10 Best Exercises For Triceps

Building strong and toned triceps is a fitness goal many of us aspire to achieve. These muscles play a vital role in arm strength and aesthetics. In this post, we’ll share the 10 best triceps exercises that anyone can do, regardless of fitness level. You don’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership; all you need is determination and the willingness to put in the effort. From simple push-ups to more challenging moves, we’ll guide you through these exercises, providing step-by-step instructions to help you sculpt your triceps and achieve your fitness goals.

10 Best Exercises For Triceps

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) conducted a study to determine the most effective triceps exercises, and we’ll look into those exercises below. By choosing exercises that engage all three heads of the triceps muscle, you can achieve toned arms you can be proud of.

1. Skullcrusher

• Lie back on a bench and hold a weight (barbell, dumbbells, or cable attachments) at the top of the bench-press position.
• Lower the weight towards your head by bending your elbows, feeling the stretch in your triceps.
• Push the weight back up to the starting position.
• Complete three to four sets of 12 to 15 reps.

2. Close-Grip Bench Press

• Use a close grip on the bar, with your hands around 8-10 inches apart.
• Tuck your arms in to decrease stress on your pecs and shoulders, while increasing the demand on your triceps.
• Perform 6-10 reps for 3-4 sets.
• Use wrist wraps for extra support when going heavy.

3. Triceps Dip

• Find parallel bars or use a dip station.
• Lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
• Push yourself back up to the starting position using your triceps.
• Aim for 6-10 reps for 3-4 sets.

4. Bench Dip

• Place your hands shoulder-width apart on a bench, facing forward.
• Extend your legs in front of you and lower your body by bending your elbows.
• Push yourself back up to the starting position using your triceps.
• Complete 6-10 reps for 3-4 sets.

5. Triceps Machine Dip

• Adjust the machine to fit your body size.
• Place your hands on the bars and push down until your arms are straight.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• Aim for 6-10 reps for 3-4 sets.

6. Board Press

• Lie down on a bench and place a board across your chest, about 2 to 4 inches thick.
• Grab a barbell and perform a bench press with the board limiting your range of motion.
• Push the bar up towards the ceiling, engaging your triceps.
• Complete 6-10 reps for 3-4 sets.

7. Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension

• Stand upright with a dumbbell in one hand.
• Raise the dumbbell overhead, keeping your upper arm close to your head.
• Bend your elbow and lower the dumbbell behind your head, feeling the stretch in your triceps.
• Extend your arm to return to the starting position.
• Perform 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets on each arm.

8. Cable Overhead Extension with Rope

• Attach a rope to a cable machine and stand facing away from it.
• Grab the rope with an overhand grip, keeping your elbows forward and close to your head.
• Extend your arms overhead by straightening your elbows, engaging your triceps.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• Aim for 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.

9. Single-Arm Cable Kick-Back

• Attach a handle to a low pulley cable machine.
• Stand facing the machine and grab the handle with one hand.
• Bend your knees slightly and lean forward.
• Extend your arm back while keeping your elbow stationary, feeling the contraction in your triceps.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• Complete 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets on each arm.

10. Cable Push-Down

• Attach a straight bar to a cable machine at a high position.
• Stand facing the machine and grab the bar with an overhand grip.
• Extend your arms downward by straightening your elbows, focusing on your triceps.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• Aim for 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.

• Get into a push-up position with your hands close together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
• Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
• Push yourself back up to the starting position, engaging your triceps.
• Aim for 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.

Benefits of Training Your Triceps

Here are some key benefits of focusing on your triceps:

1. Healthy elbow joint function: The triceps muscles play a crucial role in elbow extension, which is involved in various daily activities such as pushing, lifting, and reaching. By strengthening your triceps, you can improve your elbow joint stability and reduce the risk of injuries.
2. Increased pressing strength: Strong triceps are essential for performing pushing movements effectively. Whether it’s a chest press, shoulder press, or any other upper-body pressing exercise, having well-developed triceps will provide the necessary power and stability for optimal performance.
3. Enhanced arm muscle mass: Working on your triceps can contribute to overall arm muscle development. As one of the largest muscle groups in the upper arm, well-trained triceps can add size and definition to your arms, helping you achieve a sculpted and toned appearance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you hit 3 triceps?

To effectively target all three heads of the triceps, you can incorporate exercises like tricep dips, diamond push-ups, overhead tricep extensions, and lying tricep extensions into your workout routine.

Why is it so hard to grow triceps?

Growing triceps can be challenging because people often neglect or prioritize other muscle groups. To see gains, it is important to give triceps exercises proper attention and not exhaust the arms with exercises like bicep curls before focusing on triceps.

What is the king of tricep exercises?

The king of tricep exercises is tricep dips. Performing this exercise using bodyweight forces the triceps to lift a heavy load, recruiting more muscle fibers and leading to greater growth.

What exercise builds triceps the fastest?

Exercises like diamond push-ups, triceps kickbacks, triceps dips, overhead triceps extensions, rope pushdowns, bar pushdowns, and lying triceps extensions are effective for building triceps quickly.