Monday Move: Triceps and Upper Back

1. Stand with your feet hip-width distance and parallel; softly bend both knees. Take one end of the resistance band and place it under the back of your left foot. Press your left heel firmly into the band to hold it in place.

2. . Lift the other end of the band up and over your head, and hold on to the band with both hands (adjust your position on the band to create your desired level of resistance). Make sure that your elbows are pointing forward and biceps are aligned with the ears. Relax the shoulders down the back and pull the abdominal muscles in

3. Lift the hands upward toward the ceiling until arms are almost straight or until you feel the triceps muscles engage (important to avoid fully extending the arms and locking out or hyperextending the elbows; keep a slight bend to the elbows).

4. Bend the elbows lowering hands downward behind your head until wrists are in line with your elbows. Engage the triceps to re-straighten the arms back over your head. Be mindful to keep the shoulders drawing down and away from the ears as you move the arms. Repeat 10 times. For an added challenge, you can add on the next two exercise variations. Variation 1: Slow down the movement by lowering the hands down for 2 counts and then lifting hands up over the head for 2 counts. Repeat 10 times. Variation 2: Hold the hands over the head (until arms are almost straight) and then bend the elbows, lowering hands behind your head just an inch and then lift the arms back up an inch. This small and controlled movement will deepen the muscle contraction. Repeat 10 times.