The 7 Best Tricep Exercises For Building Muscle

If you’re going to smash it in the gym, you need to get an all-round epic physique. 

You might love the idea of a ripped torso, bulging biceps and big forearms. But you’ll look unbalanced without some attention to other muscle groups. Your triceps are no exception.

Yed, your triceps are just as important as the other major muscle groups and when you build them up, you’ll see exactly why. 

The triceps are located on the back of the upper arm and play a critical role in your overall strength, stability, and performance. 

Whether you're pushing heavy weights to build muscle, maintaining balance in complex movements, or simply striving for an aesthetically pleasing physique, developing stronger triceps is crucial for your overall strength.

Why it’s important to build stronger triceps  

Upper body workouts are essential for your overall body strength. The triceps are responsible for extending the elbow and contribute to strong, pressing movements.

Strong triceps not only help you to push more weight in exercises like bench presses, and shoulder presses but also improve shoulder stability. 

Well-developed triceps add symmetry and definition to your arms, and overall physique, contributing to a more balanced and powerful upper body.

The golden rules for building bigger triceps

If you want to get the triceps you’ve been dreaming of it’s not just a case of turning up at the gym, going through the motions, and leaving again. 

To pack on muscle you need to break through the barriers and push through to levels you’ve not reached before. 

So here are some rules on how to approach your workout and take it to new heights.

Focus on your form

Going through the motions just isn't good enough. You need to focus on every push to be sure you’re maintaining decent form to engage your muscles properly. 

This will help you pack on the muscle more quickly and avoid injury. Keep your elbows close to your body, avoid flaring them out, and maintain strong, controlled movements.

Progressive overload

The key to building muscle is to gradually move up the ladder by increasing the amount of resistance you put your arms through. 

Gradually increasing the number of reps, sets or weights will allow your body to adapt, strengthen, and progress.

Get your mind in the game

You must focus on each rep and treat each movement as equally important. Pay attention to the contraction of your triceps during each rep to improve engagement and fast-track results.

Variety is key

Incorporate a range of exercises to target all of the muscles around your tricep area to support full-on development.  A good range of motion is important.

Give yourself time to recover

Yeah, we get it! You want to get to your goals quickly but without adequate time for recovery between workouts, you’ll risk major fatigue or even injury. 

Muscles grow during rest, so ensure you're getting enough rest, sleep, and nutrition to support your training and muscle growth.

Read: 10 muscle-building mistakes to avoid at all costs

The best exercises for building bigger triceps

Giving your muscles the best all-round exercises to give them shape and definition takes time and patience. But it’s much quicker if you stick to the plan and give it your best effort every time. 

Here are some of the best triceps exercises for packing on muscle and tone.

1. Close-grip bench press

This is possibly the best tricep exercise as it helps to engage the chest, and shoulders as well as the (yeah, you guessed it) triceps. 

How to perform… 

• Grip the bar slightly narrower than your shoulder width.
• Slowly lower it to your chest.
• Keep your elbows in while you’re doing this.
• Press the bar back up and fully extend your arms.
• Focus on a smooth delivery and the contraction of your triceps.

This is one of the best triceps exercises to strengthen your upper arm and chest muscles.

2. Tricep dip

Tricep dips are an excellent bodyweight exercise that targets all three heads of the triceps. They're great for triceps growth.

How to perform… 

• Use parallel bars or the edge of a bench.
• Lower your body by bending your elbows to around 90 degrees.
• Keep your torso upright and your elbows close to your body.
• You can then push back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.

3. Skull crushers

This effective exercise targets the long head of the tricep muscles, helping to add muscle mass and definition.

How to perform…

• Lie on a bench with a barbell or bar.
• Lower the weight slowly towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
• Keep your elbows stationary.
• Extend your arms back to the starting position.
• Focus on a smooth delivery.

Read: How long does it take to build muscle?

4. Tricep pushdown

This epic exercise targets the lateral head and is perfect for building maximum arm definition.

How to perform… 

• Use a cable machine with a straight or V-bar attachment.
• Keeping your elbows close to your sides,  push the bar down until your arms are fully extended.
• Keep the movement smooth, and controlled, with no jerky movements.

5. Dumbbell overhead triceps extension

This is one of the most common triceps exercises. It targets the long head of the triceps and helps to build mass and strength.

How to perform… 

• Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend it overhead.
• Lower the weight behind your head by bending your elbows.
• Extend your arms back up.
• You should keep your elbows close to your head.

Read: 10 muscle recovery foods to help you post-workout

6. Diamond push-ups

This tricep workout is one of the best bodyweight exercises for your triceps. It places significant stress on your triceps, while also engaging the chest and shoulders.

How to perform…

• Your hands should be close together under your chest, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
• Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground.
• Push back up by extending your arms.
• Keep your core tight and maintain a straight line from your head to your heels.

7. Cable triceps pushaway

This is a variation of the pushdown and focuses on keeping the line of resistance perpendicular to the forearm, maximizing muscle tension throughout the movement.

How to perform…

• Set up the cable machine with a rope attachment at about head height or slightly above.
• Face away from the cable machine and create tension in the cable.
• Grip the rope attachment with both hands, palms facing each other, and your thumbs pointing up.
• Start with your elbows bent at about 90 degrees, keeping them close to the sides of your head.
• Brace your core and maintain a slight forward lean with your chest.
• Push the rope forward and down, extending your arms fully while keeping your upper arms stationary.
• Focus on squeezing your triceps at the end of the movement.

Building stronger tricep muscles is essential for enhancing overall strength, stability, and symmetry. By focusing on proper form, incorporating a variety of exercises, and following the principles of progressive overload and recovery, you can massively improve your tricep strength.

Key exercises like close-grip bench presses, tricep dips, skull crushers, and tricep pushdowns should form the core of your tricep routine, ensuring balanced and comprehensive growth across all heads of the muscle. 

Remember, consistency and attention to detail are the keys to long-term success. You’ve got this.

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FAQs

How long will it take to see muscle growth in your upper arms?

If you follow the tricep workouts detailed in this guide and give yourself adequate nutrition and recovery, you should see triceps growth in just a few weeks.

What is the most effective tricep exercise?

All of the triceps workouts mentioned in this blog are similarly effective. Putting them all together to give you a proper range of motion will give your triceps muscles a good all-round workout and help to develop the muscle group.

How often should you do a triceps workout?

To effectively train your triceps, it's generally recommended to engage in triceps workouts two to three times per week. T

Hitting this frequency allows for sufficient recovery while still providing enough stimulus for muscle growth. 

It's important that there are at least 48 hours of rest between sessions to allow your triceps muscle to recover and grow.