The 13 Best Tricep Exercises

If you train to be strong, your triceps need to do the heavy lifting — literally. These muscles are the driving force behind powerful presses, explosive lockouts, and overall upper-body resilience.  

Whether you're pushing heavy weight in the gym or building real-world strength in a home gym, here are the best tricep exercises for size and power. So grab your barbell, dumbbells, bands, and bench, and let’s get to work.

What are the 3 muscles of the triceps? 

The name gives it away: triceps. The triceps brachii is a three-headed muscle located at the back of your upper arm. It plays a crucial role in elbow extension and pressing movements. 

To build well-rounded triceps, your workout should include movements that effectively engage all three heads, ensuring balanced development and maximizing muscle growth. 

Why Are Triceps Workouts Important? 

Your triceps make up approximately two-thirds of your upper arm mass, meaning they play a significant role in arm size and strength. Strong triceps contribute to better performance in pressing exercises, such as the bench press, overhead press, and dips. 

Additionally, developing strong triceps improves overall upper-body power, enhances stability in pressing movements, and helps prevent shoulder injuries by supporting proper joint function.  

Whether you're focused on bodybuilding, powerlifting, or general fitness, a structured triceps workout will help you build stronger, more defined arms and improve overall pushing strength. 

How to Get Bigger Triceps 

Building bigger triceps requires a combination of: 

The key is to focus on both compound movements that allow heavy loading (e.g., close-grip bench press and dips) and isolation exercises that specifically target each head (e.g., skullcrushers and cable pushdowns).  

Aim to train your triceps two to three times per week, using a mix of barbell, dumbbell, cable, band, and bodyweight exercises to keep the muscles challenged from different angles.  

Want more specifics? For hypertrophy (muscle fiber growth from resistance training with moderate to high reps and progressive overload), stick to the eight to 12 rep range with controlled movements, while strength-focused workouts should involve lower reps (four to six) with heavier weights.  

Ensuring proper recovery, nutrition, and sufficient protein intake is also essential for muscle growth and overall strength gains. 

What Is the Best Triceps Workout? 

A well-balanced triceps workout should include a mix of compound and isolation exercises. Compound movements like close-grip bench press and dips allow you to lift heavy, while isolation exercises like cable pushdowns and dumbbell overhead extensions focus on specific tricep heads.  

13 Best Triceps Exercises for Building Muscle 

1. Skullcrushers 

Why? Targets the long head of the triceps, great for mass-building. 

How to Do It: Lie on a bench with a barbell or dumbbells. Lower the weight toward your forehead, keeping your elbows fixed. Press back up. 

Variation: Try an EZ-bar skullcrusher to reduce wrist strain. 

Sets & Reps: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps. 

2. Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension 

3. Kettlebell Tate Press 

4. Triceps Dips 

Why? One of the best triceps builders using bodyweight resistance. 

How to Do It: Hold onto parallel bars (like this Drop-in Dip Attachment for a power rack), lower yourself until elbows are at 90 degrees, then press back up. 

Variation: Add weight using a dip belt. 

Sets & Reps: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps. 

5. Bench/Box Dip

Why? Great for beginners or those training at home. 

How to Do It: Place hands on a bench or plyo box behind you, feet extended forward. Lower yourself and press up. 

Variation: Place weight plates on your thighs for added resistance. 

Sets & Reps: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps. 

6. JM Press 

7. Dip Belt Weighted Dips 

8. Close-Grip Bench Press 

9. Cable Overhead Triceps Extension (Rope) 

Why? Keeps tension on the triceps throughout the movement. 

How to Do It: Attach a rope to a high pulley, lean slightly forward, and extend your arms fully. 

Variation: Use a straight bar attachment for a different grip. 

Sets & Reps: 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps. 

10. Single-Arm Cable Kickback 

Why? Isolates each arm to fix muscle imbalances. 

How to Do It: Attach a handle to a cable machine, hinge forward, and extend your arm back fully. 

Variation: Use resistance bands for home workouts. 

Sets & Reps: 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps. 

11. Cable Pushdown 

Why? A staple isolation exercise for overall triceps development. 

How to Do It: Attach a rope or straight bar to the cable machine. Keep elbows tucked and press down. 

Variation: Use a V-bar (Tricep Pushdown Bar) for heavier loads. 

Sets & Reps: 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps. 

12. Floor Press 

Why? No equipment needed, effective for all fitness levels. 

How to Do It: Place hands directly under your shoulders and perform a push-up. If you’re uncomfortable, do it on a yoga mat or exercise mat.  

Variation: Elevate feet on a plyo box to increase difficulty or use resistance bands to add progressive overload. 

Sets & Reps: 3–4 sets of 15–20 reps. 

Bottom Line 

For the best tricep exercises, mix barbell, dumbbell, cable, band, and bodyweight movements to ensure full triceps development. Whether training at the gym or in your home gym, a balanced triceps workout will enhance your pressing strength, improve muscle definition, and take your fitness to the next level.