7 Best Resistance Band Tricep Exercises

Resistance band tricep exercises are a great way to build strength and tone your arms when working out at home.

Thinking? How to do?

The great news is that you can perform an effective tricep workout in the comfort of your own home with a band.

Resistance band exercises like tricep pushdowns and band extensions work the tricep muscles to strengthen and tone them.

Here, I will share the best exercises (based on experience and science), sample workout routines, and tips for effective tricep training. 

How To Do Resistance Band Tricep Workout

Resistance bands provide unique tension during both concentric and eccentric phases. This means that you feel resistance both when you contract the tricep muscle (concentric phase) and when you lengthen the muscle (eccentric phase).

• The concentric phase is the shortening of the muscle, such as when you lift a weight (band length increase).
• The eccentric phase is the muscle lengthening, such as when you lower the weight (the band regains its original length).

Imagine stretching a rubber band. It resists and wants to return to its original size. Resistance bands work similarly.

When you stretch them, they push against you. The cool thing is that when you allow the bands to return slowly and in control, they’re trying to pull you back. This makes your tricep muscles work even more.

It puts muscles under tension and makes them work harder than usual. The triceps work harder, which causes microtears and muscle damage. After that, the tricep muscles are repaired and grown.

Some examples of resistance band tricep exercises include overhead extensions, kickbacks, push-downs, and lying extensions.

7 Best Tricep Exercises With Resistance Band

Here is a list of the top 7 exercises for getting sculpted triceps with resistance bands.

1. Resistance Band Tricep Extension

Band tricep extension is a good exercise to make your tricep muscles stronger and bigger. You can make it easier or harder by changing the way you do it.

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 or at the gym.

How To Do

1. Secure the band with an object or place one foot in the middle of it to secure it to the floor.
2. If there is not enough resistance, you can shorten the length of the band between your foot and hand.
3. You should hold both handles and put your hands behind your head.
4. Both of your elbows should point forwards on either side of your head.
5. Keep your elbows as close to your head as possible, and raise your arms to raise your hands. Stop just before your elbows lock out.
6. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

2. Resistance Band Tricep Pushdown

Anyone who wants to build arm mass and strength should do triceps pushdowns. They are low-impact on the elbows and shoulders and are great for keeping joints feeling healthy.

There are many ways to do the band tricep pushdown to make your workout more interesting and work different parts of the tricep muscles.

1. Close grip pushdown
2. Underhand grip pushdown
3. Single arm pushdown

How To Do

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. Lock your arms out and rotate your hands slightly outward as you do.
4. Hold for a second, then bring your hands back up to just below chest height.

3. Band Tricep Kickback

The band tricep kickback is one of the best tricep exercises. It builds strength and muscle in all three heads of the tricep muscle and is effective for building arm size and strength.

A smoother resistance curve helps prevent sudden movements or strains on the elbow joint.

How To

1. Grab the handles with your palms facing towards you. Step on the resistance band with your feet.
2. Keep 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.

4. Single Arm Band Tricep Extension

It is a simple yet powerful exercise that can bring great benefits to your tricep training.

It’s also great for targeting each arm individually. This helps balance out any strength imbalances and improves your mind-muscle connection.

How To Do

1. Stand with one foot slightly in front of the other and place the center of the band under the back foot.
2. You could also use a doorknob, a power rack, or even a tree branch if you’re working outside.
3. Hold the other end of the band in one hand, with your arm bent and your elbow pointing forward.
4. Slowly extend your arm forward, straightening your elbow. Focus on squeezing your triceps as you push your hand away from your body. Keep your upper arm stationary and close to your head—only your forearm should move.
5. Slowly lower the handles behind the back of your head until your elbows are bent 90 degrees.

5. Resistance Band Push Up

Push-ups can be performed regardless of where you are, and, best of all, they are completely free—no expensive equipment or annual gym fees required. There are different types of push-up variations to meet different needs.

The classic push-up has survived the test of time and is the single most efficient exercise for simultaneously strengthening the chest, tricep, deltoid, lower back, abs, and glutes.

The resistance band push-up is a variation of the traditional push-up exercise. This workout doesn’t just rely on your bodyweight, it also uses a resistance band to push you harder.

How to Do

1. Put the band in the middle of your back, right next to your shoulders. To avoid discomfort, ensure that the band is flat against your back and not twisted.
2. Grip the ends of the band under each hand, securing it to the ground.
3. Place both hands on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Keep elbows at a 45-degree angle from your torso.
4. Lower your body towards the ground and ensure that your elbows remain close to your body.
5. Pause briefly and push yourself back to the top, fully extending your arms. Exhale.
6. Start with a Bodyweight push or lighter resistance band and gradually increase the tension as you get stronger.

6. Banded Skull Crusher

Banded Skull Crushers, or resistance band lying tricep extensions, are a variation of the traditional dumbbell or barbell skull crushers.

So, if you haven’t tried the Banded Skull Crusher yet, I encourage you to add it to your routine. You’ll likely find it enhances your triceps strength and adds a refreshing challenge to your resistance band workouts.

How To Do

1. Loop the resistance band around a sturdy anchor point, such as a pole or squat rack.
2. Grasp the band with both hands and lie down on a bench or mat.
3. Hold the band with your arms extended straight up towards the ceiling.
4. Keep your elbows stationary and close to your head as you lower the band towards your forehead.
5. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, then push the band back up to the starting position.

7. Resistance Band Pull Apart

The Resistance Band Pull-Apart is a simple exercise that helps improve posture, shoulder stability, and upper back strength. It strengthens the muscles of the upper back, rear delt, and tricep.

It also helps improve posture by strengthening the muscles of the upper back and shoulders.

What I love most about the Resistance Band Pull Apart is that it’s perfect for people of all fitness levels.

How To Do

1. Hold the resistance band with both hands, shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your elbows up so you can correctly target your upper back and tricep muscles.
3. Keep your arms straight and pull the band apart by spreading your arms out to your sides.
4. Pause briefly, then slowly bring your hands back together in front of your chest,

At-Home Resistance Band Tricep Workout Plans

This workout contains multiple band exercises designed to target all sections of your triceps and enhance overall arm strength.

This workout plan is a starting point that can be adjusted based on your fitness levels and goals.

Band Tricep Workout Routine For Beginners

Band Tricep Workout Routine For Intermediate

Conclusion

Resistance band exercises are a great way to build a strong, well-defined tricep. They are versatile, affordable, and can be done at home or at the gym.

You can do many exercises with resistance bands, so you can find ones that work for you and that you enjoy doing.

When doing resistance band exercises, it is important to use a resistance band that is challenging but not too difficult. With good form, you should be able to do 8-12 repetitions of each exercise.

Best Triceps Exercises With Resistance Band (Video)

References

• 1. Lopes JSS, Machado AF, Micheletti JK, de Almeida AC, Cavina AP, Pastre CM. Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis [published correction appears in SAGE Open Med. 2020 Sep 9;8:2050312120961220]. SAGE Open Med. 2019;7:2050312119831116. Published 2019 Feb 19. doi:10.1177/2050312119831116
• 2. Bergquist R, Iversen V, Mork P, Fimland M. Muscle Activity in Upper-Body Single-Joint Resistance Exercises with Elastic Resistance Bands vs. Free Weights. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2018;61(1): 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0137

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.