triceps workout · May 16, 2023

Get Killer Arms with These 15 Most Effective Tricep Exercises

by Priya Samuel

“Biceps for show, triceps for go.” ~ Dave Tate.

While most of us spend a lot of time training our biceps, it’s the highly underrated tricep muscles that deserve more of our attention.

Strong and developed triceps don’t just give you those coveted sleeve-bursting arms (they make up the bulk of your arm) but are also critical for various functions such as elbow and shoulder extensions. This means you can’t even perform a proper chest press or a shoulder press without strong triceps.

So, if you wanna level up your bench strength or say goodbye to those tiny T-rex arms, here’s our list of the best tricep workouts that are great for beginners and pros alike.

Why should you train the triceps

1. Increased pressing strength

A 2022 study in Sports Biomechanics shows that targeted triceps training can significantly improve your bench press performance.

2. Better elbow health

Performing tricep muscle exercises can help improve the stability and mobility of the elbow joint by strengthening the muscles and tendons around it.

3. Enhanced shoulder joint function

Since the triceps long head attaches to the shoulder blade, doing tricep muscle exercises can aid in shoulder extension (help you reach overhead or behind your back). Triceps training also improves shoulder joint function by stabilizing it during pressing movements.

Brief Tricep Anatomy

The triceps muscle is located along the backs of your upper arms and consists of 3 heads:

Long head – lies on the inside of the arm making up the bulk of the triceps.
Lateral head – lies on the outside of the arm and forms the horseshoe shape that is visible on the upper section of the back of your arm.
Medial head – lies between the long and lateral head and is only visible on the back of the arm near the elbow.

Jointly, the 3 triceps heads play a pivotal role in elbow extension.

15 Best Tricep Exercises

1. Close-grip barbell bench press

One of the best tricep exercises for mass and definition as it puts your hands in a close grip which has been proven to be excellent for triceps activation.

tricep exercises

Muscles worked: Triceps, chest, shoulders.

How to perform

Lie down on a flat bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground.
Grip the bar with your hands slightly less than shoulder-width apart, with your palms facing away from your face.
Begin by lifting the bar off the rack and holding it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
Keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body, lower the bar slowly with control until it almost touches your chest.
Pause for a second and then explosively push the bar back up to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

2. Weighted dip

This is one of the best tricep exercises for mass and definition and it also helps increase your bench press strength.

Muscles worked: Triceps, chest, shoulders.

How to perform

Secure a weight belt around your waist or hug a dumbbell between your legs.
Begin by grasping the parallel dip bars with an overhand grip, with your arms fully extended. Your legs should be off the ground with one leg crossed behind the other.
Lower your body by bending your arms, keeping your elbows close to your sides and your torso upright.
Continue to lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the ground or lower.
Pause for a moment and then push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
Perform the desired number of reps.

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3. Cable pressdowns

One of the best tricep workouts as it improves your triceps’ strength imbalances over the biceps.

Muscles worked: Triceps.

How to perform

Stand facing a cable machine with a straight bar attachment set at a high position.
Grab the bar with an overhand grip, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Bring the bar down to a height where your upper arms are higher than parallel to the ground. Keep your elbows close to your body and shoulders pulled back. This is the starting position.
Now lower the bar down until it reaches your thighs and you can feel the contraction in your triceps.
Pause for a moment and then return to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

4. Lying dumbbell tricep extension

This tricep exercise at home helps you get a great stretch on the long head of the triceps due to the position of your arms.

Muscles worked: Triceps, shoulders.

How to perform

Lie back on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor.
Grasp a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing inward, and hold them close to your head while keeping your arms bent at a right angle. This is the starting position.
Keeping your core engaged, extend your arms towards the ceiling without fully locking out your elbows.
Feel the contraction in your triceps and then slowly return to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

Buy Burnlabs’ Adjustable Dumbbell Kit here.

5. Standing Overhead Cable Triceps Extension

One of the best tricep exercises for size, this exercise also improves pressing performance and elbow stability.

Muscles worked: Triceps.

How to perform

Fix a rope to the high pulley of a cable machine.
Stand facing away from the machine, take hold of each end of the rope with one hand, lean forward, and place one foot behind the other.
Begin by holding the rope above your head with your elbows in front and arms bent.
Now extend your arms in front of you by contracting your triceps while keeping your upper arms still.
Pause for a moment and then slowly revert to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

6. Crossbow extension with resistance band

An excellent tricep exercise for beginners as it recruits all 3 triceps heads.

Muscles worked: Triceps.

How to perform

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your back straight.
Grab opposite ends of a resistance band one in each hand.
Hold the band with an overhand grip with your left hand and an underhand grip with your right hand.
Position your left hand right below your chest and to your side near your ribs. This hand should not move during this exercise, as it will secure the band in place and keep it taut.
Begin by placing your right hand near your right shoulder with your elbow bent, as seen in the video.
Now extend your right elbow and bring your arm up and to the right until it is parallel with the floor. Tighten your triceps at the top of this movement.
Pause for a second and return to the initial position in a controlled manner.
Perform the desired number of reps before switching sides.

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7. Incline dumbbell kickback

One of the best tricep exercises for size as it has been shown to trigger the largest amount of long-head tricep activation compared to other triceps exercises.

Muscles worked: Triceps.

How to perform

Lie face down on an incline bench, with your chest supported by the bench.
Grab a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inwards and your elbows bent at a right angle. This is the starting position.
Extend your arms backward until your upper arms are parallel to your body, being careful not to let your elbows drop.
Feel the contraction in your triceps and then slowly return to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

Tip

Start with low weights initially.
Limit your range of motion to the point where your fore and upper arms make a 90-degree angle.

8. Incline dumbbell overhead extension

Since your shoulders are in an incline position in this tricep workout, you get a larger stretch of the long head resulting in better tricep definition.

Muscles worked: Triceps.

How to perform

Set the bench to an incline of around 45 degrees.
Hold one dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in and lie back on the bench.
Bring the dumbbells up slightly behind your head with your arms at an incline (as shown in the video). This is the starting position.
Now lower the dumbbells behind your head as far as you can go while keeping your upper arms stationary.
Pause for a moment and then return to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

9. Close-grip pushup

One of the top tricep exercises without weights that is great for building tricep strength and size and overall pushing power.

tricep exercises

Muscles worked: Triceps, chest, shoulders.

How to perform

Start by assuming a plank position, placing your hands on the floor at a distance slightly less than your shoulder width.
Keep your head, hips, and spine in a straight line.
Engage your core muscles, inhale, and gradually lower your body towards the floor, bringing your upper arms to a parallel position with the ground.
Ensure that your arms and elbows remain close to your body.
Pause briefly, exhale, and push yourself back to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps

10. Banded Single-arm triceps kickback

An awesome tricep exercise for women and men as it helps correct muscle imbalances between your left and right sides.

Muscles worked: Triceps.

How to perform

Stand in a bent-over position with your left hand resting on a bench or table for support.
Loop a resistance band under your left foot and hold the other end of the band in your right hand with an overhand grip.
Step back with your right foot in a staggered stance for added support.
Hold the band close to your side and row the band up. This is the starting position.
Now extend the band backward and pull it upward as far as you can go. Squeeze your triceps at the top.
Pause for a second and then return to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps before switching sides.

Buy Burnlab’s resistance band set here.

11. Weighted bench dips

Try this tricep exercise at home to increase shoulder and wrist flexibility and gain some serious upper body mass.

Muscles worked: Triceps, shoulders, chest, back.

How to perform

Arrange two benches parallel to each other at leg-distance apart.
Sit on one of the benches and place a weight plate (or dumbbell) on your lap.
Reach behind your back and grasp the edge of the bench with your hands, ensuring they are shoulder-width apart.
Begin by extending your legs and placing your heels on the other bench, while keeping your torso upright.
Slowly bend your elbows, keeping them close to your body and your forearms pointing forward until you reach the lowest position possible.
Pause and then lift your body back to the starting position by extending your arms at the top of the movement.
Perform the desired number of reps.

12. Bodyweight triceps extension on Smith Machine

This tricep exercise without weights helps develop a better-balanced upper arm.

Muscles worked: Triceps, abs, shoulder, lower back.

How to perform

Set the bar on a Smith Machine to a challenging height. (If you’re a beginner start higher).
Using an overhand grip, grab the bar with your hands at shoulder-width distance.
Begin by stepping back to form a straight line from head to heels, with abs and glutes engaged.
Now slowly lower your body by bending your elbows and bringing your head below the bar.
Once your forearms touch your biceps, press through the bar and extend your elbows to raise your body back to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

Tip

You could also use any steady surface such as a bed or bench to perform this exercise.

13. EZ bar skullcrushers

A great tricep exercise for women and men to develop tricep mass and strength.

tricep exercises

Muscles worked: Triceps.

How to perform

Grab an EZ bar with your hands at shoulder-width distance.
Lie supine on a bench with your feet flat on the floor.
Begin by pushing the EZ bar to a lockout position with your arms at an incline (as shown in the video).
Drive your shoulders into the bench and keep some tension in your mid-back.
Now lower the bar towards your forehead by bending your elbows and keeping your upper arms stationary.
Pause for a moment and then return to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

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14. TRX Triceps Extension

This tricep exercise is great for challenging your balance.

tricep exercises

Muscles worked: Triceps, biceps, shoulders, core.

How to perform

Adjust the TRX to a medium length and stand facing away from it with your feet hip-width apart.
Hold the handles with your palms facing down, arms extended in front of your chest. Move further back to increase the difficulty level of this exercise.
Keep your upper arms steady, engage your core and glutes to maintain a flat back, and gradually lower your body by bending your elbows.
Pause for a moment and then straighten your arms and push your body away from your hands to return to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

15. Barbell JM press

This tricep exercise is great for increasing your lockout strength for bench presses.

Muscles worked: Triceps, chest, shoulders.

How to perform

Lie back on a bench press station with the barbell positioned behind your head when it’s racked.
Grasp the barbell such that your hands are shoulder-width apart and your thumbs are firmly wrapped around the bar.
Unrack the bar and begin by fully extending your arms up with your elbows close to your body.
Now slowly lower the bar by bending your elbows until the bar reaches somewhere between your chin and upper chest.
Once your biceps touch your forearms, explosively press the bar back up to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of reps.

Tricep training tips

Warm up sufficiently before you start your tricep workout to avoid the risk of elbow or tendon injury.
Maintain a neutral spine during triceps training.
Tuck or rotate your elbows in during tricep workouts to target your triceps effectively. Don’t flare them out to the sides.
While doing tricep exercises, do compound lifts (dips, close-grip bench presses) first, followed by two-arm, free-weight extensions, and then finish off with unilateral or cable exercises. This allows for maximum stimulation and overload of the triceps muscles, that in turn maximizes your lifting potential.
To maximize tricep development, focus on the lockout position during exercises, as the triceps contract completely only when the arms are fully extended. Pause and squeeze the muscles at the lockout, and perform slow negatives.
Target all 3 triceps heads by changing the angle of your arms and the grip position. Exercises with your arms overhead target the long head, and exercises with your arms by your side recruit the lateral head (for overhand or neutral grip) and medial head (for underhand grip).

Frequently asked questions

1. How many triceps exercises per workout should you do?

As a general guideline, you should perform 2-4 different triceps exercises per workout to target and stimulate the triceps adequately.

2. Can we do biceps and triceps exercise together?

Yes, you can do biceps and triceps exercise together since they are both upper-arm muscle groups. Since your biceps are used in pull movements while your triceps are the main “pushers”, training them on the same day gives you a super-efficient arm workout.

Conclusion

Now that you know how important your triceps are, we’re sure you can’t wait to try out these amazing tricep exercises for beginners and seasoned gym-goers.

So, keep pushing, keep pressing, and enjoy the gains!

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