If you want to build stronger arms, you'll want to focus on your triceps! After all, they make up about two-thirds of your upper arm.
Strong triceps aren't just for building bigger arms, though. They can also help you power through and perform a wide variety of daily movements.
Many women tend to avoid targeted exercises to build muscle while over-focusing on cardio.
However, tricep workouts aren't just for the guys. Targeted tricep workouts can help give women the muscle tone they want, target the back of the arm, which can be a problem for women, and help achieve that overall toned look.
Not only that, but your triceps are crucial in a lot of chest and shoulder movements. So, let's get into these killer tricep workouts and exercises to help you reach your goals!
Quick Summary: Best Tricep Workouts
The best tricep workouts train all three heads of the triceps.
- Compound + isolation exercises build strength and muscle definition.
- Progressive overload is required for muscle growth.
- Training triceps 2 to 3 times per week delivers optimal results.
This guide covers the best tricep workouts to help you:
- Build upper-body strength
- Improve muscle tone
- Enhance overall performance
Great for:
- Beginners starting a new routine
- Those wanting to level up their current training
Tricep Muscles
Understanding the anatomy of your triceps can help you choose smarter tricep workouts for balanced growth.
Did you know that your triceps are the largest muscle in your arm? Even still, they don't get nearly the same amount of attention as the biceps.
Your triceps, or triceps brachii, sit on the posterior (backside) of your upper arm. They're responsible for straightening your arm. Another thing many people may not realize is that your triceps are a group of three muscles. These muscles are the long head, lateral head, and medial head.
Knowing how to target each of these heads effectively can be important for getting the most out of your tricep workouts. So, let's take a closer look at each of these muscles!
Long Head
The long head makes up the biggest portion of the triceps. It helps with straightening your elbow and moving your arm behind your body.
Exercising the long head can be key for building bigger, stronger triceps.
Lateral Head
The lateral head of your triceps can be found on the outer side of your upper arms. It’s mainly involved in straightening your elbow and gives your triceps that aesthetic "horseshoe" shape when flexed.
Medial Head
The medial head is the smallest and is located under the other two heads. It’s important for overall arm strength and keeps your elbow stable during pushing movements.
By mixing up your exercises to focus on each part of the triceps, you can get stronger, more defined arms. These muscles also play a major role in many push exercises for the upper body.
However, proper form and consistency in your tricep workouts will be important for seeing the best results.
I'll run you through some of the best tricep workouts and exercises out there and exactly how to do them. That way, you'll be fully prepared to crush your next tricep workout!
Best Tricep Workout Exercises
So, what are the best tricep workouts and exercises for you?
To get the most out of your tricep workouts, you'll want a variety of exercises to target each head of the triceps. Here are some of the best tricep exercises to include in your routine...
1) Close-Grip Bench Press
The close-grip bench press is a great tricep exercise. At the same time, it's a compound movement. This means you'll use multiple joints and muscles to perform the exercise.
What it Targets: You'll get plenty of work in your triceps as well as your chest and shoulders!
How it Helps: This exercise enhances upper body strength and stability. It can be especially useful for improving your bench press and overall pushing strength.
Step-By-Step Directions:
For the close-grip bench, you'll want a bench and a barbell. Load the barbell with an appropriate weight before you get started.
1. Lie on a bench and reach out to grab the barbell with an overhand grip. Your hands should be spaced shoulder-width apart. The grip will be closer than a normal bench press.
2. Slowly lower the bar to your lower chest, keeping your elbows tucked close to your body.
3. When the bar meets your chest, pause for a second. Next, press the bar back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
4. Repeat this for reps.
2) Tricep Dips
Tricep dips are one of my personal favorite tricep exercises. Plus, it's a bodyweight exercise that you can do almost anywhere.
What it Targets: Want to hit all three tricep heads in one move? Tricep dips do exactly that, with additional engagement of the chest and shoulders.
How it Helps: Triceps dips are excellent for building muscular endurance in your arms. They also enhance functional strength, making daily pushing activities easier.
Step-By-Step Directions:
Tricep dips can be done between parallel bars or even just on a bench. To keep it simple, I'll explain how to do them on a bench.
1. Sit on the ground to the side of a bench, resting your upper back on the bench.
2. Rest your palms flat on the bench behind you with your elbows pointed up and straight back. Straighten your legs in front of you and raise your butt off the ground.
3. Push through your arms to raise your upper body, fully extending your arms behind you.
4. At the top of the movement, squeeze your triceps before slowly returning to the starting position.
5. Repeat this for reps.
3) Cable Pushdown
What it Targets: The cable pushdown targets the lateral and medial heads of the triceps.
How it Helps: This exercise can be great for enhancing muscle definition and strength. You can even do a single-arm variation of this exercise to switch things up!
Step-By-Step Directions:
For this exercise, you'll need a cable machine and a straight or angled bar attachment. Set the pulley to the highest setting and add the attachment before you get started.
1. Grip the bar with an overhand grip and space your hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your upper arms fixed on either side of your body with your elbows pointed toward the floor.
3. Squeeze your triceps to push the bar downward, straightening your arms. Make sure to keep your upper arms in the same position on either side of your body.
4. When your arms have fully straightened, squeeze your triceps and hold for a second.
5. Next, slowly allow the cable to pull your forearms back upward to the starting position.
6. Repeat this for reps.
4) Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension
What it Targets: This exercise primarily targets the long head of the triceps.
How it Helps: Overhead tricep extensions can help improve flexibility and range of motion in your shoulders. They can also be a great exercise to help support muscle growth.
Step-By-Step Directions:
1. All you'll need for this exercise is a dumbbell. Whether you'd like to sit or stand is completely up to you!
2. Sit or stand upright, holding a dumbbell at one end with both hands. Extend your arms overhead.
3. Lower the dumbbell behind your head by bending your elbows. Your upper arms should remain fixed at either side of your head with your elbows pointed toward the ceiling.
4. Squeeze your triceps to straighten your arms back overhead in the starting position.
5. Repeat this for reps.
5) Single-Arm Cable Kickback
What it Targets: This exercise focuses on all three heads of the triceps, with an emphasis on the long head.
How it Helps: Single-arm cable kickbacks can help improve coordination and balance in your arms. It's a unilateral exercise, meaning it can also help promote symmetry. For this reason, it's always been a staple in my tricep workouts.
Step-By-Step Directions:
For this exercise, you'll need a cable machine and a single-handle attachment. Set the cable to roughly the height of your hips and clip in the attachment before you get started.
1. Face toward the cable machine and grab the handle with your right hand. Take a step back from the cable machine and bend forward at your hips until your upper body is parallel to the ground.
2. Glue your upper right arm to the side of your body. Your elbow should be pointed behind you. This is the starting position.
3. Squeeze your triceps as you push the cable behind you to fully straighten your right arm. Make sure to keep your upper arm stationary and your elbow close to your body.
4. Pause for a second before slowly releasing the cable back to the starting position.
5. Repeat this for the same number of reps with each arm.
6) Close-Grip Push-Up
Close-grip push-ups are an excellent bodyweight tricep exercise. They're also super versatile and can be done nearly anywhere!
What it Targets: Close-grip push-ups target all three heads of the triceps. Like many of these exercises, they also engage your chest and shoulders.
How it Helps: This bodyweight exercise can help improve tricep endurance and strength.
Step-By-Step Directions:
1. Get into a push-up position with your hands placed close together, directly under your shoulders.
2. Lower your body toward the floor by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
3. Pause for a second at the bottom before pushing yourself back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat this for reps.
7) Rope Tricep Extension
What it Targets: The rope tricep extension primarily targets the lateral and medial heads of your triceps.
How it Helps: Using a rope attachment allows for a greater range of motion, enhancing muscle engagement. It can also help prevent joint strain by keeping your hands in a natural position.
Step-By-Step Directions:
For this exercise, you'll need a cable machine and a double-ended rope attachment. Set the cable to the highest setting and clip in the attachment before you get started.
1. Face the cable machine and grab the rope with both hands. Keep your elbows at your sides.
2. Squeeze your triceps to push the rope down and straighten out your arms. As your arms straighten, pull each end of the rope apart for a good tricep squeeze.
3. From here, release your arms to bring the rope back to the starting position.
4. Repeat this for reps.
You can also explore more targeted routines like these tricep workouts with dumbbells for additional variation.
The Best Tricep Workouts
So, what are the best tricep workouts for you? It depends on your goals! It also depends on your overall fitness level and experience.
Your routine as a whole is also important. A lot of times, having a full workout dedicated to triceps isn't necessary.
However, if you are here for some full tricep workouts, I've got you covered! Here are some of the most effective tricep workouts you can try out whenever you'd like...
Beginner Tricep Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Close-Grip Bench Press | 3 | 10-12 |
| Tricep Dips (Bench) | 3 | 12-15 |
| Single-Arm Cable Kickback | 3 | 10 Each Arm |
| Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extensions | 3 | 10-12 |
Intermediate Tricep Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Close-GripPush-Ups | 3 | 8-12 |
| Close-Grip Bench Press | 3 | 10 |
| Rope Tricep Extension | 3 | 10-12 |
| Single-Arm Cable Kickback | 3 | 10 Each Arm |
| Tricep Dips (Bench) | 3 | To Failure |
Advanced Tricep Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Close-Grip Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Tricep Dips (Parallel Bars) | 4 | To Failure |
| Cable Pushdown | 4 | 10-12 |
| Single-Arm Cable Kickback | 3 | 10 Each Arm |
| Close-GripPush-Ups | 3 | To Failure |
If you're putting together a full training split, you might also like this complete arm day workout, along with these additional arm exercise ideas to round out your routine.
How To Program Tricep Workouts For Growth
For best results, structure your tricep workouts using evidence-based training guidelines:
- 10–20 total weekly sets
- 8–15 reps for hypertrophy
- 60–90 sec rest
- Train 2–3x weekly
Progressive Overload Rule:
Increase weight, reps, or control every week to force adaptation.
Form Cues:
- Keep elbows tucked
- Control eccentric phase
- Fully extend without locking
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Tricep Workout Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I train triceps?
2–3 times per week is what's recommended for optimal growth.
What is the best tricep exercise?
Close-grip bench press is widely considered the most effective compound movement. At the same time, there is no "best" tricep exercise.
Do tricep workouts build bigger arms?
Yes. Triceps make up roughly two-thirds of the upper arm size.
Can beginners do tricep workouts?
Yes. Start with bodyweight movements and lighter resistance.
