F., Sun, Y. C., Lim, S., Chun, J. M., & Jeon, I. H. (2018). The different role of each head of the triceps brachii muscle in elbow extension. Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica, 52(3), 201–205.
Maeo, S., Wu, Y., Huang, M., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2022). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European journal of sport science, 1–11. Advance online publication.
Richardson’s lift was nearly 3.5 times his competition bodyweight as he preps for the ABS Clash of the Titans 2.
Last updated on April 1st, 2024
British powerlifter Dave Richardson is well-established as a driving force in the 125KG class. He’s a great all-rounder, but the lift that has been improving the quickest is his deadlift.
As recently as August 2023, Richardson’s best deadlift in competition was 397.5 kilograms. He swept that number away at the Nottingham Strong Qualifier in January 2024 with a massive 420-kilogram pull. However, Richardson did not pause to rest on his laurels.
On March 28, 2024, Richardson shared a training update to his Instagram page in which he locked out a staggering 430 kilograms. Take a look at this colossal lift below:
Richardson deadlifts with a conventional stance and utilizes a relatively narrow foot positioning for a heavyweight lifter. Using a lifting belt to increase intra-abdominal pressure, he took the barbell in a mixed grip.
The bar moved quickly from the floor, but there was a moment of hesitation at the top before Richardson achieved full lockout. He threw the bar down triumphally, which would draw red lights in competition but does not invalidate a gym lift.
The post also included a squat session in which Richardson makes short work of 372.5 kilograms for a triple in knee wraps. The depth and speed were on point, and Richardson looks in good shape in his prep.
Richardson is preparing to compete at the ABS Clash of the Titans 2 in Dublin, Ireland, on April 20, 2024. The event is billed as “The Strongest Show in Europe” based on total weight lifted rather than weight class or formula.
Richardson took the silver medal in 2023 with a 1,015-kilogram total. In 2024, Richardson recently posted a 1,070-kilogram total — a weight that would have easily won in 2023.
Richardson will face 2023’s winner, Fernando Arias, who also won the 140KG class at the 2023 WRPF American Pro 2, and one of South Africa’s strongest sons, Nicolaas du Preez. However, the big news is that USA’s Dan Bell is making a rare trip abroad, and anyone planning on lifting the winner’s belt at the end of the contest must beat the man with the all-time total world record — 1,182.5 kilograms.
The competition will occur on April 20, 2024, and can be watched on the ABS Powerlifting YouTube channel.
If you’re a pure strength athlete, you may have never been much of a cardio enthusiast. Your tendency has always been to look at cardio as a necessary evil that you need for your heart health. That’s when you scroll through TikTok and find influencers and weekend warriors alike dancing on treadmills. And suddenly, the treadmill looks…kind of fun.
Still, the footwork looks pretty complicated. The good news? You can pull off a treadmill dancing workout even if you have two left feet. We asked the Certified RRCA Run Coach Ludgina Dieujuste, who runs the YouTube channel Treadchic, to give us some insight into these kinds of workouts. She also gave us three workouts you can try out — and if it can spice up your cardio routine, why not?
What Is Treadmill Dancing?
Treadmill dancing is precisely what it sounds like. It’s the act of combining dance choreography with walking on a treadmill to create an entertaining workout set to music. Treadmill dance routines can include complex dance steps like the cha-cha, originating from Cuba, Zumba, and hip-hop.
Don’t let all this intimidate you if you’ve got no coordination or rhythm to speak of. Your workout can also consist of simple rhythmic hand gestures and head movements.
Try These 3 Treadmill Dancing Workouts
If you feel like adding some vibrant movements to your treadmill routine, here are three treadmill dance workouts that are safe and simple, yet strenuous enough to be a true workout. Dieujuste, who created these workouts, suggests that you begin with a brief dynamic warm-up before diving into each of these routines.
This is a simple workout to familiarize yourself with rhythmic walking. You’re not aiming for speed here — in fact, please go slowly, especially until you feel completely comfortable and confident. Even then, you’ll want to exercise caution. Keep the belt speed lower than your normal walking pace, particularly when you’re shuffling. Only increase the speed gradually.
The Workout
Perform these rounds 10 times.
One-minute walk
30-second side shuffle right
30-second side shuffle left
How Often to Do This Workout: This is pretty low-impact, so you can do it daily if you want!
Modifications
Make it Easier: Replace the side shuffles with a less complex simple side-step.
Make it Harder: Replace all of the walking with shuffle steps, or double the workout length.
Coach’s Tip: Always have your hands free and ready to catch yourself on the railing (and make sure your running shoes are tied!).
2. Incline Pyramid with Arm Movement
What’s a dance party without some arm action? Sure, in the gym, we typically think about the best arm exercises in terms of barbells and dumbbells. But on the treadmill, you’ll transform your traditional curls and presses into dance.
The Workout
Perform these rounds two times.
One minute at 1.0 incline
One minute at 2.0 incline
One minute at 3.0 incline
One minute at 4.0 incline
Two minutes at 5.0 incline
One minute at 4.0 incline
One minute at 3.0 incline
One minute at 2.0 incline
One minute at 1.0 incline
Throughout the entire workout, keep your arms out and away from the treadmill’s support arms. You’ll get a lot more tired, a lot more quickly, than you think.
How Often to Do This Workout: If your arms are up for it, you can do it every day.
Modifications
Make it Easier: Allow yourself to hold the treadmill and do a regular walk every other minute.
Make it Harder: Spend two straight minutes at each incline level up to incline five, and remain there for the final 10 minutes.
Coach’s Tip: This workout is intended to get you comfortable with keeping your arms free from the treadmill at every relevant incline. Move your arms freely, but maintain your balance.
3. The Medley
When you’re ready to up the ante and get super involved in the dance party (instead of bobbing your head on the side of the dance floor), Dieujuste recommends adding different walking patterns and even kicks to your routine. Yes, you’ll be doing exercises, but don’t forget to turn the music up — be as rhythmic as you can be here. (It’ll add to the fun, we promise.)
The Workout
Perform these rounds two times (switching sides in the second round where appropriate.)
Side Shuffle
One minute at incline 1.0
Side Shuffle
One minute at incline 2.0
Forward Kick
One minute at incline 3.0
Backward Walk
One minute at incline 4.0
Low Squat Walk
One minute at incline 5.0
How Often to Do This Workout: Again, this is pretty low-impact, so you could do it every day.
Modifications
Make it Easier: Replace the low squat walk with a simpler movement or with a regular walk, as the incline is relatively high.
Make it Harder: Turn this workout into a pyramid. Spend two minutes in your low squat walk, and then do the exercises again in reverse order.
Coach’s Tip: While these steps are exercise-like, remember that this is still dancing. You are intended to get into the groove, relax, and enjoy yourself.
Benefits of Treadmill Dancing Workouts
Treadmill dancing may sound like a bunch of fun and games — and it should be exactly that if you’re getting into the spirit of the workout with your favorite gym playlist. It also happens that all of your joyful movements have positive impacts throughout your body.
Cardiovascular Health
You may have gotten lost in music while dancing for an extended period, but you probably noticed before too long that you were out of breath, and your heart rate had skyrocketed. This is because dancing is excellent cardio, as is walking on a treadmill. The fact that your treadmill routine may look a little silly doesn’t make it any less beneficial to your heart.
“Treadmill dance helps to improve your cardiovascular health, specifically because when you’re dancing on the treadmill, your heart rate is going up, then it’s going down, then it’s going up, then it’s going down,” explains Dieujuste. “Your heart rate going up and down throughout the workout is very helpful with improving your heart health, which of course is really important in avoiding chronic disease. If you’ve ever danced on a treadmill — even if it was just for two-and-a-half minutes — your heart rate is going to jump.”
Joint Health
One of the selling points of aerobics and fitness-oriented dance classes is the fact that they tend to be relatively low-impact. Adding basic dance movements to walking on a treadmill gently varies a movement that is already intended to be easy on your joints.
“Compared with the outdoor workouts when you’re on hard services like concrete, these treadmill workouts offer more cushion,” says Dieujuste. “So, of course, it helps to reduce the impact on your joints. Treadmills make it easier for people that have joint pain or that are recovering from injuries to still get a workout in.”
Consistency, Fun, and Mental Health
When you enjoy your workouts, you’re more likely to stick to them consistently. And those workouts themselves — yes, including dance workouts — have been shown to improve people’s mental and physical health indicators. (1)
“Anything that keeps the average person coming back and motivated and consistent is a win,” says Dieujuste. “I think many people fail to be consistent because they don’t really enjoy what they’re doing and they fall off. But if you look forward to something, especially when it comes to fitness, that’s a great benefit. Walking or running can be boring to some people. What the treadmill dance offers a typical person is a chance to put on their favorite tunes while adding some dance moves and calling it a workout. It’s fun for them. We always want to listen to music. You can constantly change it up with different music and different levels.”
Tips for Doing a Treadmill Dancing Workout Safely
Trained dancers can make treadmill dance look effortless in their TikToks and other vids — Harry Shum Jr., anyone? But for the average gymgoer, the process of transforming an ordinary walking workout into a coordinated dance workout comes with its risks.
It can be fun to act like you’re recording a music video as you dance on the treadmill, but if you don’t take the proper safety steps, you can wind up with an unexpected injury. Here’s how to avoid a spill.
Use Your Hands
Falling down is never a pleasant experience, but a fall on a moving surface like a treadmill belt can be downright devastating to your body — not to mention embarrassing. Fortunately, much of the expressiveness of dance can be conveyed through your hands without involving your feet. This is important to remember because doing too much with your feet before you’re comfortable can have painful consequences.
“You want to start off with hand-type movements so that you can maintain full control of your feet,” says Dieujuste. “Sometimes we get so excited that we forget where we are and that can lead to other things. You can easily hurt yourself. That’s why starting with hand movements is far safer for beginners than trying to involve your feet too soon.”
Learn to Walk Without Holding On
If you are prone to hang onto the support arms of the treadmill for dear life while you walk, you’ll need to learn to let go if you want to add most dance movements to your workout. Frankly, even the most basic arm movements require you to go hands-free. You will still have your hands available to steady you, but make sure your balance and confidence are on point before starting with treadmill dances.
“The first thing you need to do is get comfortable with the treadmill and learn to do basic things like simply walk forward without holding on, and preferably at an incline,” advises Dieujuste. “That’s the big thing in general, where people get on the treadmill and they hold on. If you’re someone that can’t work out on a treadmill without holding on, you need to start by gaining the comfort to walk on a treadmill without touching anything first, and then you can think about adding in some dance movements.”
Keep It Simple
The complex choreography demonstrated by dancer Carson Dean as he acrobatically grooved to “Uptown Funk” is what sparked a lot of interest in treadmill dance. Frankly, what Dean displays in his dance videos has little to do with the simplicity of daily cardio. You can still keep the tunes of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars in your playlist, but your dance workout needn’t resemble a gymnastic floor routine to be effective.
“You don’t have to do intricate things, and that’s important to remember when you think about treadmill dance,” warns Dieujuste. “It doesn’t have to be these intense things that we see all these different TikTok celebrities doing. It can be quick, simple, easy movements that are dance-type moves, but also things that can be pretty effective. You don’t have to be hopping around the treadmill; that can be harmful or lead to injury. You can just do fun things like squatting low and keeping up with the beat of the music.”
FAQs
If you’re still wondering whether or not you should throw some treadmill dancing into your workout mix, we answer some key questions for you below!
What exactly is treadmill dancing?
Treadmill dancing combines aerobic dancing with walking on a treadmill with a belt that is in constant motion. The nature of the dance can vary greatly. It can range from simple acknowledgment of the beat through the timing of steps and head movements to more complex choreography involving your hands, feet, or the rest of your body.
Do dance workouts really work?
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of dance workouts. A meta-analysis of 10 eligible studies showed that the adoption of ordinary lifestyle dance changed participants’ body mass, BMI, waist circumference, fat percentage, and fat mass. (2) A separate study also showed that dance fitness classes improved the vitality and mental health of middle-aged cisgender women. (1) It stands to reason that these benefits would hold for people of all genders.
How do I start a treadmill dancing workout routine?
The simplest way to start a treadmill dancing routine is by walking — hands-free — while keeping pace with your favorite music. From there, you can add additional steps like hand movement and more complex footwork as you gain greater comfort.
References
Barranco-Ruiz Y, Paz-Viteri S, Villa-González E. Dance Fitness Classes Improve the Health-Related Quality of Life in Sedentary Women. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 May 26;17(11):3771.
Zhang Y, Guo Z, Liu Y, Zhou Y, Jing L. Is dancing an effective intervention for fat loss? A systematic review and meta-analysis of dance interventions on body composition. PLoS One. 2024 Jan 17;19(1):e0296089.
Marsden competed at the British Junior Powerlifting Championships in Solihull, UK.
Last updated on April 1st, 2024
British Powerlifting (BP) is growing in size and stature; a large part of that growth comes from the latest crop of Juniors. Gwen Marsden is one of those young lifters who looks set to have a bright future in powerlifting.
Marsden is new to the sport, having started competing in 2023 as a university lifter. She won her class at the British University Championships and secured the silver medal at the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World University Powerlifting Cup (WUC).
In 2024, Marsden dropped to the 43KG class, a weight class only available to Sub-junior (ages 14-18) and Junior (ages 19-23) categories. This does not appear to have impacted her strength, as her lifts are progressing quickly. Take a look at her meet recap from the 2024 BP British Junior Powerlifting Championships (BJC):
Marsden opened her squat on a Junior British record of 108 kilograms and extended it to 113.5 kilograms on her second. Her third attempt at 118 kilograms was a little too heavy. Still, she is only 1.5 kilograms away from the European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) European Junior squat record.
Marsden continued her historic performance by breaking the British Junior bench press record with her 71.5-kilogram opener and then taking 74 kilograms for her second, an unofficial European Junior record.
On the deadlift, Marsden’s opener secured the British Junior total record and an unofficial Junior total world record. She waited until her third attempt to take the British Junior deadlift record with a tough-looking 146.5 kilograms, exceeding the IPF Junior deadlift world record by half a kilogram, currently held by Cherry Yeung.
Marsden totaled 334 kilograms, 19 kilograms above the Junior total world record currently held by Italy’s Sara Ciaravino. This is the second biggest total ever done in the IPF in the 43KG class — only multiple-time world champion Tiffany Chapon has done more.
2024 BP British Junior Powerlifting Championships Results — Gwen Marsden, 43KG
Squat
108 kilograms — BP Junior British Record
113.5 kilograms — BP Junior British Record
118 kilograms
Bench Press
71.5 kilograms — BP Junior British Record
74 kilograms — BP Junior British Record, Unofficial EPF Junior European record
75 kilograms
Deadlift
135 kilograms
142.5 kilograms
146.5 kilograms — BP Junior British Record, Unofficial IPFJjunior world record
Total — 334 kilograms — BP Junior British Record, Unofficial IPF Junior world record
Marsden swept the board of British Junior records and seems in reach of doing the same to the IPF Junior world records the next time she competes. It’s unclear whether that will be at the FISU University World Championships in Estonia in July or at the IPF Junior World Championships in Malta in August 2024.
With the exuberance of youth, she may well do both. She looks set to achieve another record-breaking performance, whichever path she chooses.
Israetel believes there’s a significant overlap between size and strength training, particularly for beginners. Many newcomers mistakenly believe building muscle requires low reps and heavy weights. However, Israetel emphasizes a wider rep range, from one to 50, can be effective for muscle growth.
The most productive rep range for muscle growth training is five challenging reps…close to failure…up to 30 repetitions.
Bodybuilders typically focus on higher rep ranges (eight to 12) and controlled movements to sculpt their physiques, while strongmen prioritize moving the heaviest weights possible.
Israetel suggested analyzing the potential for injury risk for each exercise before adding it to a training regime.
The heavier a weight gets, the more injury risk it has. Big weights can hurt more than small weights.
Strongman athletes must train heavy to be competitive. Since bodybuilders prioritize aesthetics, they have more flexibility in their training approach.
In the off-season, Israetel recommended hypertrophy-focused athletes who prefer lifting heavy to perform five sets of 10 reps per exercise. However, as they near a competition, they should switch to 20 to 30 reps with lighter weights to limit injury risk. Hooper added:
For [strongman athletes], our tendons and soft tissues are much more of a consideration than muscle.
Israetel advised strongman athletes to focus on hypertrophy training for a few weeks post-competition. Doing so can help rebuild muscle lost during peak week, boost overall strength, and reduce stress on joints and connective tissue.
Per Hooper, lighter-weight training can benefit strongman competitors in two ways. First, it allows the tendons to grow thicker and stiffer, reducing the risk of injury. Second, it allows the nervous system time to recover.
Burnouts in Bodybuilding and Strongman
Hooper shared that most strongman athletes usually take a week off after six weeks of intense training to avoid burnout and allow for recovery time. Israetel uses a deload week every four to five weeks. Deloads involve a purposeful reduction in training demand to prepare for future training cycles. (1)
Many bodybuilders train with insufficient weekly volume, limiting physiological challenges and fatigue accumulation. This allows them to train for eight to 16 weeks without requiring a deload.
Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is vital for strength and muscle gain. This training principle involves challenging the body by gradually increasing difficulty over time.
Progressive overload can be achieved in several ways, including lifting heavier weights, performing more sets or reps, or shortening rest periods between sets.
Per Hooper, the differences in periodization strategies between strongman and bodybuilding are that most strongman athletes meticulously determine how much weight they should lift each workout. In contrast, bodybuilders rely more on instinct and feel in the moment.
Israetel explained that training close to mechanical failure in each workout is enough to promote hypertrophy.
You will get more jacked and strong by pushing your body and resting and repeating this cycle.
Strongmen and bodybuilders can benefit from incorporating aspects of the other’s training into their routines. Hooper suggested the future of strength training might be the convergence of the two disciplines.
As bodybuilders and strongmen embrace a more well-rounded approach, we might see a new breed of stronger, more well-defined physiques emerge in future eras of both sports.
References
Bell L, Nolan D, Immonen V, et al. “You can’t shoot another bullet until you’ve reloaded the gun”: Coaches’ perceptions, practices and experiences of deloading in strength and physique sports. Front Sports Act Living. 2022;4:1073223. Published 2022 Dec 21. doi:10.3389/fspor.2022.1073223
