Muscle guide · Arms

The Best Exercises for Triceps

The best triceps exercises combine an overhead extension (which stretches the long head) with a pushdown and a heavy press such as close-grip bench or dips. Overhead extensions produced substantially more triceps growth than pushdowns in a 2023 study.

Includes: Triceps Brachii · also called Triceps Left, Triceps Right

Written by the FitStack training team. Last reviewed .

Front view: muscles worked by triceps training. Primary: triceps.
Back view: muscles worked by triceps training. Primary: triceps.
Primary

What the triceps do

  • Straightens the elbow.
  • The long head also helps pull the arm down and back at the shoulder.

The triceps brachii makes up about two-thirds of the upper arm and has long, lateral and medial heads. Only the long head crosses the shoulder, so it is stretched most when the arm is overhead. Pushdowns and presses train all three heads at shorter lengths.

6 best tricep exercises

  1. Overhead cable extension — Stretches the long head.
  2. Skull crusher — Free-weight extension with a good stretch.
  3. Cable pushdown — Easy on the elbows; good for volume.
  4. Triceps dip — Heavy bodyweight press.
  5. Close-grip bench press — Heaviest triceps press.
  6. Standing barbell overhead extension — Overhead option with a bar.

Sample triceps workouts

Gym arm day: triceps

Gym · Intermediate

Gym arm day: triceps: exercises and sets × reps
Close-grip bench press 3 × 6–10
Overhead cable extension 3 × 10–15
Pushdown 2 × 12–15

Home triceps workout

Home · Beginner

Home triceps workout: exercises and sets × reps
Bench or chair dip 3 × 8–15
Close-grip push-up 3 × as many as possible

Sets × reps. Finish each set with one or two reps left in reserve, and rest 2 to 3 minutes after compound lifts and 1 to 2 minutes after isolation work.

How many sets for the triceps?

Pressing trains the triceps, so 6 to 12 direct sets a week is plenty for most. Make at least some of them overhead.

Muscle growth rises with weekly volume: in a meta-analysis, 10 or more hard sets per muscle per week produced more growth than fewer than 5 (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), and training a muscle at least twice a week beat once a week when volume was matched (Schoenfeld et al., 2016). Start near the low end and add sets while you are still recovering between sessions.

More triceps exercises by equipment

Dumbbell

Cable

Body Weight

Barbell

Leverage Machine

Band

Assisted

Stability Ball

Skierg Machine

Filter every triceps exercise in the library →

Exercises that also work the triceps (50)

Triceps training FAQs

What is the best exercise for the triceps long head?

An overhead extension. Maeo et al. (2023) found overhead extensions grew the triceps substantially more than the same training with the arms at the sides.

Why do triceps exercises hurt my elbows?

Try cables or a rope, slower lowering and slightly higher reps. Elbow pain that persists should be checked by a clinician.

Sources

  1. Maeo S, Wu Y, Huang M, et al. Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. Eur J Sport Sci. 2023;23(7):1240-1250.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass. J Sports Sci. 2017;35(11):1073-1082.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697.

General fitness information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.