Can you give me a basic triceps routine? I want to build up my triceps so that I can bench press more. - Steve Smith, North Bay, Ontario

Sure. This routine has slapped a lot of size on my triceps. Start with pushdowns. Warm up with a set of 20 repetitions. Then do 3 sets of 12-10-8 reps in pyramid form, increasing the weight on each set. Concentrate on squeezing your triceps at the bottom of the motion and bring your hands up in a controlled manner. Remember to use your triceps, not your shoulders and body momentum. I have,found triceps pushdowns to be a great way to warm up my elbows for the rest of my routine. Next do close-grip bench presses with a spotter. Take a narrow grip on the bar and lower it to your middle to upper chest. Do 3 sets (10-8-6) in pyramid fashion, increasing the weight on each set. Again, control the weight and contract your triceps at the top end of the movement. Third and last come headsmackers, skull crushers, nose bleeders, forehead busters or to be politically correct, triceps extensions - with an EZ-curl bar. Do 3 sets of 10, 8, 6, again in pyramid fashion. Be sure to keep your elbows in. Lower the bar to the top of your head, and on the way up squeeze your triceps.

These three basic triceps exercises are all you need If you are training your triceps heavy and your goal is to maximize your bench press, space out your routines. You don't want to train triceps heavy on Monday and then do heavy chest on Tuesday because your bench-press max will be lower. You need time for your triceps to recuperate.