The 10 Most Effective Triceps Exercises For Size And Strength

Why Triceps Are Essential for Your Fitness Goals

You can do many satisfying things in the gym, but few can match arm day, especially when you add these triceps exercises into your routine. We’re not exaggerating; the feeling of extending your elbow and rotating your arm to reveal your sexy horseshoe triceps is unmatched. But the triceps are not just for show; they are vital for your performance in and out of the gym.

Your triceps make up two-thirds of your upper arm and cover the entire back of your arm. That’s a chunk of prime real estate often neglected when doing your fifth bicep variation in front of the mirror. The triceps are one of a few muscles that weaken as we age, making them even more important to pay attention to. And now, you can use the following triceps exercises list for bigger and sexier triceps.

Choosing the Right Triceps Exercises for Size and Strength

When it comes to strengthening the triceps, variety is key. The triceps, with their three distinct heads, require a mix of angles and movements to develop fully. The selected top 10 triceps exercises ensure that all aspects of the triceps are targeted. Whether pressing, extending, or pushing down, these exercises combine different ranges of motion, resistance types, and grip positions to keep your workouts interesting and maximize muscle tension and growth.

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The Top 10 Most Effective Triceps Exercises

JM PRESS

The JM Press is a combination of a close-grip bench press and a skull crusher. Because the chest is involved, you’ll use more weight than many exercises on this list. JM Press is the real triceps deal because the elbows are close to the torso and have a shorter range of motion. The JM Press improves lockout strength on the bench and overhead press and builds a great set on horseshoe triceps.

Sets & Reps: Four sets of four to six reps (for strength) or three sets of 12 reps (for muscle building).

Diamond Pushups

Similar to the close-grip bench press, the close-hand placement of the diamond push-up shifts more of the emphasis on the triceps. Due to the narrower support base, you’ll get increased core stability while training the chest, shoulders, and triceps. You cannot do as many reps as the standard push-up, but your triceps will blow up for improved strength and sexiness.

Sets & Reps: Two to four sets of 12 to 20 reps for muscle building.

Overhead Triceps Extension

Many overhead triceps variations exist, but the cable or band variation provides constant tension over the dumbbell and barbell variations. The band or cable overhead triceps extension focuses on the long head, the biggest muscle of the triceps, for adding muscle, strength, and flex appeal while being elbow-friendly.

Sets & Reps: Two to three sets of 12 to 25 reps.

Unilateral Dumbbell Floor Press

The unilateral dumbbell floor press reduces the ROM and focuses more on the triceps, helping build triceps size and strength. It allows you to load the triceps more and limit the lower body’s involvement, giving the triceps the attention they deserve. This builds unilateral triceps strength while reducing the strain on the shoulder joint due to the limited ROM.

Sets & Reps: Two to four sets of between 8 to 16 reps.

Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press zeroes in on your triceps by shifting your grip to shoulder width. This adjustment takes some of the tension off your chest and shoulders, focusing your attention on the triceps instead. By keeping your arms closer, you’re not just adding size to the back of your arms but also improving lockout strength for your standard bench press.

Sets & Reps: three to five sets of 4-6 reps (for strength), or two to four sets between 8-15 reps (for muscle building).

Side-To-Side Landmine Press

The side-to-side landmine press is great for triceps size and strength because it doesn’t just hit your triceps in the usual up-and-down fashion. The side-to-side (lateral) movement forces your triceps to engage in a different plan of motion, which means better muscle activation and growth. Plus, because each arm works independently, you’ll correct strength imbalances while building serious triceps size and strength.

Sets & Reps: Three to four sets of 16 reps (8 per side).

Cable Triceps Pushdown

The triceps pushdown is a go-to isolation exercise when you need to hone in on your triceps. For the best results, hit the cable machine, step back until you feel tension, and then push down by extending your elbows. The beauty here is that it isolates your triceps, making them do all the work. It also gives you a fantastic muscle pump, which leads to more growth.

Sets & Reps: Two to four sets of 15 (or more) reps.

Parallel Bar Dips

You cannot have a triceps best-of-list and not have a dip variation. You hit your triceps better when you perform dips on parallel bars instead of angled bars or rings because your elbows stay tucked in rather than flaring out. This setup targets your triceps and keeps your shoulders in a neutral position, which can feel much more comfortable than other dip variations.

Sets & Reps: Four sets of 4-6 reps (for strength) or three sets of 12 or more reps (for muscle building).

Skull Crusher

The skull crusher is a classic triceps builder that takes your triceps to the next level. Lowering a barbell (or dumbbells, cable pulleys, or even kettlebells) to your forehead gives you a serious stretch in the triceps, setting you up for a powerful concentric contraction. Plus, it’s versatile—you can switch up the equipment to keep things fresh and challenging.

Sets & Reps: Three to four sets of 6 reps (for strength) or two to four sets of 12 or more reps (for muscle building).

Suspension Trainer Overhead Triceps Extension

The Suspension Trainer Overhead Triceps Extension is different because it challenges your triceps like traditional free-weighted exercises don’t. Unlike fixed-weight movements, the suspension trainer forces you to stabilize yourself throughout the entire ROM, engaging the triceps and your core and shoulder stabilizers. This improves triceps strength and size because it requires constant adjustment and stabilization (so you don’t fall on your face) while increasing their time under tension.

Sets & Reps: Two to four sets of 15 reps.

Conclusion

When it comes to building triceps size and strength, there are many exercises you can choose from, but the top 10 exercises listed above will give you the best results. These exercises target different heads of the triceps and vary in terms of range of motion, resistance type, and grip position to keep your workouts interesting and ensure maximum muscle growth.

FAQs

Q: Can I do these exercises without any experience?
A: Yes, many of these exercises can be modified or used with lighter weights to accommodate beginners.

Q: Can I use machines instead of free weights?
A: While machines can be effective, we recommend using free weights to develop stronger, more stable triceps.

Q: Can I do these exercises too frequently?
A: It’s generally recommended to allow for 48 hours of rest between triceps workouts to allow for optimal muscle growth and recovery.

Q: Can I incorporate these exercises into my routine?
A: Yes, incorporating these exercises into your workout routine will help you build stronger, sexier triceps. Remember to adjust weights and reps based on your fitness level and goals.