Best Triceps Workout Exercises of All Time

You are at the right place if you are looking for the best triceps exercises for gaining muscle mass and toning your arms.

I don’t think it’s just the biceps that make for bigger, more defined arms. When it comes to arms, the greatest portion of the upper arm is the triceps.

So, activating all three tricep heads is important if you want to fill out those sleeves with well-developed arms.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the best workout exercises for the triceps and how to perform each exercise correctly.

We also provide a sample workout routine to help you start your journey to building bigger and stronger triceps.

21 Best Tricep Exercises To Build Mass and Strength

These best tricep exercises for mass and strength are divided into:

• Bodyweight Tricep exercises
• Dumbbell tricep exercises,
• Best Cable Tricep Exercises
• Barbell Tricep Workout

1. Diamond Push-Ups

If you’re looking for straightforward bodyweight tricep exercises to add to your routine, diamond push-ups are a great staple exercise to get you started.

Diamond push-ups are a more advanced variation of the classic push-ups. Practice It by bringing your hands too close together to form a diamond or triangle shape below your chest.

This is a unique movement because it does a great job of developing the lateral (outermost) tricep head.

How To Do It

1. Get on the floor with your hands together under your chest.
2. Position your index fingers and thumbs so they’re touching, forming a diamond shape.
3. Now, extend your arms to elevate your body and form a straight line from your head to your feet.
4. Lower your chest towards your hands, ensuring you don’t flare your elbows to the sides, and keep your back flat.
5. Stop just before your chest touches the floor, then push back up to the starting position.

Tips

• Keep your body straight and rigid.
• To make the diamond push-up easier, do it on your knees.

2. Kneeling Bodyweight Triceps Extension

Kneeling bodyweight triceps extension is one of the best exercises to isolate your triceps brachii without dumbbells, barbells, and weight machines.

It’s an ideal beginner’s tricep workout for those with limited upper body strength.

To make this exercise more difficult, either move your knees backward or lean forward.

How To Do It

1. Get on all fours with your hands together under your chest
2. Lower your elbows to the floor, shoulder-width apart.
3. Lean forward so that your elbows support your body weight.
4. Exhale as you push your body off the floor by extending your elbows.
5. Inhale as you lower your elbows to the starting position by flexing your elbows.
6. Repeat the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep your elbows tucked into your body. Do not flare them out.
• Stop the exercise if you feel pain in your wrists

3. Bench Dip

A bench dip is a medium-intensity exercise that uses your own body weight to strengthen your triceps but also engages the chest, shoulders, and core muscles.

It is a simple yet effective tricep exercise that can be performed anywhere with a stable bench, chair, or step.

How To Do It

1. Place your hands on the side of a flat bench.
2. When you put your feet out in front of you, your body will be perpendicular to the bench.
3. Only your heels should be on the floor and your legs should be straight. Keep your knees and hips bent.
4. Your arms should be fully extended, with just your palms on the bench.
5. Bend your elbows to lower your body down until your elbows reach 90 degrees.
6. Now, extend your arms to lift your body back to the starting position.

Tips

• Really squeeze the triceps at the top of the movement to get the most out of this exercise.
• Do not dip down too low, as it places unnecessary strain on the shoulder joints.

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4. One Arm Bench Dip

The one-arm bench dip is a challenging and very effective workout that primarily targets your triceps, but your glutes and quads also get worked secondarily.

This is not a beginner’s tricep exercise or for someone with inadequate upper body strength.

For an easier variation, you can do a standard bench dip.

How To Do It

1. Place your hands (palms) on the side of a flat bench with your back straight, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor.
2. Slide your buttocks off the bench. Raise your left arm and right leg straight out in front of you.
3. Your body weight should be supported by your right arm and left leg.
4. Inhale as you flex your elbow to lower your body until you feel a mild stretch in your shoulder.
5. Exhale as you extend your elbow to push your body back up to the starting position.
6. Repeat 8–10 repetitions and repeat the exercise with your left arm.

Tips

• Keep your body upright and your back straight.
• Keep your elbow close to your body, and do not flare out.
• Keep both feet on the floor to make the one-arm bench dip easier.

5. Parallel Bar Triceps Dip

It is one of the most effective compound movements for the upper body pushing muscles – the chest and triceps especially.

When performed on a narrow parallel bar with elbows back and your torso upright, the dip becomes one of the best exercises for building triceps mass.

How To Do It

1. Grasp the dip bars with your arms extended and locked.
2. Keep your body as vertical as possible to keep the emphasis on the triceps and away from the chest.
3. Keep your elbows as close to your sides as possible as you bend them to lower your body down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor.
4. Press your hands forcefully into the bars to extend your arms and raise your body back up.

Tips

• Do not lock out your elbows at the top of the movement.
• To focus effort on the triceps, keep your body upright and elbows tucked in.

6. Stability Ball Push Up

If you’re looking for a way to get more creative with your tricep workout, why not try a Stability Ball Push?

Using an exercise ball can bring an extra element to pushups, giving you an uneven surface to increase the difficulty.

You will need to focus on maintaining your balance on the ball, which allows you to work harder than you would perform a standard push-up.

How To Do It

1. Lay with your chest on the stability ball. Place your hands on the ball at the sides of your chest. They will be shoulder-width apart.
2. Place your feet back and lean forward so that your chest is directly over the ball and you are supported on your toes.
3. Push your body until your arms are almost straight (do not lock your elbows). Pause here for a second.
4. Breathe out and extend your arms to bring your upper body back to the starting position.
5. Repeat 8–12 repetitions.

Tips

• Do not let your lower back sag or your butt rise. Ensure your body is straight and rigid.
• Keep your glutes and core muscles contracted.
• Your neck should be aligned with your body, not tilted up, which could strain the neck.

7. One-Arm Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extension

The One-arm dumbbell overhead tricep extension is a single-joint exercise that targets the triceps while increasing stability throughout the core and the shoulder regions.

By using dumbbell tricep exercises instead of an EZ bar for the overhead extension, you work each arm separately and ensure one stronger side isn’t carrying the weaker one.

Doing the exercise with only one arm at a time is best. This helps you do it right and gives you more flexibility.

How To Do It

1. Stand shoulder-width apart and lift a dumbbell overhead with your right hand.
2. Hold it straight overhead with an overhand grip (palm facing forward).
3. Keep your arm next to your head and lower the weight behind your head toward your left shoulder until your elbow is at a 90-degree angle.
4. Then, lift it back to full arm extension.
5. Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

• Weight should move in a controlled manner.
• The chin should remain parallel to the floor, and the core should be braced throughout the duration of the exercise.
• Keep your upper arms as still as possible, allowing your forearms to drive the movement

8. Dumbbell Kickback

You can add plenty of single tricep exercises to correct potential imbalances when doing a tricep workout with a dumbbell.

It is an isolation exercise, which means that, unlike other exercises such as the push-up or bench press, the tricep kickback specifically targets the triceps muscle.

How To Do It

1. Place your right knee and palm on a flat bench so that your torso is parallel to the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in the left hand, and keeping the left foot flat on the floor, press your left arm tight against your side with the upper arms parallel to the floor.
3. Extend at the elbow until your arm is straight back and fully extended.
4. Flex the triceps hard for a second, then return to the starting position.
5. Complete all reps on the left arm and then repeat on the right arm.

Tips

• Keep your body as still as possible; move only your forearms.  
• Keep control of the weight as you slowly lower down the dumbbells back to the starting position.

9. Two Arm Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions

The dumbbell overhead tricep extension is a fantastic exercise that builds optimal muscle and strength in all three heads of the tricep muscle.

This is one of the best exercises for building tricep mass, but you need to use proper form and take care to make it safe and effective.

How To Do It

1. Hold one side of the dumbbell with both hands while seated on the bench.
2. Keep your upper arms beside your head.
3. Raise the dumbbell above your head such that the arms are fully extended and the weight of the dumbbell sits in the palms.
4. The upper arms should remain stationary; the movement comes only from the forearms.
5. When the elbows have to reach their maximum range of motion, the arms must be extended back to the starting position.
6. Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

• Keep the head fairly neutral; don’t let the neck jut forward.
• Weight should move in a controlled manner.
• The chin should remain parallel to the floor, and the core should be braced.

10. Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension

The dumbbell lying tricep extension is an excellent tricep workout to begin your triceps routine.

It is an isolation exercise, which means they use just one joint, which can be beneficial for fixing imbalances in the triceps.

It puts no pressure on the wrists, so they are an alternative for people with wrist strain or injury.

How To Do It

1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and hold it directly above you with your palms facing inward (neutral grip).
3. Ensure that your upper arms and elbows are still, lower the dumbbell behind your head, and feel a stretch in your tricep muscles.
4. Pause and squeeze the triceps, and then raise the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Tips

• Concentrate on keeping your elbows stable.
• Do not allow your elbows to flare out to the sides.
• Slowly lower the weights, and do not use momentum.

11. Triceps Pushdown

If you’re looking for straightforward cable machine tricep exercises for mass to add to your routine, tricep pushdown is a great staple exercise to get you started.

The cable provides a uniform resistance throughout the movement, unlike barbell or dumbbell tricep exercises, which vary in resistance during the lift.

How To Do It

1. Stand facing a high-pulley cable with a short straight bar attached to it.
2. Slightly bend your knees, and your feet should be about shoulder-width apart.
3. Grasp the Short bar with a pronated grip (palm down) and hold the bar at chest level with your elbows tight against your sides.
4. Keeping your elbows stationary, straighten your arms until they are fully extended.
5. Pause at full arm extension, flex your triceps, and slowly return the bar to the starting position.

Tips

• You can do this exercise with a rope or EZ bar attachment.
• Standing upright with the spine straight is the standard position.

12. Reverse-Grip Triceps Pushdown

The reverse-grip tricep pushdown is a variation of the straight bar tricep pushdown workout. It focuses effort on the inner long head of the triceps.

Taking an underhand grip can minimize the involvement of the forearms and help to place less stress on the elbows.

How To Do It

1. Stand facing a high-pulley cable with a short straight bar attached to it.
2. Slightly bend your knees, and your feet should be about shoulder-width apart.
3. Grasp the short bar with a supinated grip (Palm up) and hold the bar at chest level with your elbows tight against your sides.
4. Keeping your elbows stationary, straighten your arms until they are fully extended.
5. Pause at full arm extension, flex your triceps, and slowly return the bar to the starting position.

Tips

• Don’t lock the elbows entirely if you want to keep more tension in the triceps.
• Prevent your elbows from flaring out to maintain proper form.
• Focus on keeping your back straight and your chest high.

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13. Rope Triceps Extension

The rope tricep extension is a variation of the cable tricep extension exercises. This exercise is used to build the muscles of the triceps.

Well-built triceps also have countless positive carryovers into your pressing movements, such as bench press variations and shoulder press variations.

How To Do It

1. Keep feet shoulder-width apart, and face a high pulley machine enabled with a rope attachment.
2. Grasp the ends of the rope so that your palms face inward and your elbows are by your waist.
3. Keeping your body stationary, exhale as you lower the rope by completely extending your arms until they are straight down by your sides.
4. Hold for a moment and then inhale as you slowly return the rope to the starting position.

Tip

• Use only your forearms as you raise and lower the rope.
• Standing upright with the spine straight is the standard position.
• Contract your triceps as you lower the rope.

14. Cable Overhead Triceps Extension

The overhead rope tricep extension is one of the best variations of the rope tricep extension exercises for mass and is used to build the tricep muscles.

It is especially good at targeting the long head of the triceps. The denser your long-head muscle is, the larger the triceps appear overall.

How To Do It

1. Attach a rope to the bottom pulley of the cable machine and face away from the pulley.
2. Hold the rope with both hands, palms facing each other (neutral grip)
3. Now, extend your arms until your hands are directly above your head.
4. Your elbows should be close to your head, and your arms should be perpendicular to the floor.
5. Slowly lower the rope behind your head as you hold the upper arms stationary. I
6. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat the desired number of sets and reps.

Tips

• Never load up to where you cannot maintain a stable body position.
• Keep your arms close to your head for maximum triceps engagement.
• Perform the exercise using a slow and controlled movement from start to finish.

15. Cable One Arm Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown

The cable one-arm reverse-grip tricep push-down is an isolation exercise that builds muscle and strength in all three tricep heads.

Now, push-downs are excellent regardless of the variation, but the reverse grip may allow you to emphasize the outer tricep head more.

For building muscle, you should include these exercises in your triceps workout.

How To Do It

1. Stand near the cable apparatus and grasp the single-grip attachment with an underhand grip.
2. Keeping your elbows at your body’s sides, press the weight downward while exhaling throughout the movement.
3. If desired, you may self-spot with your free hand.
4. Slowly allow the weight to rise until your forearms parallel the ground, inhaling throughout the negative motion.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for as many sets as are desired.

Tips

• Keep your upper arm as still as possible, only allowing your forearm to move.
• Squeeze the tricep hard at the top of the exercise to get that extra pump!

16. Lying Barbell Triceps Extension

The lying tricep extension (AKA skull crusher) is one of the best tricep-building exercises. This isolation exercise builds the triceps muscle group in the upper arm.

A wide grip emphasizes the inner tricep (long head), whereas a narrow grip targets the outer tricep (lateral head).

How To Do It

1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet on the floor.
2. Hold a barbell at full arm extension over your chest.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower your lower arms to bring the bar down to your forehead, then push it back up.
4. Do not lock your elbows out, and repeat for desired reps.

Tips

• Keep the movement in your shoulders to a minimum. Most of the movement should be in your elbows.
• This exercise should be done slowly and carefully under good control.

17. Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension

The overhead triceps extension, or the triceps press, is a relatively simple yet effective exercise for developing the triceps.

It works all three heads of the muscle, especially targeting the long head of the triceps.

How To Do It

1. Sit on a low-back bench and extend a barbell overhead, holding it with a shoulder-width grip.
2. Keep your upper arms right beside your head.
3. Slowly lower the bar behind your head until your elbows form 90-degree angles, then lift it back to full arm extension.
4. Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

• Keep your body and upper arms still. Only your forearms should move.
• Using the EZ bar instead of a standard barbell can be easier on your wrists.

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18. Close-Grip Bench Press

The close grip bench press is a variation of the bench press and an exercise used to build muscle and strength in the triceps.

It is a compound exercise that simultaneously works for multiple muscle groups. In addition to the triceps, it also works the chest, anterior deltoids, and serratus anterior.

It is a superior exercise that will pack mass onto your triceps.

How To Do It

1. Lie flat on a bench-press bench with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Grip the barbell with your hands placed closer than shoulder-width apart.
3. Unrack the bar and slowly lower it to your lower chest.
4. At the bottom of the movement, your elbows should be a little lower than your shoulders.
5. Press the bar back up to the starting position.

Tips

• Keep your elbows close to your body to emphasize tricep engagement. They should be at a 45-degree angle to your torso.
• Use a spotter if you’re new to weightlifting and this exercise.

19. Resistance Band Tricep Extensions

Tricep extensions with the resistance band help isolate the tricep muscle and avoid cheating with different body areas.

You can perform this tricep workout with a resistance band at home at the gym.

How To Do It

1. Secure the band with an object, or place one foot in the middle of the band to secure it to the floor.
2. Hold both handles and bring your hands behind your head.
3. Your elbows should be pointing forward on either side of your head.
4. Keep your elbows as close to your head as possible, and extend your arms to raise your hands.
5. Shorten the length of the band between your foot and hand if there’s not enough resistance.
6. Bring back down and repeat.

Tips

• Keep your upper arms as still as possible.
• The chin should remain parallel to the floor and the core should brace during the exercise.

20. Resistance Band Tricep Pushdown

The bands are a great way to keep joints feeling healthy, as they are low impact on your elbows and shoulders.

It is also easy to add or remove the amount of tension just by changing hand position, making these a beneficial option in numerous regards.

How To Do It

1. Place a resistance band around a hook above your head.
2. Grab the resistance band with both hands (palms facing in) just below chest height.
3. Keep your elbows tight into your side and drive your hands down towards your waist.
4. Lock your arms out and rotate your hands slightly outward as you do.
5. Hold briefly, then bring your hands back up to just below chest height.

Tip

• Use only your forearms as you raise and lower the rope. The higher your hands start-up on the resistance band, the more resistance you will have and the harder the exercise will be.
• Control the band speed when your hands come back up.

21. Resistance Band Kickbacks

The bands are a great way to keep joints feeling healthy, as they are low impact on your elbows and shoulders.

It is also easy to add or remove the amount of tension just by changing hand position, making these a beneficial option in many regards.

How To Do It

1. Grab the handles with your palms facing towards you. Step on the resistance band with your feet.
2. Keeping your back straight, hinge at the waist so that your back is nearly parallel to the ground.
3. Contact your triceps to straighten your arms and press the handles backward.
4. Squeeze your triceps at the top of each rep and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat!

Tips

• Make sure to keep your elbows tucked in to practice proper form and maximize your gains.

Workout Volume and Plan To Train Triceps

Of course, the number of sets and reps will be determined based on your fitness journey, but here is a great starting point:

Sets

• Beginners: ~10 sets per week.
• Intermediate: ~15 sets per week.
• Advanced: ~20 sets per week.

When a certain amount of volume stops being effective and your progress stalls, you can add sets to increase volume and use that as a driver of renewed progress. 

Reps

The best rep ranges and loads to work with.

• 6-8 reps with a heavy load
• 8-15 reps with moderate load
• 15-20+ with a light load

To be effective, the load should bring you to or near failure within the given rep ranges. 

Training Plan As Per Your Goal

1. For muscle endurance: Aim for 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps, with moderate resistance.
2. For muscle strength: Aim for 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps, with more resistance.
3. For muscle hypertrophy (increased muscle size): Aim for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, with a moderate to heavy amount of resistance.

It is always best to start with fewer reps and sets and then gradually increase as your strength improves.

Furthermore, it is important to allow for adequate rest between sets, typically 60-90 seconds.

Tricep Workout Routine For Beginner

Here is a beginner-friendly tricep workout routine to build mass.

For Intermediate

Here is an intermediate tricep workout routine:

For Advance

Here’s a sample tricep workout plan for advanced individuals:

FAQs

How many triceps exercises per workout

Including 3-5 triceps exercises in a workout, ranging from 6–15 reps per set.

However, the exact number of exercises will depend on various factors, including your fitness level, training experience, and workout goals.

The best triceps exercises for hitting all heads.

Here are some of the best triceps exercises to hit all three heads of the muscle,

1. Diamond Push Up
2. Close-grip bench press
3. Dips
4. Kickback
5. Skull crushers
6. Pushdowns with various grip options.

By including a combination of these exercises in your workout routine, you can target all three heads of the triceps muscle for maximum strength and hypertrophy gains.

How often should I train my triceps for maximum mass?

To achieve maximum triceps mass, you should train your triceps at least twice a week, allowing for adequate rest and recovery between workouts.

Are dips effective for building triceps mass?

Yes, dips are an effective exercise for building triceps mass.

Dips target the triceps, chest, and shoulders and can be done with body weight or added weight.

When performed with proper form and progressive overload, dips can help increase triceps mass and strength.

What is the most effective rep range for triceps hypertrophy?

The most effective rep range for triceps hypertrophy (muscle growth) is typically in the range of 8–12 reps per set.

This rep range is often referred to as the hypertrophy range, as it places moderate stress on the muscle fibers, which can lead to muscle growth over time.

Should I do isolation exercises or compound exercises for triceps mass?

It’s a good idea to include a combination of both isolation and compound exercises in your training program to build triceps mass.

• Compound exercises such as dips and close-grip bench presses target multiple muscle groups, including the triceps, chest, and shoulders, and can be great for overall upper body strength and mass.
• Isolation exercises such as triceps extensions and kickbacks specifically target the triceps, which can help to increase muscle activation and hypertrophy in that area.

How long does it take to see results in triceps mass with regular training?

The time it takes to see results in triceps mass with regular training can vary depending on several factors, such as your starting point, training intensity, nutrition, and genetics.

However, with consistent training and proper nutrition, you can typically expect to see noticeable improvements in triceps mass within 8–12 weeks.

This time frame can be longer or shorter depending on your individual circumstances, so it’s important to be patient and stay consistent with your training and nutrition over the long term to get the best results.

Takeaways

Training the triceps is important for building tricep mass and improving upper body strength and performance.

Compounding exercises such as bench presses and dips can be effective for targeting the triceps, but isolation exercises such as tricep extensions and kickbacks can also be beneficial.

When doing these exercises, make sure to do them correctly and with good technique.

Also, gradually increase the weight and try different reps to keep the muscle working hard and getting bigger.

Thanks for reading; enjoy the workout!

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.