Triceps Exercises
Triceps exercises target the muscles responsible for elbow extension and arm stability. Strong triceps improve pushing strength, support shoulder health, and help build balanced, powerful upper arms.
Standing Towel Triceps Extension
To begin, stand up with both arms fully extended above the head holding one end of a towel with both hands. Your elbo...
Standing Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension
To begin, stand up holding a barbell or e-z bar using a pronated grip (palms facing forward) with your hands closer t...
Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension
To begin, stand up with a dumbbell held in one hand. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart from each other. ...
Standing Low-Pulley One-Arm Triceps Extension
Grab a single handle with your left arm next to the low pulley machine. Turn away from the machine keeping the handle...
Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension
To begin, stand up with a dumbbell held by both hands. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart from each other...
Standing Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension
With a dumbbell in each hand and the palms facing your torso, bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, ...
Standing Bent-Over One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension
With a dumbbell in one hand and the palm facing your torso, bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by...
Speed Band Overhead Triceps
For this exercise anchor a band to the ground. We used an incline bench and anchored the band to the base, standing o...
Smith Machine Close-Grip Bench Press
Place a flat bench underneath the smith machine. Place the barbell at a height that you can reach when lying down and...
Sled Overhead Triceps Extension
Attach dual handles to a sled using a chain or rope. Load the sled to an appropriate load. Facing away from the sled,...
How to Train Triceps Effectively
The triceps brachii is a large muscle located on the back of the upper arm and is responsible for extending the elbow. It plays a key role in pushing movements such as presses, dips, and push-ups. Strong triceps are essential for upper-body strength, arm stability, and balanced muscle development.
To train triceps effectively, focus on exercises that fully extend the elbow through a controlled range of motion. Using a combination of compound presses and isolation movements helps target all three heads of the triceps while reducing joint strain.
A balanced triceps workout often includes:
- Compound pushes: close-grip bench press, dips
- Isolation exercises: cable pushdowns, skull crushers
- Overhead movements: overhead extensions for long head activation
Form Tips for Triceps Training
- Keep elbows close to the body during extensions.
- Avoid flaring the elbows excessively.
- Control the lowering phase of each repetition.
- Use full elbow extension without locking aggressively.
Common Questions
How often should triceps be trained?
Triceps can be trained 1–2 times per week, depending on overall upper-body training volume.
Do triceps affect arm size?
Yes. Triceps make up a large portion of the upper arm and are key for building arm size and strength.