14 Must-Try Triceps Exercises for Building Bigger, Stronger Arms

Discover the 14 best triceps exercises to build bigger, stronger arms. Enhance your upper-body strength and achieve defined, powerful triceps with these proven moves.

If your body were a rock band, your triceps would be the bass player often overlooked but absolutely essential. While your legs handle the drums, your biceps take the spotlight on lead guitar, and your calves play the humble roadie, the triceps quietly hold everything together. Despite their low profile, these muscles play a key role in nearly every lift and are crucial for achieving almost any fitness goal.

Though they’re frequently underappreciated, strong triceps can significantly enhance both your physique and performance. Building bigger, stronger triceps doesn’t require endless effort just smart, targeted training. Here are the top exercises to bring this behind-the-scenes muscle group into the spotlight.

Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press is a classic variation of the flat bench press that shifts the focus from your chest to your triceps. By narrowing your grip, your triceps become the primary movers, while chest activation decreases. This adjustment not only enhances triceps engagement but also places your shoulders in a stronger and more stable position, reducing strain on the joints.

This makes the close-grip bench press an excellent choice for lifters looking to target their triceps or those managing shoulder discomfort. It’s a powerful alternative to the traditional bench press for building strength and size.

How to Do the Close-Grip Bench Press

1. Setup:
   • Lie on a flat bench with a barbell positioned above your eyes.
   • Use a pronated (palms-down) grip with your hands and wrists directly above your shoulders. Avoid an excessively narrow grip, as it doesn’t increase triceps activation and may strain your wrists and elbows.
2. Position:
   • Plant your feet flat on the ground for stability.
   • Squeeze your shoulder blades together and grip the bar firmly.
3. Execution:
   • Press the bar upward to unrack it from the support pins.
   • Lower the bar in a controlled manner, keeping your elbows close to your torso to maximize triceps engagement. Avoid flaring your elbows out to the sides.
   • Lower the bar to your lower chest, pause briefly, and then press straight up to lockout.
4. Form Tips:
   • Keep your glutes firmly on the bench throughout the entire movement.
   • Maintain a steady, controlled tempo for safety and effectiveness.

Benefits of the Close-Grip Bench Press

1. Enhanced Triceps Strength:
   • This variation allows for heavy lifting, making it ideal for building strength and size in your triceps.
2. Reduced Shoulder Strain:
   • The close grip and elbow positioning place less stress on the shoulder joints, making it a safer option for those with shoulder discomfort.
3. Functional Carryover:
   • It mimics the bench press movement while targeting the triceps, contributing to improved performance in pressing movements.

EZ-Bar Skull Crusher

The EZ-bar skull crusher is a foundational exercise for isolating the triceps while minimizing involvement from the chest and shoulders. It’s simple yet highly effective, requiring only an EZ-bar and a flat bench, making it a great option for both gym and home workouts.

Using an EZ-bar allows for a semi-supinated (angled) grip, which is easier on the wrists compared to a fully supinated (palms-down) grip. This grip reduces strain on the wrist and elbow joints, making the exercise more accessible for lifters with limited wrist mobility.

As one of the most fundamental triceps movements, the EZ-bar skull crusher offers excellent triceps isolation and versatility, making it a staple in any arm-building routine.

How to Do the EZ-Bar Skull Crusher

1. Setup:
   • Sit on a flat bench, holding an EZ-bar with a moderate-width grip on the angled handles. Your grip should be palms-down (pronated).
   • Lie back while “kicking” the bar into position with your arms extended straight above your face.
2. Positioning:
   • Angle your arms slightly toward your head to keep constant tension on the triceps. Avoid holding the bar completely vertical.
   • Place both feet flat on the floor and engage your core to stabilize your body.
3. Execution:
   • Bend your elbows and lower the bar toward your forehead, keeping your elbows stationary to isolate the triceps.
   • Stop just above your forehead and maintain control throughout the movement.
   • Extend your arms to return the bar to the starting position above your head, fully locking out your elbows.

Benefits of the EZ-Bar Skull Crusher

1. Joint-Friendly:
   • The EZ-bar’s angled grip reduces strain on the wrists and elbows, making it a safer choice for lifters with joint pain.
2. Increased Range of Motion:
   • By lowering the weight to the bench behind your head instead of stopping at your forehead, you can increase the range of motion and enhance muscle activation.
3. Superset Potential:
   • The EZ-bar skull crusher pairs perfectly with a close-grip bench press for an intense superset. Using the same bar, you can seamlessly transition between exercises for an effective, time-efficient workout.

Barbell Kickback

The barbell kickback is a classic bodybuilding exercise that has regained popularity in recent years. It’s a highly effective movement for isolating the triceps, providing significant time under tension without the need for cables or machines. While the bent-over position may challenge those with limited hamstring mobility, it remains a viable option for lifters with proper form adjustments.

Despite its simplicity, the barbell kickback delivers a powerful muscle-building stimulus, making it a great addition to any triceps-focused workout.

How to Do the Barbell Kickback

1. Setup:
   • Stand upright, holding a barbell with a palms-down (pronated) grip behind your back.
   • Bend forward at the waist, allowing the bar to slide down the back of your legs.
   • Pull your elbows up close to your ribs, positioning the bar near your knees or upper calves, depending on your proportions.
2. Execution:
   • Straighten your arms by pressing the bar backward, keeping your elbows stationary throughout the movement.
   • Fully lock out your arms so the bar ends up above your tailbone, where the tension on your triceps is at its peak.
   • Lower the bar back to the starting position under control, avoiding any contact with the back of your knees.
3. Form Tips:
   • Avoid rounding your back excessively to maintain spinal stability.
   • If hamstring mobility is limited, bend at a higher angle or opt for a different triceps isolation exercise.

Benefits of the Barbell Kickback

1. Equipment-Friendly:
   • This exercise requires only a barbell, making it ideal for lifters training in home gyms or with limited equipment.
2. Long Time Under Tension:
   • The triceps endure extended tension, particularly during the peak contraction phase, which is essential for muscle growth.
3. Lightweight Effectiveness:
   • The barbell kickback provides a significant muscle-building stimulus even with relatively light weights, reducing stress on the joints while still delivering results.
4. Isolation with a Barbell:
   • As one of the few barbell-only triceps isolation exercises, it’s a versatile option for lifters seeking variety in their training routines.

Dumbbell Overhead Extension

The Dumbbell Overhead Extension is a highly effective exercise for targeting all three heads of the triceps, thanks to its unique positioning of the arms overhead. This exercise is ideal for promoting triceps growth, as the muscle heads are activated in a different way compared to other triceps movements.

How to Perform the Dumbbell Overhead Extension:

1. Starting Position: Hold one dumbbell with both hands, positioning the pinkies of each hand against the inside of the top weight plate.
2. Lift Overhead: Extend your arms fully, bringing the dumbbell directly overhead. Your arms should be straight, and your core engaged.
3. Lower the Weight: Slowly bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head. Keep your elbows pointing upwards, resisting the urge to let them drift forward or downward.
4. Control the Movement: Be mindful not to tilt your head forward to avoid contact with the dumbbell. Keep the movement controlled to avoid hitting your head or neck.
5. Return to Start: Once you feel a significant stretch in your triceps, push the dumbbell back to the starting position overhead, fully extending your arms.

Benefits:

• Engages All Triceps Heads: The movement recruits all three heads of the triceps, contributing to balanced growth.
• Increased Strength Potential: Since both hands are involved in lifting the weight, you can typically lift heavier than when training with one arm at a time, which can lead to greater strength gains.
• Stretch Emphasis: This exercise emphasizes the stretched position, which is effective for stimulating muscle growth.
• Core and Stability: Depending on your stance (standing, seated, kneeling), you can vary the amount of core and lower back engagement, making this a versatile exercise for different fitness levels and goals.

It’s a great addition to any triceps workout, whether you’re aiming for strength or muscle growth.

Two-Dumbbell Kickback

The Two-Dumbbell Kickback is a great exercise for targeting the triceps while offering improved coordination and versatility. It’s ideal for lifters looking to focus on muscle tension without needing heavy weights or complex equipment.

How to Do the Two-Dumbbell Kickback:

1. Starting Position: Stand upright and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bend at the waist, keeping your back flat, and slightly bend your knees. Your arms should be bent at a 90-degree angle, and your elbows should be close to your ribs.
2. Elbow Position: Keep your elbows pinned to your sides throughout the entire movement.
3. Extension: Using a controlled motion, straighten your arms by driving your pinkies toward the ceiling. Ensure you are not using momentum; move slowly and deliberately.
4. End Position: At the top of the movement, your arms should be fully extended behind you, creating a straight line with your body.
5. Experiment with Grips: Try different hand grips neutral (palms facing your body), pronated (palms facing behind you), or supinated (palms facing your shoulders) to see which one feels most comfortable and natural.

Benefits:

• Effective with Light Weights: The two-dumbbell kickback can provide significant triceps tension even with relatively light weights, making it ideal for those with joint pain or limited equipment.
• Joint-Friendly: The ability to rotate your wrists during the movement reduces strain on the wrists and elbows, offering a more comfortable and natural motion.
• Simulates Cable Triceps Pushdowns: This movement mimics the benefits of a cable triceps pushdown, but it can be done without the need for a cable machine, providing a similar muscle activation with free weights.
• Improves Coordination: By using both arms simultaneously, this exercise enhances coordination and engages stabilizing muscles throughout the body.

This makes the Two-Dumbbell Kickback a great option for building triceps strength and definition, especially in home workouts or those with equipment limitations.

Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press

The Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press is an excellent variation of the standard dumbbell bench press, offering a triceps-dominant movement while minimizing stress on the shoulder joints.

How to Do the Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press:

1. Starting Position: Sit on a flat bench and rest a pair of dumbbells on your thighs. Lie back while kicking the dumbbells into a straight-arm position directly above your chest.
2. Hand Position: As you lower the dumbbells into position, rotate your hands so that your palms are facing each other, which creates a neutral grip.
3. Lower the Dumbbells: Slowly lower the dumbbells towards the outside of your chest, keeping your elbows close to your sides and pointing towards your feet. This reduces shoulder involvement and places more emphasis on the triceps.
4. Press Up: Once the dumbbells reach chest level, press them straight up to lockout, fully extending your arms.
5. Control the Movement: Make sure to maintain control throughout the motion, especially when lowering the weights, to avoid excessive stress on the joints.

Benefits:

• Joint-Friendly: The neutral grip reduces stress on the shoulder joints, making it a great option for individuals with shoulder issues or discomfort during traditional chest presses.
• Triceps Focus: By keeping the elbows close to the body, the movement activates the triceps more effectively, making it a great option for triceps development.
• Heavy Weights: This variation allows you to lift heavy weights, similar to a standard chest press, making it an excellent exercise for building both strength and muscle size.
• Reduced Joint Strain: The neutral grip minimizes stress on the elbows and shoulders, which makes it ideal for those with existing joint pain or mobility issues.
• Alternatives for Chest Press: If you cannot perform a regular flat dumbbell bench press due to joint pain or mobility restrictions, this variation provides a viable alternative.

The Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press is a powerful and joint-friendly alternative for anyone looking to increase triceps strength and size while minimizing the risk of shoulder and elbow strain.

Single-Arm Skull Crusher

The Single-Arm Skull Crusher is a variation of the traditional skull crusher, performed with one arm at a time to provide a more targeted and controlled triceps workout. It is particularly beneficial for addressing muscular imbalances and wrist discomfort.

How to Do the Single-Arm Skull Crusher:

1. Starting Position: Lie flat on a bench, holding a dumbbell in one hand, with your arm fully extended above your chest.
2. Hand Placement: Use your non-working hand to gently hold the triceps of your working arm. This enhances the mind-muscle connection and can promote better growth.
3. Lower the Dumbbell: Slowly lower the dumbbell toward the same-side ear, maintaining a controlled motion. Keep your elbow aimed at the ceiling throughout the movement, avoiding any side-to-side movement.
4. Stretch and Reverse: Once your arm reaches its maximum stretched position, reverse the movement, driving the dumbbell back up to lockout, fully extending your arm.
5. Control: Focus on controlling the weight during both the lowering and lifting phases to maximize muscle engagement.

Benefits:

• Focused Triceps Training: The single-arm movement allows for greater focus on each triceps muscle individually, leading to more isolated development.
• Joint-Friendly: By using a dumbbell, you have the freedom to rotate your wrist during the movement, which can reduce strain on the wrist joint something that might occur when using a barbell or EZ-bar with a fixed grip.
• Muscle Imbalance Correction: The unilateral approach helps identify and correct muscle imbalances between the arms, promoting symmetrical strength and size.
• Light Weights, Significant Stimulus: Despite being performed with relatively light weights, the exercise delivers a substantial muscle-building stimulus due to the focused nature of the movement.

The Single-Arm Skull Crusher is an excellent choice for targeting the triceps with precision, particularly for individuals working on correcting imbalances or looking for a more wrist-friendly option.

Dip

The Dip is an incredibly effective bodyweight exercise for building triceps strength and size, and it can be easily modified to focus on either the triceps or the chest, depending on your goals. The dip also allows for adding significant resistance with a weighted vest, dip belt, or even a makeshift backpack to intensify the workout.

How to Do the Dip:

1. Starting Position: Grasp a set of dip handles with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Jump into the starting position and lock your arms out straight.
2. Upper Body Stabilization: Keep your torso stable and avoid swinging your lower body. Engage your core to maintain control throughout the movement.
3. Lower the Body: Slowly bend your arms, lowering your body downward while aiming your elbows behind you (toward the wall behind you). Keep your torso upright and your head and shoulders in line with your hands.
4. Stretch at the Bottom: Lower yourself until you feel a maximum stretch in your shoulders. Be careful not to go too deep to avoid shoulder strain.
5. Press Up: After pausing briefly at the bottom, push yourself back up to the top position, fully locking your arms out.

Benefits:

• Significant Load for Progression: The dip is one of the few bodyweight exercises that allows you to progressively add weight, making it an excellent option for long-term strength and muscle growth.
• Triceps Focus: By keeping your torso upright and your elbows pointing back, you can emphasize the triceps. If you want to incorporate the chest, lean forward and allow your elbows to flare out during the descent.
• High-Intensity Muscle Stimulus: The dip is a compound movement that recruits not just the triceps but also the shoulders and chest. By adjusting technique, you can focus on one muscle group at a time, allowing for a varied stimulus throughout the set.

The dip is a versatile and highly effective exercise for anyone looking to build upper body strength and muscle mass, especially in the triceps.

Close-Grip Push-Up

The Close-Grip Push-Up is a fantastic bodyweight exercise that places greater emphasis on the triceps, making it an excellent addition to any workout routine, especially for those looking to improve triceps strength and size without the need for equipment.

How to Do the Close-Grip Push-Up:

1. Starting Position: Place your hands on the ground slightly closer than shoulder-width apart, directly under your chest. Keep your legs straight and maintain a straight line from your head to your feet.
2. Lower the Body: Lower your body towards the ground by bending your arms, keeping your elbows tucked tightly to your sides and aiming them toward your feet. Your chest should nearly touch your hands at the bottom.
3. Pause and Return: Pause briefly at the bottom position, maintaining control, then press through your hands to return to the starting position, locking your arms out at the top.

Benefits:

• Triceps Activation: The close-grip push-up is shown to activate the triceps significantly more than the standard push-up, making it a more targeted exercise for triceps development.
• Convenience: This exercise can be done anywhere and at any time, as it requires no special equipment, making it ideal for home workouts or when you’re on the go.
• Functional Strength: The close-grip push-up builds upper body strength and stability, particularly in the triceps, chest, and shoulders.

The close-grip push-up is an effective and convenient way to challenge the triceps, and it can be incorporated into various workout programs for a triceps-focused challenge.

Medicine Ball Push-Up

The Medicine Ball Push-Up is an effective variation that uses a medicine ball for hand placement, creating both a challenge and a unique opportunity for training upper body strength and stability. The added instability forces greater engagement of shoulder stabilizers while targeting the triceps, chest, and shoulders.

How to Do the Medicine Ball Push-Up:

1. Set Up: Place a sturdy medicine ball on the ground. The weight of the ball doesn’t change the resistance, but the instability adds a new challenge. Position both hands on the ball, ensuring your arms are straight and your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
2. Stabilize: Keep your core tight and stabilize your entire body to prevent the ball from rolling or wobbling. Engage your stabilizer muscles to maintain balance.
3. Lower the Body: Slowly lower your chest toward the ball while maintaining control of any instability. Keep your elbows at a natural angle and lower your body in a controlled manner.
4. Press Up: Once your chest touches the ball, press up steadily until your arms are fully extended, completing the push-up.

Benefits:

• Enhanced Shoulder Stability: The instability of the medicine ball challenges shoulder stabilizing muscles, which improves overall shoulder strength and joint stability.
• Simplified Grip Width: Using the medicine ball gives a clear reference for hand placement, making it easier to maintain a consistent grip width, whether it’s close-grip or standard.
• Increased Challenge: While the slight elevation of the body might seem to reduce body weight lifted, the instability of the ball actually makes the exercise more challenging, requiring more effort to maintain balance.
• Versatile for Power Workouts: Medicine ball push-ups can be quickly paired with medicine ball throws for a dynamic superset, making it a great choice for building both strength and power.

The Medicine Ball Push-Up is a unique and effective exercise for targeting the upper body while enhancing core and shoulder stability, making it a valuable addition to your bodyweight training routine.

Tiger Bend Push-Up

The Tiger Bend Push-Up is an advanced bodyweight exercise that isolates and challenges the triceps by requiring them to lift most of the body weight in a unique movement pattern. It focuses on triceps extension rather than the typical push-up motion, offering a great alternative for experienced lifters looking to target the triceps in a more isolated manner.

How to Do the Tiger Bend Push-Up:

1. Starting Position: Begin by kneeling on the ground with only your forearms, elbows, knees, and shins supporting your body. Place your palms flat on the ground, ensuring your elbows are directly beneath your shoulders, and your knees are aligned with your hips.
2. Lift Your Body: Press through your palms and lift your body up, maintaining a neutral spine. Your torso should rise vertically while your triceps do most of the work to extend your body upwards.
3. Increase Difficulty: To make the exercise more challenging, move your knees farther from your elbows, eventually lifting your knees off the ground, creating a straight line from your shoulders to your feet.
4. Reduce Difficulty: To make the exercise easier, widen your knee placement to provide more support, or continue doing the exercise from your knees.

Benefits:

• Triceps Isolation: The tiger bend push-up is one of the few bodyweight exercises that isolates the triceps in a single-joint movement, making it a valuable tool for triceps development.
• No Equipment Needed: This exercise provides a significant challenge without requiring any weights or specialized equipment, making it great for experienced lifters with limited resources.
• Progressive Challenge: The movement can be easily adjusted in difficulty, either by modifying the knee placement or progressing to a full-body version as strength improves.
• Variety and Targeting: It adds variety to push-up variations and effectively targets the triceps while reducing reliance on the chest and shoulders, which are more commonly involved in traditional push-ups.

The Tiger Bend Push-Up is a great addition to a triceps-focused workout routine, providing an advanced, bodyweight-only exercise to isolate and strengthen the triceps.

Rope Pushdown

The Rope Pushdown is a highly effective triceps isolation exercise commonly performed in gyms. It is adaptable for lifters of all experience levels and provides a unique advantage over other cable triceps exercises due to its neutral grip and potential for increased range of motion. The rope pushdown allows you to target the triceps while minimizing wrist strain, making it an excellent choice for improving muscle definition and strength.

How to Do the Rope Pushdown:

1. Setup: Attach a rope handle to a high-cable pulley. Grab the rope with both hands, keeping your palms facing each other (neutral grip). Position your elbows close to your ribs and your hands near chest level.
2. Movement: Without moving your elbows, press the rope downward by straightening your arms. Keep your wrists in a neutral position as you push the rope down toward your thighs.
3. Pause and Return: At the bottom of the movement, pause briefly in the fully locked-out position before slowly returning your hands back to the starting point, maintaining control throughout the movement.

Benefits:

• Adaptable for All Levels: The rope pushdown can be easily adjusted for beginners by using lighter weights, while more advanced lifters can increase resistance for a greater challenge.
• Continuous Tension: The cable setup provides constant tension on the triceps throughout the movement, increasing time under tension and enhancing the muscle-building stimulus.
• Reduced Joint Strain: The neutral grip (palms facing each other) reduces wrist strain compared to other variations like the straight bar, making it a more comfortable option for those with joint discomfort.
• Improved Range of Motion: The rope can be manipulated during the exercise. At the bottom, you can pull the handles apart for an extended range of motion, further activating the triceps and improving muscle activation.

The Rope Pushdown is an excellent triceps exercise that focuses on muscle isolation and ensures a strong, effective contraction. It is suitable for any training program and can be used for both strength and hypertrophy goals.

Single-Arm Pushdown

The Single-Arm Pushdown is a great variation of the traditional triceps pushdown, offering the benefits of unilateral training while still providing the high-tension muscle-building benefits of cable exercises. It allows for a focused workout on each arm individually, making it ideal for addressing imbalances in strength or muscle development. Additionally, it can be customized with various grips and angles, making it versatile and suitable for different needs, such as alleviating wrist strain or improving grip strength.

How to Do the Single-Arm Pushdown:

1. Setup: Attach a handle to a high-cable pulley. Grab the handle with one hand, keeping your elbow close to your ribcage and the hand at chest level. Your free hand can rest on the cable machine for stability.
2. Movement: Without moving your elbow, straighten your arm, pressing the handle downward to full extension (lockout). Keep your torso stable and avoid leaning to the side.
3. Pause and Return: Once you reach the bottom position, briefly pause, then slowly return the handle to the starting point, maintaining control throughout the movement.

Benefits:

• Unilateral Focus: The single-arm pushdown isolates each arm, helping to address muscular imbalances and ensuring balanced development on both sides of the body.
• Reduced Core Engagement: This exercise does not require significant core activation, making it suitable for lifters with lower back pain or those who want to focus solely on triceps development.
• Grip and Wrist Customization: You can vary the grip (palm-up or palm-down) to accommodate wrist discomfort or grip strength issues, making the exercise more accessible and comfortable.
• Crossbody Style Option: Performing the exercise “crossbody-style” by standing sideways to the cable stack allows for a unique angle. This variation changes the range of motion and can help reduce shoulder strain, offering additional benefits for shoulder joint health.

The Single-Arm Pushdown is a highly effective triceps exercise that offers a great deal of flexibility, especially for those needing to address muscular imbalances or looking for a more personalized workout.

Single-Arm Standing Cable Skull Crusher

The Single-Arm Standing Cable Skull Crusher is an excellent triceps isolation exercise that mimics the movement of a single-arm dumbbell skull crusher but with the added benefit of cable tension. This exercise provides a high level of time under tension, which can be very effective for muscle growth while minimizing joint strain. It is ideal as a variety exercise or as a finisher to target the triceps more intensely at the end of a workout.

How to Do the Single-Arm Standing Cable Skull Crusher:

1. Setup: Attach a handle to a high-cable pulley and grab it with one hand. Stand facing away from the cable stack, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Starting Position: Extend your arm straight in front of you at shoulder height. Use your non-working hand to gently support the elbow of the working arm, ensuring that it remains stationary throughout the movement.
3. Movement: Slowly bend your arm, lowering the handle towards your face. As you feel a maximum stretch in your triceps, reverse the motion and slowly extend your arm to full lockout, focusing on the contraction in the triceps.
4. Repeat: Perform the desired number of reps, maintaining control throughout the movement.

Benefits:

• Time Under Tension: The cable setup provides constant tension on the triceps, which increases the time under tension and stimulates muscle growth.
• Reduced Joint Strain: The movement places less strain on the shoulder and elbow joints compared to other variations, making it suitable for lifters with joint concerns.
• Effective for Isolation: Since the exercise isolates the triceps and does not involve other muscle groups, it is highly effective for targeting the triceps for size and strength without assistance from the chest or shoulders.
• Versatility: This exercise can be used for both beginners (with lighter weights) and advanced lifters (with heavier loads) to enhance muscle-building results.

The Single-Arm Standing Cable Skull Crusher is a great addition to any triceps workout, offering a focused, high-intensity option that minimizes joint strain while maximizing muscle-building potential.

The Triceps Muscles

Here’s a closer look at this critical arm muscle and how it works.

Triceps Brachii

The Triceps Brachii is a vital muscle for arm strength and functionality, consisting of three heads: the long head, medial head, and lateral head. Each of these heads plays a role in straightening the arm at the elbow, with the long head also being activated when the upper arm moves, especially during overhead or horizontal arm positioning. This makes training the triceps from multiple angles essential for full activation and muscle development.

Triceps Anatomy:

• Long Head: This head is unique because it crosses both the elbow and shoulder joints, making it more active in exercises that involve movement at the shoulder joint (e.g., overhead triceps exercises).
• Medial and Lateral Heads: These heads work primarily to extend the elbow and are activated during many compound pressing movements like push-ups, chest presses, and shoulder presses.

How Often Should You Train the Triceps?

While triceps are indirectly worked during many chest and shoulder exercises, they can still benefit from direct training to maximize development. However, since all three heads of the triceps attach at the elbow joint, excessive volume or frequency can lead to joint strain or tendonitis, especially for individuals performing a lot of pressing movements.

Recommended Frequency:

• One to Two Days per Week: For most individuals, training the triceps directly once or twice a week is sufficient. It’s important to balance this with overall chest and shoulder workout volume, as these muscles also heavily engage the triceps.
• Training Volume: Aim for 5-10 sets per triceps workout, divided across 1-3 exercises. This helps target the muscle without overtraining it.

Programming Tips:

• Reduce Chest and Shoulder Pressing Frequency: If you want to prioritize triceps growth, consider reducing the volume of chest and shoulder exercises to reduce the stress on the triceps.
• Combine with Biceps Workouts: Training the triceps and biceps together in a workout is an effective method. Alternating sets or supersets between biceps and triceps can improve power, strength, and muscle development while minimizing fatigue.

By training the triceps smartly, taking into account joint health, exercise variation, and volume, you can maximize triceps development while avoiding overtraining and injury.

How to Progress Your Triceps Training

When progressing triceps training, you want to strike a balance between increasing training volume (more reps or sets) and training load (more weight). The type of exercise you’re doing will determine which method of progression is more effective.

1. Focus on Volume for Isolation Exercises:

• Isolation exercises like the two-dumbbell kickback, single-arm pushdown, and other triceps-targeting moves involve a single-joint and tend to have lighter weights. Since these exercises rely on controlled movement and proper technique, pushing too much weight can lead to form breakdown and reduced effectiveness.
• Progressing through volume is generally the best approach here. Increase the number of sets or reps gradually over time. For example, start with 3 sets of 12 reps and progress to 4-5 sets with 15-20 reps per set as your endurance and technique improve.
• Tempo Variations: Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase or incorporate pauses at peak contraction points to increase time under tension, which can enhance muscle growth without needing to use heavier weights.

2. Progress Through Load for Compound Exercises:

• Compound exercises like the close-grip bench press, dips, and push-ups engage multiple muscle groups and allow for heavier loads. These exercises are more suited for increasing weight over time.
• Progressive overload can be achieved by gradually increasing the load on these exercises. For example, with a close-grip bench press, if you can perform 8 reps with 100 lbs, aim to add 2.5-5 lbs to the bar next time while keeping your reps and form consistent.
• Form and Technique First: Always prioritize proper technique when increasing weight. Sacrificing form in favor of heavier loads can lead to injury, especially in the elbow and shoulder joints, which are involved in triceps exercises.

3. Track and Adjust for Your Goals:

• Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy): Focus more on increasing volume by adding sets, reps, or slowing down your tempo for isolation exercises. For compound lifts, increase load gradually while maintaining good form.
• Strength: Prioritize load progression, especially in compound movements like the close-grip bench press and dips, aiming for heavier weights and lower reps (around 4-6 per set).
• Endurance: Increase reps or reduce rest times between sets for higher volume training, which can be beneficial for improving muscular endurance.

By balancing load and volume progression according to the exercises you’re performing, you can ensure steady progress in your triceps development while minimizing the risk of overtraining or injury.

How to Warm-Up Your Triceps

Warming up your triceps is essential for preventing injury, improving performance, and preparing the muscle for the workout ahead. Since the elbow joint will be heavily involved in most triceps exercises, it’s crucial to ensure that both the muscle and the joint are properly prepared. Here are some tips to help warm up effectively:

1. Start with Light Isolation Exercises

• Begin with light, high-rep isolation exercises to activate the triceps and prepare the elbow joint for more intense work. These exercises help improve blood flow to the muscles and lubricate the joints.
• Rope Pushdowns are an excellent choice. Start with one to two sets of 20 reps using a light weight. The movement is controlled, and it activates the triceps without overloading the elbow joint.
• Triceps Kickbacks with light dumbbells or bands can also be a great addition. Perform 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps to get the triceps engaged.

2. Gradually Increase Range of Motion

• As the warm-up progresses, gradually increase the range of motion to prepare the triceps for the full extent of movement you’ll be performing in your workout.
• Overhead Triceps Extensions with light weight can help stretch and activate the long head of the triceps, but start with light weight and focus on controlled movement to avoid overstretching.

3. Focus on the Elbow Joint

• Since the triceps are heavily involved in elbow extension, it’s important to prepare the elbow joint for the strain of the workout.
• Perform elbow flexion and extension movements without weights, such as arm circles, or gently warm up with resistance bands. These movements will activate the forearm muscles and help stabilize the elbow joint.

4. Increase Intensity Gradually

• Start your workout with lighter weights or less resistance for the first couple of sets, gradually increasing the load as your muscles and joints become accustomed to the exercise.
• For example, after warming up with rope pushdowns, move on to a more challenging exercise like the close-grip bench press or dips, but start with light weights and gradually progress.

5. Warm-Up for 5-10 Minutes

• Spend around 5-10 minutes warming up your triceps. This duration is sufficient to activate the muscles, increase blood flow, and ensure that the elbow joints are prepared for the workout.

By warming up properly, you’ll improve your performance, reduce the risk of injury, and be ready for your triceps workout.

Don’t Tri Too Hard

When it comes to triceps training, it’s important to find the right balance. While working the triceps is key to building overall arm strength and definition, overdoing it can lead to unnecessary strain and injury. Triceps should complement your workout, not dominate it.

Here’s why moderation is crucial:

• Prevent Overtraining: Excessive volume or frequency can cause overuse injuries, especially around the elbow joint. While triceps exercises are often involved in other lifts like chest and shoulder exercises, direct triceps work should not be the focal point of every session.
• Recovery Matters: Muscles grow and become stronger during rest, not when they’re constantly being worked. Overworking the triceps may prevent full recovery, ultimately hindering progress in both triceps and other muscle groups.
• Balance with Other Muscles: Training your triceps in proportion to the rest of your upper body will keep your physique balanced. Focus on ensuring your shoulder, chest, and back training also complement each other for overall muscle development.

In short, focus on quality over quantity, and keep triceps work as a complementary part of your program. This approach will lead to better results and less risk of injury, leaving you stronger and more stable.

References

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3. Kholinne, E., Zulkarnain, R. F., Sun, Y. C., Lim, S., Chun, J. M., & Jeon, I. H. (2018). The different role of each head of the triceps brachii muscle in elbow extension. Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica, 52(3), 201–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aott.2018.02.005
4. Oranchuk, D. J., Storey, A. G., Nelson, A. R., & Cronin, J. B. (2019). Isometric training and long-term adaptations: Effects of muscle length, intensity, and intent: A systematic review. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 29(4), 484–503. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13375
5. Lehman G. J. (2005). The influence of grip width and forearm pronation/supination on upper-body myoelectric activity during the flat bench press. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 19(3), 587–591. https://doi.org/10.1519/R-15024.1
6. Oshita, Kazushige. (2021). Effect of internal focus of attention with touching cue on the agonist muscle activity during exercise. 10.14198/jhse.2021.16.Proc2.04. 
7. Kim, Y. S., Kim, D. Y., & Ha, M. S. (2016). Effect of the push-up exercise at different palmar width on muscle activities. Journal of physical therapy science, 28(2), 446–449. https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.28.446
8. Tiwana MS, Sinkler MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Triceps Muscle. [Updated 2021 Aug 6]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536996
9. Robbins, Daniel W; Young, Warren B; Behm, David G; Payne, Warren R Agonist-Antagonist Paired Set Resistance Training: A Brief Review, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: October 2010 – Volume 24 – Issue 10 – p 2873-2882 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181f00bfc