Best Tricep Exercises and Workouts for Bigger Arms (2024)

Building Bigger Triceps with Effective Exercises

If you want to sculpt stronger, more defined arms, it’s important to incorporate tricep workouts into your routine. The triceps make up a large portion of the upper arm and are vital for pushing and arm extension movements. By training them regularly with the right exercises, men can build bigger triceps for a powerful physique.

Anatomy of the Triceps

The triceps brachii is actually comprised of three heads:

• Lateral head
• Medial head
• Long head

Together, these converge into one thick tendon that inserts onto the elbow. This anatomy allows the triceps to straighten the arm at the elbow and extend against resistance.

The long head crosses the shoulder joint, so the triceps also assist with overhead pressing motions. Building strength and size in all three heads creates thicker, more defined triceps.

Benefits of Stronger Triceps

Training your triceps provides many functional and aesthetic benefits including:

• Bigger, more sculpted arms
• Improved strength for pushing exercises
• Increased power and velocity in upper body movements
• Enhanced performance in sports like football, boxing, baseball
• Helps stabilize and protect the elbow joint
• Corrects muscle imbalances that can lead to injury
• Boosts metabolism and calorie burn

Exercises focused on the triceps should be part of any serious training program for men seeking better arm development.

Best Triceps Exercises

To build size and strength in all three heads of the triceps, be sure to include a mix of isolation and compound exercises. Here are some of the top movements to incorporate into your arm workouts:

Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press is one of the most effective compound exercises for targeting the triceps from multiple angles. To perform it:

• Lie back on a flat bench holding a barbell with a narrow underhand grip.
• Lower the bar in a controlled motion until it lightly touches your mid-chest.
• Press the weight back up by extending your elbows.
• Repeat for 6-10 reps per set, 3-4 sets.

You can also use a dumbbell, EZ bar, or Smith machine for variety.

Skull Crushers

Skull crushers isolate the long head of the triceps. To do them:

• Lie back on a bench holding a barbell or EZ curl bar over your forehead, arms extended.
• Bend your elbows to lower the weight toward your head until you feel a stretch.
• Straighten arms back to the start.
• Complete 10-12 reps for 2-3 sets.

Be sure to stop the motion before the bar touches your head to protect your shoulders.

Weighted Dips

Dips are a challenging bodyweight exercise made even more difficult by adding resistance. To perform:

• Support yourself between parallel dip bars with locked elbows.
• Bend elbows to slowly lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
• Press back up powerfully through your triceps.
• Wear a dip belt with weight plates to increase resistance.
• Complete 3 sets of 6-10 reps, adding weight if the dips get easy.

Rope Pushdowns

Cable rope pushdowns target the lateral and medial triceps heads. To do them:

• Attach a rope handle to the top pulley of a cable station.
• Grip ends of the rope shoulder-width apart, arms extended.
• Pull the rope down by flexing elbows until hands are near hips.
• Slowly straighten arms back to the start position.
• Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps with good form.

Diamond Push-Ups

Diamond push-ups work the triceps through a deeper range of motion. To perform:

• Get into push-up position with hands directly under chest forming a diamond.
• Keeping elbows tight, lower body until chest nearly touches the floor.
• Press back up powerfully through the triceps.
• Complete 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps.

For added challenge, elevate feet on a bench or box.

One-Arm Dumbbell Extensions

Unilateral dumbbell extensions better isolate each triceps head. To do them:

• Hold a dumbbell overhead with both hands, elbows bent and aligned.
• Support upper arm with opposite hand for stability.
• Straighten elbow to extend the dumbbell back overhead.
• Slowly lower back to start position with control.
• Repeat for 10-12 reps per arm for 2-3 sets.

Triceps Pushdowns

Pushdowns work the medial and lateral triceps heads through cable resistance. To perform:

• Grasp a straight or angled bar attached to a high pulley cable.
• Stand upright with elbows tucked and extend arms to straighten.
• Bend elbows to pull bar down in front until forearms are parallel to floor.
• Straighten arms back to the start.
• Do 2-3 sets of 12-15 good reps.

Triceps Workout Plans

When programming triceps exercises into your weekly routine, it helps to follow a few guiding principles for optimal results:

Train Triceps After Chest

The triceps are heavily involved during presses like bench press, so hit triceps after chest day when the muscles are already warmed up and mildly fatigued. This primes them for further development.

Use Varied Movements

Target all three heads of the triceps brachii for complete development. Include multi-joint and single-joint moves, presses, extensions, and pushdowns.

Go Heavy and Light

Incorporate a mix of heavier compound lifts along with higher rep isolation exercises. This provides both strength and endurance benefits.

Get Sufficient Volume

As a large muscle group, the triceps can handle significant volume. Shoot for around 12-20 total working sets per triceps workout split across 6-8 different exercises.

Allow for Recovery

Avoid training triceps more than 2-3 times per week. Schedule at least 48 hours between sessions for muscles to fully recover and supercompensate.

Sample Triceps Routine

Here is a triceps workout example you could do after chest day:

• Close-Grip Bench Press: 3 sets x 6-8 reps
• Weighted Dips: 3 sets x 8-10 reps
• Skull Crushers: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Cable Pushdowns: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Diamond Push-Ups: 2 sets x 10-12 reps
• One-Arm Extensions: 2 sets x 10-12 reps per arm

Perform this routine 1-2 times per week, adjusting the exercises and volume as needed.listen to your body and allow for proper muscle recovery between triceps sessions.

Triceps Training Tips

Follow these techniques for bigger, stronger triceps:

• Warm up thoroughly before triceps exercises.
• Use a full range of motion on each rep.
• Vary hand positions to shift emphasis between heads.
• Include drop sets, supersets, tri-sets, and other techniques.
• Focus on proper form and contraction of the triceps.
• Avoid locking out elbows to keep tension on the muscles.
• Get plenty of high quality protein for recovery.
• Manage fatigue and allow for adequate rest between triceps sessions.

With smart programming and proper execution of key exercises, you can build bigger, stronger triceps. Just be sure to use good form, train consistently, allow for recovery, and fuel your muscles properly.

FAQs

What are the best tricep exercises?

Great tricep exercises include close-grip bench press, weighted dips, pushdowns, skull crushers, diamond push-ups, and one-arm dumbbell extensions.

How often should I train triceps?

Aim to work triceps 1-2 times per week, allowing at least 48 hours of rest between sessions to allow for full recovery.

How many sets should I do for triceps?

Perform around 12-20 total sets per triceps workout, split across 6-8 different exercises involving a variety of movements and intensities.

Should I do triceps before or after chest?

Hit triceps after chest day since they are heavily involved in pressing moves for chest. This allows them to be pre-fatigued and warmed up.