Top Tricep Exercises for Strength and Size

By Jordan Thompson

We’ve all heard the saying, “Curls for the girls,” but here’s the thing—if you really want to fill out those sleeves, it’s time to start giving your triceps some love. While biceps might steal the spotlight in flex-offs, your triceps make up two-thirds of your upper arm mass. That’s right, if you want to go from noodle arms to beefy guns, your triceps need to be at the center of your upper body training plan.

The beauty of tricep training is that it’s not complicated—you just need to know the right moves to target all three heads of the muscle: the long, lateral, and medial heads. These guys work together to extend your arm and provide that extra kick of power when you need it. So, whether you’re aiming to press more, lift heavier, or just build some serious arm mass, strong triceps are non-negotiable.

Anatomy of the Triceps

The triceps, as the name suggests, are made up of three muscle heads: the long head, lateral head, and medial head. Together, these bad boys form the bulk of your upper arm, and when you train them properly, they give you that horseshoe shape everyone loves.

What this trio is up to:

The long head. This is the biggest part of the tricep and runs down the back of your arm. It’s involved in shoulder and elbow movement, which means you’re hitting it during overhead and pressing exercises.
The lateral head. This is the outer part of the tricep and is what gives your arm that nice pop when flexed. If you’re after arm definition, this is the part of the tricep that’ll really shine when you lean out.
The medial head. Tucked underneath the other two, the medial head might not be the most visible, but it’s crucial for stability and strength in pushing movements.

Knowledge about these three heads helps you target them efficiently and make sure you’re getting a balanced tricep workout.

Role of Triceps in Upper Body Strength

Now, let’s talk about why your triceps are essential to upper body strength. Sure, they look great, but they’re also critical in almost every push movement you do.

Key roles triceps play in making your upper body strong:

Push power. Whether you’re bench pressing, doing push-ups, or even shoulder pressing, your triceps are doing a lot of the work to extend your elbows and lock out the movement.
Stability. Strong triceps stabilize your arms during pressing exercises. This ensures your form stays solid as the weight increases.
Overall arm mass. Want bigger arms? Triceps make up the majority of your upper arm. So, if you’re not training them, you’re missing out on major gains.

If you want a strong upper body that can handle some serious weight, don’t neglect the triceps. They’re the secret weapon in building both strength and size!

Top Tricep Exercises

Now that we’ve got the tricep anatomy and its crucial role in upper body strength out of the way, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. These top tricep exercises are guaranteed to help you pack on serious strength and size.

Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press is like the regular bench press’s more tricep-focused cousin. By bringing your hands closer together on the barbell, you shift the emphasis from your chest to your triceps, making them work overtime. This compound movement is not only great for building tricep strength but also for improving overall pressing power. Boom—those arms are already feeling the heat!

Tricep Dips

If there’s one bodyweight exercise that screams “tricep burner,” it’s the tricep dip. Whether you’re using parallel bars or just the edge of a bench, dips put your triceps in the hot seat. Lower your body down slowly, keep your elbows close to your sides, and then push yourself back up. The deeper you go, the harder your triceps will have to work. Bonus points for those who add a little flair by crossing their legs!

Skull Crushers

Don’t let the name scare you—skull crushers are a fantastic exercise for targeting the long head of the triceps. Grab an EZ-bar, lie down on a bench, and lower the bar toward your forehead (hence the name) while keeping your elbows tight. Once you hit the lowest point, extend your arms back up using your triceps. Just don’t actually “crush” your skull—keep it controlled!

Overhead Tricep Extension

Looking to stretch out those triceps and hit the long head even more? The overhead tricep extension is your move. Grab a dumbbell, raise it above your head, and lower it behind your neck, keep your elbows pointed toward the ceiling. Then, extend the weight back up. This one’s all about form—keep your elbows in to avoid shoulder strain and focus on a smooth, controlled movement. You’ll feel the burn in no time.

Cable Tricep Pushdown

The cable tricep pushdown is a classic for a reason. It’s one of the most effective ways to isolate the lateral head of your triceps and get that pump going. Stand facing a cable machine, grab the bar or rope attachment, and push the weight down, focusing on squeezing your triceps at the bottom. Keep your elbows locked in at your sides, and don’t let your shoulders do the work—this is all about those triceps.

Advanced Tricep Training Techniques

So, you’ve mastered the basics, and your triceps are feeling pretty solid. But if you’re looking to really push your arm gains to the next level, it’s time to bring in some advanced techniques. Ready to kick things up a notch?

Drop Sets and Supersets

These techniques are going to light your triceps on fire to help you push past muscle fatigue and squeeze every last bit of strength out of your workout.

Here’s how they work:

Drop sets. Start with a heavy weight and perform as many reps as possible with good form. Then, without rest, drop the weight by about 20-30% and keep going until failure. Repeat this process for a few more rounds.
Supersets. Pair two exercises together and perform them back-to-back with no rest in between. For example, you could pair tricep dips with skull crushers or cable pushdowns with close-grip bench presses.

Constant tension keeps your muscles working harder for longer, which equals more gains.

Using Resistance Bands for Triceps

Resistance bands aren’t just for beginners or rehab exercises—these stretchy tools are a fantastic way to ramp up your tricep training. The beauty of bands is that they provide constant tension throughout the movement, which forces your muscles to work harder. You can use them for almost any tricep exercise: attach a band to a cable machine for pushdowns, loop it around your feet for overhead extensions, or even use it to add resistance to dips.

Isometric Holds for Tricep Activation

Want to take your tricep workouts to a new level of intensity? Try incorporating isometric holds into your routine. Isometric exercises are all about holding a position under tension without moving, and they’re a killer way to activate those deep muscle fibers. For example, try holding the bottom position of a tricep pushdown or dip for 10-15 seconds before completing the rest of your reps. It sounds easy, but your triceps will be begging for mercy by the end.

Structuring a Tricep Workout

You’ve got the exercises, and you’ve got the advanced techniques—now it’s time to put it all together into a killer tricep workout. The secret to making serious gains in your triceps isn’t just throwing a bunch of exercises at the wall and hoping for the best. You need a smart plan that balances intensity, volume, and recovery to ensure those arms are growing bigger and stronger with every session.

Ideal Sets, Reps, and Rest Times

The way you structure your sets and reps can make a big difference in how your triceps respond to training. Whether you’re aiming for strength, size, or endurance, there’s a sweet spot for each goal.

Ideal workout structure guide:

Goal	Reps	Sets	Rest Time
Strength and Power	4-6 reps	3-5 sets	2-3 minutes
Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy)	8-12 reps	3-4 sets	60-90 seconds
Endurance and Definition	12-15+ reps	2-3 sets	30-45 seconds

If you’re looking to build strength, stick to fewer reps with heavier weight and longer rest periods. For muscle bulking, aim for that sweet spot of 8-12 reps with moderate weight, and if durability is your thing, keep the reps high and the rest periods short.

Incorporating Triceps into Full-Body Workouts

If you’re not keen on dedicating an entire workout to just your triceps, don’t worry—you can easily incorporate tricep exercises into full-body or upper-body routines. Pairing tricep moves with bigger compound lifts like bench presses or overhead presses ensures that your triceps get worked throughout the session without needing a separate day.

How to combine tricep training with full-body workouts:

Workout Focus	Exercise Pairing	Best For
Full-Body Strength	Close-Grip Bench Press + Squats	Building upper and lower body strength
Upper Body Focus	Tricep Dips + Push-Ups	Developing upper body power
Conditioning and Endurance	Overhead Tricep Extensions + Kettlebell Swings	Developing cardiovascular fitness and muscle tone

By pairing tricep exercises with other big lifts, you’re maximizing your time in the gym and ensuring that your triceps get hit hard, without overdoing it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Tricep Training

Even with the best intentions, there are a few classic mistakes that can hold you back from making serious gains in your triceps. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of lifting heavy or trying to squeeze in one more rep, but if you’re not careful, these missteps could be sabotaging your progress.

Using Too Much Weight

We’ve all seen it—the person at the gym grabbing the heaviest dumbbells they can find, only to swing them around with terrible form. Lifting heavy is great, but only if you can do it with control. When it comes to triceps, form is everything. If you’re using too much weight, your shoulders, chest, or even back might start taking over, leaving your triceps out of the equation. The result? Your triceps miss out on the benefits, and you’re more likely to end up injured than stronger.

The solution? Check your ego at the door and focus on using a weight that lets you perform the movement with proper form. Keep the reps slow and controlled, and make sure your triceps are doing the heavy lifting—not momentum.

Incorrect Range of Motion

Another common mistake is not using the full range of motion. Whether you’re cutting your reps short or speeding through the movement, you’re not giving your triceps the workout they deserve. When you skip out on the full range of motion, you’re missing a key part of the exercise, and your muscles aren’t being challenged in the way they need to be for optimal growth.

For exercises like tricep pushdowns or skull crushers, make sure you’re fully extending and contracting your arms with each rep. That means bringing the weight down all the way and locking out at the top. It’s about quality over quantity—get those full, deep reps in, and your triceps will thank you.