Best Non-Weight Exercises for Triceps, Deltoids, Pecs

If you don’t have weights at home yet you want to build muscles, you can do a lot of exercises that don’t require weights. Buying weights can be very expensive and you have to spend time to maintain them so they won’t get damaged. If you want to be free of these worries, here are the best non-weight exercises for triceps, deltoids, pecs. 

Best Non-Weight Exercises for Triceps, Deltoids, Pecs

If you want to get toned, the best non-weight exercises for triceps, deltoids, and pecs are push-ups and planks. There’s no other exercise aside from push-ups that works your triceps, deltoids, and pecs. 

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Couple doing non-weight exercises for their triceps, deltoids, pecs

You can do a variety of push-ups to change things up. As long as you do the core steps of pushups, you should be fine. However, don’t expect that non-weight exercises produce the same result when you use weights. 

Not only do push-ups work most of your arm muscles but it also engages the core. You tone your arm muscles and at the same time tone your core muscles.

Push-up

Push-up works your core, pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. You can do push-ups by following these steps:

  1. Assume a plank position. Your palms flat on the floor, hands at shoulder widths apart, and shoulders in line with your wrists. Your legs should fully extend with your core and glutes engaged. 
  2. Slowly bend your elbows until your chest is 1 or 2 inches from the floor. You can drop to your knees if needed. Hold the position for about a second.
  3. Slowly push back your body with the palm of your hands until you reach back to your original position. 

That’s how you can easily do a push-up. You can decide on how many reps and sets you do as long as your body doesn’t get fatigued.

Side Plank

Side plank works your core and deltoids. It’s great to add to your push-ups to have a mix of workouts to give your arm muscles some rest. 

Woman doing a side plank
  1. Lie on one side (left or right) with your hand directly under your shoulder. Your other hand should fully extend upward. 
  2. Extend your legs with your feet stacking on each other. 
  3. Slowly lift your hips off the floor. You should feel your core and glutes tightening. 
  4. Hold this position for a set period of time

Decline Push-up

A push-up variation that adds more difficulty to the exercise. Decline push-ups give you more challenge than regular push-ups. It targets the triceps, deltoids, pectorals, and core. You need to have a bench or an elevated surface to place your feet on. 

  1. Place your toes on top of an elevated surface like a bench, box, or ladder steps. 
  2. Get into a plank position with your palms flat and hands at shoulder-width apart. 
  3. Slowly bend your elbows until you lower your chest 1 or 2 inches to the floor. 
  4. Push back your palms slowly upwards until you reach your original position.

Incline Push-up

Incline push-up works similarly to decline push-up. However, instead of your feet elevated, it’s your arms that elevates. Incline push-ups also work the triceps, deltoids, pectorals, and core. 

Unlike decline push-ups, you do incline push-up if you want an easier time doing push-ups. Incline push-ups make regular push-ups look difficult. The more elevated your upper body, the easier you can do incline push-ups. 

To do incline push-ups, simply follow the steps on decline push-ups. Instead of placing your toes on an elevated surface, place your palms on the elevated surface with your toes on the floor. 

Can Doing 100 Pushups a Day Get You Ripped?

You will only get ripped in muscles that push-ups targets like the triceps, deltoids, and pectorals. Although you do develop your muscles, your other muscles also need to be worked on or you’ll have a muscle imbalance. It’s important to work on all your muscles to look good and your body functions in good condition. 

Man doing push ups

If you keep doing push-ups you’ll get too good at it. However, if you suddenly do it and your body doesn’t get used to it, you will start to feel fatigued. Fatigue makes you counterproductive and unmotivated to work out at all. 

How Can I Firm Up My Triceps Fast?

You can’t do a shortcut to getting firm triceps. Building your muscles requires time. Your muscle tissues need time to repair themselves from tear and develop stronger.

If you want to make your triceps firm as soon as possible, you can do high-intensity interval training (HIIT) combined with triceps workout. You should increase every rep or set you to do every workout session. However, make sure you also have rest so your triceps don’t get fatigued or alternate other muscle groups to allow your triceps to rest.

Why is it so Hard to Tone Triceps?

Small and tiny muscles build up the triceps. They require deliberate movements if you want to develop them. That’s why most people find it hard to tone triceps. 

You may wonder why would you bother developing triceps if they are small. Triceps store fats from your arms. If you don’t develop them, you’ll have flabby looking arms. 

Triceps also support other muscle groups making you work better at other muscle functions. 

Conclusion

Doing push-ups will help you build triceps, deltoids, and pecs all at once. You can do a lot of push-ups variations to increase or decrease the difficulty. Make sure you take the time to rest and work on other muscle groups to get a proper workout routine

Robert Lemus has been a natural competitor for 6 years, starting in Men’s Physique, then Bodybuilding, and then into Classic Physique. He is the Orange County Bodybuilding champion in 2016 for the Musclemania Organization. In 2018, he received his Pro Card with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) in Classic Physique.