Chest and Triceps Workout For Women | Achieve Toned Upper Body

Table of Contents

• Should Women Do Chest and Triceps Workouts?
• 8 Exercises To Build Your Chest and Triceps Workout For Women
• Chest and Triceps Workouts For Women
• Final Words

Thanks to ongoing research on the benefits of resistance training, more and more women are looking for the perfect chest and triceps workout to achieve a strong and toned upper body. [1] [2]

If you also want to improve the look of your arms and chest, try these specific exercise routines to help you achieve your goals.   

Should Women Do Chest and Triceps Workouts?

Just like resistance training can help women improve the look of their booty or tone up their thighs, the same applies to the arms and chest. Performing exercises that target the upper body will help improve muscle definition leading to more toned arm and chest muscles. So if you are looking to improve these areas, you should definitely perform exercises that target the upper body.  

There are many benefits for women in performing a chest and triceps workout. 

• Training the pectorals can add volume to your chest, giving the impression of fuller-looking breasts. This is especially relevant for women who want to lose weight but keep their breast size. 
• Developing muscle in the triceps can eliminate or minimize the “bat wing” effect in the upper arms.
• Increasing the amount of muscle in the arms can make them appear more toned and firmer to the touch 
• As you age, strength training can prevent sarcopenia and strengthen bones by increasing bone density. [3]

8 Exercises To Build Your Chest and Triceps Workout For Women

A chest and triceps workout designed for both strength and hypertrophy is essential for women who want to tone their upper body. Below you can find a mix of compound and isolation exercises to target your chest and triceps. 

Dumbbell Chest Press

Technique

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, then lie down on a bench
2. Move the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, with the palms facing to the front
3. Extend your arms up, moving the dumbbells above your chest
4. Bend your elbows to return to starting position. This is one repetition

Reps

Perform 6-8 repetitions for 3-5 sets

Pro Tips

• Aim for a weight that feels challenging, but you can move while maintaining good form throughout the entire exercise
• Make sure to control the weight appropriately to prevent injuries

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Scarecrows

Technique

1. Start by standing upright, with a dumbbell in each hand
2. With the palms facing to the front, elbows at 90 degrees, bring your arms to shoulder level. 
3. Keeping the elbows bent and held in place, lower the dumbbells in front of you until they are in line with your shoulders, parallel to the floor. The palms should face down at the end of this step
4. Move the arms back up to their starting position while holding the elbow in place. This is one repetition

Reps

Perform 12-15 repetitions for 3-4 sets

Pro Tips

• Start by using lighter weights and increase the load as you get stronger
• Make sure to keep  your core engaged and your spine neutral throughout the entire execution to prevent back pain

Kettlebell Overhead Tricep Extensions

Technique

1. Hold a kettlebell overhead with both hands, keeping your arms straight and core engaged.
2. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the kettlebell behind your head. Your elbows should remain in the same position throughout the movement.
3. Stop lowering the weight when your elbows achieve a 90-degree bend. Then, lift the weight back, straightening your arms.   

Reps

Perform 10-12 repetitions for 3-4 sets

Pro Tips

• To prevent injuries, choose a weight that allows you to perform the full range of the movement with good form and posture. 
• You can replace a kettlebell with a dumbbell or a band.
• Ensure the weight doesn’t touch the back of your head in the lowest position.

Dumbbell Chest Fly

Technique

1. Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand, then lay down on a bench or on a yoga mat
2. With palms facing up, gently open your arms to the side until they align with your body. 
3. Keeping the arms extended, bring both dumbbells over your chest to meet. Aim to keep the dumbbells at chest level. 
4. Keeping your arms extended, slowly return to the starting position. This is one repetition

Reps

Perform 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets

Pro Tips

• When in a fully extended position with the arms, make sure you don’t lock out your elbows, as this can cause muscle strain. 
• Start with light weights to build up your strength and prevent shoulder injuries. 

Triceps Kickbacks

Technique

1. Start by grabbing a dumbbell in each hand, then stand upright
2. Bend slightly forward, hinging at the hips
3. Tuck your elbows into your waist, then bring the dumbbells to your shoulders, making sure the palms are facing each other
4. Keeping your elbows tucked in, fully extend the arms until the dumbbells are behind you. 
5. Gently return to the starting position. This is one repetition

Reps

Perform 12-15 reps for 3-4 sets

Pro Tips

• Maintain a neutral spine to prevent back injuries.
• Start with lower weights to get used to the movement, and slowly increase the load as you get stronger
• Keep your elbows tucked into your waist throughout the entire set, as swinging your arms can cause injury and no longer isolates the triceps muscles. 

Narrow-Grip Pushup

Technique

1. Start by bringing yourself into a high plank position on the floor. Move your hands to the middle of your body so that they are in line with your chest. Position your hands with the indexes and the thumbs touching each other, creating a diamond shape.
2. Bend your elbows to lower yourself down to the floor
3. Extend your arms to push up into the starting position. This is one repetition.

Reps

Perform 6-12 repetitions for 3-5 sets

Pro Tips

• If you need to modify this exercise, simply place your knees on the floor to reduce the load. 
• If you want to progress this exercise, you can wear a weighted vest or place a barbell plate on your back. 
• Maintain a neutral spine to prevent injuries and lower back pain
• Aim to touch the floor with your chest to improve range of motion and make the exercise more effective.

Triceps Floor Dips

Technique

1. Start by sitting down on a mat with your hands placed flat on the floor behind you. Make sure that the fingers point to the front. 
2. Bend your knees, so your feet are also flat on the floor. Then, push through your feet and hands to lift your body. At this stage, you should be supported just by your hands and feet.
3. Bend the elbows to lower yourself down. 
4. Once you reach the max depth, extend your arms and push through the triceps to move your body back up to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Reps

Perform 6-12 reps for 3-5 sets

Pro Tips

• To increase the intensity, you can progress this exercise to a bench dip
• Make sure to control the movement to prevent injury to the elbows and shoulders.

Push-Up Plank

Technique

1. Start by placing yourself in a high plank position, with your legs fully extended behind you and your hands in line with your shoulders. 
2. From the high push-up position, lower one forearm, so it’s parallel to the ground. Repeat on the other forearm. 
3. Now you are in a forearm plank position. Shift your weight to one side and place the palm of the opposite side under that shoulder. Shift to the other side, placing the other palm on the ground under that shoulder. You should end up in the starting high plank position. This is one repetition.

Reps

Perform 12-15 reps for 3-4 sets, alternating the side you begin with.

Pro Tips

• Your core is engaged and spine neutral throughout the entire exercise to prevent lower back pain and postural problems.
• Avoid rounded back as well as dipping or rocking your hips.

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Chest and Triceps Workouts For Women

Below, you can find two examples of chest and triceps workouts for women that can be performed at the gym or at home. Alternatively, you can utilize a fitness app to create customized workouts.

Routine #1

Warm-up: Use some light plates to perform arm circles and front arm lifts to warm up your chest and arms.

	Sets	Reps
Dumbbell Chest Press	4	8
Triceps Floor Dips	5	6
Triceps Pulldowns	4	10
Push-Up Plank	4	15
Superset: Scarecrows + Dumbbell Chest Fly	3	12 each

Rest: 30 to 90 seconds between sets. In the superset, rest after completing both exercises 

Cool down: Perform upper body static stretching 

Routine #2

Warm-up: Perform 10 wall presses to warm up the chest and arms

	Sets	Reps
Narrow Push Ups	5	8
Dumbbell Chest Fly	4	12
Triceps Kickbacks	4	15
Scarecrows	4	15
Superset: Push-Up Plank + Triceps Pulldowns	3	12 each

Rest: 30 to 90 seconds between sets. In the superset, rest after completing both exercises Cool down: Perform static stretches for the upper body.

Final Words

Women who want to tone the upper body, especially the chest and triceps, should include strength training in their workout routine. 

Strength training is good for your health and can help you get the toned, lean arms you desire. 

We summarize below the benefits of training these muscles, how to set up an effective chest and triceps workout for women, and general precautions:

• Just like resistance training helps tone up other parts of the body, women seeking to tone up their arms and chest can benefit from exercises that target these areas. 
• Increasing the muscle volume in your triceps can help get rid of or minimize the appearance of bat wings.
• Working your pectoral muscles can make the breasts appear bigger. 
• Lifting weights can make your arms appear more toned and make them feel firmer to the touch.
• Resistance training can support aging people as it can help prevent sarcopenia and bone density loss.
• When working on your triceps and chest, keep your core engaged and maintain a neutral spine to prevent lower back injuries.
• Use different exercises to put together a chest and triceps workout routine that targets all areas of your chest and triceps.