If stronger arms are one of your fitness goals, your triceps deserve plenty of attention.
The triceps run along the back of your upper arm and are responsible for extending your elbow. They also play an important role in many upper-body movements, especially pushing exercises.
That means training your triceps isn’t just about how your arms look. Strong triceps can help you improve exercises like push-ups, presses, and other upper-body movements.
Whether you’re new to strength training or looking for ways to change up your arm day, here are seven of the best tricep exercises to add to your workout.
1. Tricep Pushdowns
The cable machine is a great place to start when training your triceps because it allows you to keep tension on the muscle throughout the movement.
How to do a tricep pushdown:
Stand facing the cable machine with the attachment positioned above you. Keep your elbows close to your sides and push the attachment down until your arms are extended. Slowly return to the starting position while keeping your upper arms relatively still.
Try not to use momentum or lean your entire body into the movement. Let your triceps do the work.
Nick’s Fitness Club has a cable machine available in its strength equipment lineup, making this an easy exercise to work into your next upper-body day.
2. Overhead Tricep Extensions
Overhead tricep extensions are another simple way to isolate the back of your arms.
You can perform them with a dumbbell, cable attachment, or other resistance.
Hold the weight overhead and slowly bend your elbows to lower it behind your head. Then extend your elbows to bring the weight back up.
Keep your core engaged and avoid excessively arching your lower back as the weight moves behind you.
3. Close-Grip Bench Press
Want to work your triceps while also training other upper-body muscles? Try a close-grip bench press.
The movement is similar to a traditional bench press, but your hands are positioned closer together. Keeping your elbows closer to your body shifts more of the work toward your triceps while still involving your chest and shoulders.
Start with a manageable weight and focus on controlling both the lowering and pressing portions of each repetition.
4. Tricep Kickbacks
Tricep kickbacks don’t require much equipment, making them an easy addition to almost any arm workout.
Hold a dumbbell and hinge forward slightly while keeping your back neutral. Position your upper arm alongside your torso with your elbow bent. Straighten your arm behind you by extending at the elbow, pause briefly, and return to the starting position.
Your upper arm should remain relatively still throughout the exercise.
Research sponsored by the American Council on Exercise found tricep kickbacks produced high levels of triceps muscle activity among the exercises tested.
5. Triangle Push-Ups
You don’t always need weights to challenge your triceps.
For a triangle push-up, place your hands close together beneath your chest so your thumbs and index fingers create a triangle-like shape. Keep your body controlled as you lower toward the floor and press yourself back up.
These can be challenging, so don’t be afraid to modify the movement by starting from your knees or using an elevated surface.
Triangle push-ups produced the highest triceps muscle activity among the eight exercises evaluated in an American Council on Exercise-sponsored study.
6. Dips
Dips are another bodyweight exercise that can put your triceps to work.
During a dip, your triceps help straighten your elbows as you press your body upward. Keep your movement controlled and avoid forcing yourself deeper than your shoulders comfortably allow.
If full bodyweight dips are too difficult right now, choose a modification that allows you to maintain good form.
7. Dumbbell Skull Crushers
Despite the intimidating name, skull crushers can be a useful tricep isolation exercise when performed with control.
Lie on a bench while holding dumbbells above you. Keeping your upper arms relatively stationary, bend at your elbows and slowly lower the weights toward the sides of your head. Extend your elbows to return the dumbbells to the starting position.
Start light until you’re comfortable with the movement and keep every repetition controlled.
How Often Should You Train Your Triceps?
You don’t necessarily need an entire workout dedicated to your triceps.
Your triceps already contribute to many pushing exercises, including chest and shoulder presses. Direct tricep exercises can then be added to your strength routine based on your goals, experience level, and overall training schedule.
Beginners may start with a couple of tricep exercises as part of an upper-body or full-body workout rather than trying to complete every exercise on this list at once.
Remember that your muscles also need time to recover between challenging workouts.
How Many Sets and Reps Should You Do?
There isn’t one perfect number for everyone.
Your sets, repetitions, resistance, and rest periods should depend on your experience and goals. If you’re new to strength training, focus first on learning each movement with a weight you can control.
As you become stronger, you can gradually increase the resistance, repetitions, or overall training volume.
The weight should be challenging, but it shouldn’t be so heavy that your form falls apart just to finish the set.
Don’t Forget the Rest of Your Upper Body
Building stronger arms requires more than training one muscle.
Your triceps work alongside your shoulders, chest, back, and biceps during many everyday movements and workouts. A balanced strength routine can help you develop your entire upper body rather than focusing on one area alone.
Nick’s Fitness Club offers dumbbells, lifting benches, a cable machine, Smith machine, pull-up bar, squat racks, kettlebells, and other strength equipment, giving you plenty of ways to build a complete routine.
Build Stronger Arms at Nick’s Fitness Club
The best tricep workout is one that fits into a balanced strength routine and gives you room to progress.
Whether you’re learning your first dumbbell exercises or working toward your next strength goal, Nick’s Fitness Club gives you the equipment, space, and support to keep moving forward.
Not sure where to begin? Personal training is also available for members who want a workout plan tailored to their experience and fitness goals.
Ready to put these tricep exercises to work? Visit Nick’s Fitness Club in Lubbock and start your free 3-day trial.