Building stronger, more defined triceps comes down to three things:
1. Doing a small number of effective exercises, with proper technique.
The triceps have one very simple job—straightening your elbow. Don’t let social media influencers and biomechanics eXpUrTz muddy the waters. You don’t need a dozen different exercises to train your triceps optimally.
Instead, you need to focus on learning how to properly execute a handful of effective exercises (listed below).
Two or three good triceps exercises, done properly, with just a few sets per week, beats “bombing” and “blasting” your triceps with every machine in the gym multiple times per week.
2. Doing at least one exercise that positions your elbows above your head.
Your triceps muscles are composed of multiple sections (“heads”)—a long head and short head. The short head is trained by basically every exercise that involves extending your elbow. However, due to an anatomical quirk of the long head of the triceps, it’s much better trained when you extend your elbows over your head.
For example, a study from researchers at Ritsumeikan University in Japan found that overhead triceps exercises resulted in about 50% more triceps growth than triceps exercises performed with your elbows at your side (a 19.9% versus 13.5% increase), and most of this growth was from the long head of the triceps.
3. Training hard and incrementally adding weight over time.
This is the key to building your triceps (and every other muscle in your body).
You should take most sets close to failure—the point where you can’t move the weight despite pushing as hard as you can.
The last couple of reps of every set should feel difficult and move noticeably slower than the first few. Some teeth gritting and swearing should occur.
And when your sets start to feel easier—you’re doing the same number of reps or more than you were before and the end of each set doesn’t feel as hard—then you add weight to make the exercise more difficult. This is referred to as progressive tension overload, and it’s the single most effective way to build muscle and strength.
If you train this way, you don’t need to do many sets per workout or per week. When it comes to training your triceps (and every other muscle), quality beats quantity.
Finally, a note for the ladies reading this:
You don’t need to train your triceps differently than men. In my experience working with tens of thousands of women through my books and coaching, most women prefer strong, defined, “toned” upper arms, but don’t want them to get bulky.
The reality is that it’s exceptionally difficult (basically impossible) for your triceps to get “too big” if you follow the triceps workouts in this article.
The reason men’s arms get bigger when they follow this workout plan is that they have 15-20 times more testosterone flowing through their veins than you do.
So unless you start taking steroids to alter your physiology to mirror that of a man, your arms will never “blow up” in the same way.
The Best Barbell Triceps Workout
Close-Grip Bench Press: 3 sets | 4–6 reps | 2–3 min rest
Cable Overhead Triceps Extension: 3 sets | 6–8 reps | 2–3 min rest
EZ-Bar Skull-Over: 2 sets | 6–8 reps | 2–3 min rest
Machine Triceps Pressdown: 2 sets | 8–10 reps | 2–3 min rest
This is as close to an “optimal” triceps-focused workout as you can do.
It starts with the exercise that allows you to use the heaviest weight, when you’re freshest. Then, you do an overhead triceps exercise to emphasize the long head of your triceps before the muscles are totally exhausted. Finally, you end with two more exercises to train the triceps with even more volume.
Note: I typically wouldn’t recommend dedicating an entire workout just to triceps. Instead, it’s generally best to incorporate a few triceps exercises into your upper body workouts.
This is how I program the workouts in my books for men and women.
Push Workout with Triceps Emphasis
Instead of a dedicated triceps workout, I like to incorporate triceps training into a push workout that includes exercises for your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Your triceps are trained hard with the first three pushing exercises, and then you emphasize the long head of the triceps with a single exercise at the end, like this:
Close-Grip Bench Press: 3 sets | 4–6 reps | 2–3 min rest
Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets | 6–8 reps | 2–3 min rest
Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets | 6–8 reps | 2–3 min rest
Cable Overhead Triceps Extension: 3 sets | 6–8 reps | 2–3 min rest
Upper Body Workout with Triceps Emphasis
If you’re following an upper-lower split, you could program your triceps exercises like this on your upper body workout days:
Close-Grip Bench Press: 3 sets | 4–6 reps | 2–3 min rest
Pull-up: 3 sets | 4-6 reps | 2–3 min rest
Cable Overhead Triceps Extension: 3 sets | 6–8 reps | 2–3 min rest
Dumbbell Side Raise: 3 sets | 8–10 reps | 2–3 min rest
The Best Dumbbell Triceps Workout
Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets | 6–8 reps | 2–3 min rest
Dumbbell Skull-Over: 3 sets | 8–12 reps | 2–3 min rest
Diamond Push-Up: 3 sets | 10–20 reps | 2–3 min rest
This workout follows the same general template as the barbell version, but uses dumbbells instead. The reason it’s three exercises instead of two, is that there simply aren’t that many triceps-specific dumbbell exercises to choose from.
You can also do the dumbbell overhead triceps extension instead of the skull-over (explained below) to target the triceps long head, but I generally find the skull-over more comfortable.
You could also swap another triceps isolation exercise for the diamond push-up, but I prefer the push-up because as it allows you to train both the chest and the triceps simultaneously (without requiring machines or barbells).
The Best Bodyweight Triceps Workout
Bodyweight Dip: 4 sets | 10–20 reps | 2–3 min rest
Diamond Push-Up: 4 sets | 10–20 reps | 2–3 min rest
Why such a short workout?
Because there just aren’t that many good body weight exercises that isolate the triceps. The reality is that if you want to optimally train the triceps (and most other muscle groups), you need to use free weights and machines. Bodyweight training is infinitely better than nothing, but not ideal.
This is particularly true of the triceps long head. The only bodyweight exercise that trains the triceps long head is the handstand push-up, and that’s difficult to learn and impractical to progress.
Since it’s impractical to add weight to these exercises, you need to progress in a slightly different manner. First, add reps until you hit the top of your rep range (20 reps) for each set of the exercise. Then, alter the exercise to make it more challenging.
Specifically, put your feet up on a bench when doing push-ups and put a weight in your lap when doing dips.
Bonus: The 2-Exercise Triceps “Finisher”
Overhead Triceps Extension (rope or dumbbell): 2 sets | 8–10 reps | 2–3 min rest
Machine Triceps Pressdown (or cable pushdown): 2 sets | 8–10 reps | 2–3 min rest
This isn’t a triceps workout, per se, but a combo of exercises that you can tack on to the end of any other workout.
In general, it’s best to program your workouts holistically—considering how all of your exercises fit together across the entire week. But if you just want a quick and dirty way to add more triceps training to your existing workout routine, this is an easy way to do it.
I recommend adding these two exercises to the end of an upper-body or push workout, but you could also add them to the end of a pull workout, leg workout, or anything else.
The 9 Best Triceps Exercises
1. Close-Grip Bench Press
How to:
- Lie down on the bench and adjust your body so your eyes are under the bar. Raise your chest up and tuck your shoulder blades down and squeeze them together.
- Grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip or slightly narrower, plant your feet on the ground, arch your back slightly, and unrack the bar.
- Keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides, lower the bar to just below your pecs, around the bottom of your breastbone.
- Once the bar has touched your torso (touched, not bounced off of), push the bar toward the ceiling until your elbows are almost locked. The bar should move up toward your chin in a slight arc, ending where you began with the bar directly over your chest.
Sets, Reps, and Rest: 3 sets | 4–6 reps | 2–3 minutes rest
Why: The close-grip bench press allows you to use heavier weights than any other triceps exercise, and allows you to add weight in small increments over time. It also trains your chest and shoulders simultaneously, making it both effective and time efficient for developing your upper-body pressing muscles.
Mike’s tip: Don’t go too narrow. A grip much inside shoulder width doesn’t hit the triceps any harder—it just reduces how much weight you can use and puts your wrists and elbows in an awkward position.
Alternatives:
2. Dip
How to:
- Hold a dip bar with your hands underneath your shoulders and thumbs wrapped around the bars.
- Flex your glutes and hamstrings to keep your legs from swinging, lower your body until your upper arms form a 90-degree angle and are roughly parallel to the floor.
- Push upward and return to the starting position.
Sets, Reps, and Rest: 4 sets | 10–20 reps | 2–3 minutes rest
Why: The dip is unique among bodyweight exercises in that it allows you to use very heavy weights and incrementally add weight over time (with a dip belt), which is why it’s the backbone of the bodyweight triceps workout. Start with just your body weight, and once you hit the top of your rep range, increase the weight with a dip belt (my preference) or weighted vest or backpack.
Mike’s tip: Play around with your grip width and position to find what’s most comfortable for you. There isn’t any “right” grip when it comes to dips. Also, try to keep your lower body as stable as possible throughout each rep. Letting your lower body swing around makes the exercise harder and less effective.
Alternatives:
3. Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension
How to:
- Sit up straight on a flat bench or with your back pressed against an upright bench with a low backrest. Grip one end of a dumbbell using both hands and lift it overhead so that your arms are straight.
- While keeping your upper arms as close to perpendicular to the floor as possible, lower the dumbbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
- Push the dumbbell toward the ceiling by straightening your elbows and return to the starting position.
Sets, Reps, and Rest: 3 sets | 6–8 reps | 2–3 minutes rest
Why: The dumbbell overhead triceps extension is the most straightforward way to do the second thing on the list at the top of this article—train your triceps with your elbows overhead. Because your arms are overhead, it stretches the long head of your triceps far more than pressing and pushdown exercises, and that stretch is a big part of why it grows the muscle so well.
Mike’s tip: Let the weight travel as far behind your head as you comfortably can, and try to keep your upper arms mostly still during the exercise. This ensures the exercise optimally targets the long head of your triceps, which is the main reason for doing it.
Alternatives:
4. Cable Overhead Triceps Extension
How to:
- Set a pulley to about chest height and attach a rope handle.
- Grab one end of the rope in each hand, turn away from the machine, and bring your hands behind your head.
- Take a long step forward with one foot and keep your back foot close to the machine’s upright so you’re in a staggered stance, then lean forward at about a 45-degree angle.
- Let the cable pull your hands back behind your head until you feel a deep stretch in your triceps, then press the rope forward by straightening your arms, keeping your upper arms as stable as possible.
- Reverse the movement under control until you feel a stretch in your triceps again, then repeat.
Sets, Reps, and Rest: 3 sets | 6–8 reps | 2–3 minutes rest
Why: The cable overhead triceps extension trains your triceps in the same overhead position as the dumbbell version, but the cable keeps tension on your triceps through the entire range of motion, including the bottom of each rep. It’s also easy to adjust in small increments, which is why it’s the overhead exercise programmed in the barbell, push, and upper body workouts above.
Mike’s tip: If the rope feels uncomfortable, try a V-bar handle instead, and experiment with different cable heights until the setup feels natural. And if you struggle to stay stable as the weights get heavier, try the kneeling version.
Alternatives:
5. EZ-Bar Skullcrusher
How to:
- Load an EZ-bar with weights and place it in front of a bench. Sit on the edge of the bench, lean forward, and grab the EZ-bar with both hands about 6-to-10 inches apart and your palms facing away from you.
- Lean backward on the bench, using your thighs to push the EZ-bar over your chest, and plant your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Take a breath and lower your hands toward your face until the bar is directly over your forehead.
- Once the bar is 1-to-2 inches from your forehead, reverse the movement and return to the starting position. Don’t straighten your elbows too slowly—the extension should be controlled but take only about a second.
Sets, Reps, and Rest: 3 sets | 8–12 reps | 2–3 minutes rest
Why: The skullcrusher trains the triceps in a stretched position like the dumbbell overhead extension, but from a different angle and with a bar that allows you to add weight in smaller increments than most dumbbells and cable machines.
Mike’s tip: First, use an EZ-bar rather than a straight bar—the angled grip is generally easier on your wrists and elbows. A straight bar works if that’s all you have, but if that bothers your joints, you may want to use a different exercise. Second, try to avoid overly tensing your jaw or jamming your head into the pad to stabilize your torso. This can put excess strain on your neck.
Alternatives:
6. EZ-Bar Skull-Over
How to:
- Load an EZ-bar with weights and place it in front of a bench. Sit on the edge of the bench, lean forward, and grab the bar with both hands about 6-to-10 inches apart and your palms facing away from you.
- Lean backward on the bench, using your thighs to push the bar over your chest, and plant your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Take a breath and lower the bar over the top of your head until it’s roughly level with the bench you’re resting on (or as low as your shoulders, elbows, and wrists can comfortably go).
- Reverse the movement and return to the starting position.
You can also do the skull-over holding a dumbbell in both hands (the version programmed in the dumbbell workout above)—the same movement, though the EZ-bar allows heavier loading.
Sets, Reps, and Rest: 3 sets | 8–12 reps | 2–3 minutes rest
Why: The EZ-bar skull-over is essentially the same exercise as a skullcrusher, with two important advantages: First, many people find it easier on their joints, especially their elbows. Second, it allows for a longer range of motion and stretches the long head of the triceps even more than the skullcrusher, which is generally better for muscle growth.
Mike’s tip: When getting into position, push your head to the very end of the bench. This way, if your shoulders and elbows can tolerate it, you can lower the bar slightly lower than the height of the bench, squeezing out every bit of range-of-motion from each rep.
Alternatives:
7. Diamond Push-Up
How to:
- Get on all fours with your hands together under your chest.
- Form a diamond with your index fingers and thumbs, then extend your legs behind you so you’re in a high plank position.
- Keeping your back straight, lower your chest to your hands, and then push your body up and return to the starting position.
Sets, Reps, and Rest: 3 sets | 10–20 reps | 2–3 minutes rest
Why: The diamond push-up is arguably the best bodyweight triceps exercise you can do. Research shows that bringing your hands close together significantly boosts triceps activation compared with a wider hand position, which is why it appears in both the dumbbell and bodyweight workouts.
Mike’s tip: If actually forming a diamond with your hands hurts your wrists or elbows, it’s fine to separate them by a few inches. This small compromise is worth it to make the exercise more comfortable.
Alternatives:
- Decline Diamond Push-Up
- Bench Dip
8. Cable Triceps Pushdown
How to:
- You can use several handles for this exercise, but the rope handle tends to be the most comfortable (a straight metal handle, EZ-bar, or V-bar also work).
- Move the cable pulley to its highest position, attach the handle, and stand in front of it with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Grab the handle with both hands, take a step back so your hands are supporting the weight, and lean slightly forward while pulling your elbows back toward your torso, so your shoulders are over your hands.
- Push the handle straight down until your arms are straight, keeping your elbows at your sides, then raise your hands and return to the starting position.
Sets, Reps, and Rest: 3 sets | 8–12 reps | 2–3 minutes rest
Why: The cable triceps pushdown is easy to learn, easy on your joints, and easy to load in small increments, which makes it a simple way to add extra triceps training to your workouts. It’s a fine third or fourth exercise in a session, but a poor foundation to build an entire workout on.
Mike’s tip: Stagger one foot behind the other when doing your sets—this helps your body remain more stable and keeps the emphasis on your triceps, especially as you get stronger. Additionally, keep your torso and upper arms relatively stable throughout each rep. Don’t make the mistake of leaning over the handle and turning the exercise into a decline chest press.
Alternatives:
9. Machine Triceps Pressdown (Machine Dip)
How to:
- Sit in the triceps pressdown machine (also called a dip machine) and adjust the seat so you can grip the handles with your arms bent. Adjust the thigh pad so it settles snugly against the top of your thighs and prevents your butt from rising off the seat as you press down.
- Grip the handles, take a deep breath into your belly, lean forward slightly, and extend your elbows to press the handles down until your arms are straight.
- Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Sets, Reps, and Rest: 3 sets | 8–10 reps | 2–3 minutes rest
Why: The machine dip offers all of the benefits of the weighted dip with several advantages: it doesn’t require as much coordination, which helps isolate the triceps and makes it easier and safer to take your sets close to failure; and many people find it more comfortable and easier to load and set up than regular dips. I generally prefer to use a dip machine over weighted dips in my workouts for this reason.
Mike’s tip: Set the seat height and thigh pad a little lower than you think they should be. Then, instead of starting each set from the seated position, grab the handles while standing over the seat, straighten your arms, lift your feet slightly off the ground, and let gravity pull you onto the seat. Then wedge your thighs under the pad and then start your set. Reverse the sequence when you finish your set. This ensures that you keep tension on your triceps throughout each rep, rather than letting the weights rest on the machine when your elbows are flexed.
Alternatives:
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