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Best Tricep Workouts for Bigger Arms (2026)

Complete Guide 8 Best Exercises Sample Workouts

Your triceps make up two-thirds of your upper arm size. This complete guide covers the best tricep exercises, sample workouts for all levels, and progressive overload strategies to build impressive horseshoe triceps.

🔬 Understanding Tricep Anatomy

The triceps has three heads, each requiring different exercises for complete development. Understanding anatomy helps you build a balanced, complete tricep workout.

The Three Heads of the Triceps

Long Head

~40% of tricep mass

Attaches at the shoulder blade. The largest head. Best targeted with overhead movements (overhead extensions, skull crushers). Key for the "horseshoe" look.

Lateral Head

~35% of tricep mass

Outer part visible from the side. Best targeted with pushdowns and pressing movements. Creates the "horseshoe" outer sweep when developed.

Medial Head

~25% of tricep mass

Deep head under the other two. Active in all tricep movements. Best isolated with reverse grip pushdowns and close-grip pressing.

🎯 Complete Development

For full tricep development, every workout should include at least one overhead movement (long head) and one pushdown/pressing movement (lateral/medial heads). PRPath tracks your exercise selection to ensure balanced training.

💪 8 Best Tricep Exercises

These exercises, ranked by effectiveness and muscle activation, will build impressive triceps when done with proper form and progressive overload.

1. Close-Grip Bench Press

Compound Long + Lateral Head ▾

The king of tricep compound movements. Allows heavy loading for maximum strength and mass. Also hits chest and shoulders.

How to Perform:

  • Grip barbell about shoulder-width apart (not too close)
  • Lower bar to lower chest with elbows at 45 degrees
  • Press up by extending elbows, focus on tricep contraction
  • Keep wrists straight and core braced

Sets & Reps:

4 sets of 6-10 reps | Rest 2-3 minutes

2. Dips (Tricep Focus)

Compound All Three Heads ▾

Bodyweight compound that loads all three tricep heads heavily. Keep torso upright to emphasize triceps over chest.

How to Perform:

  • Grip parallel bars, arms locked out
  • Keep torso upright (leaning forward shifts to chest)
  • Lower until upper arms are parallel to floor
  • Press up by extending elbows

Sets & Reps:

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps | Add weight when bodyweight is easy

3. Overhead Tricep Extension

Isolation Long Head ▾

Essential for long head development. The stretched position at the bottom maximizes muscle growth. Can use dumbbell, EZ bar, or cable.

How to Perform:

  • Hold dumbbell or EZ bar overhead, arms extended
  • Lower behind head by bending elbows (not shoulders)
  • Feel stretch in long head at bottom
  • Extend elbows to return to start

Sets & Reps:

3-4 sets of 10-15 reps | Focus on stretch and squeeze

4. Skull Crushers (Lying Tricep Extension)

Isolation Long + Medial Head ▾

Classic tricep builder that hits all three heads with emphasis on the long head. Use EZ bar or dumbbells.

How to Perform:

  • Lie on bench, arms extended, grip EZ bar
  • Lower bar toward forehead (or behind head for more stretch)
  • Keep upper arms stationary - only forearms move
  • Extend elbows to press bar back up

Sets & Reps:

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps | Control the weight, protect elbows

5. Tricep Pushdown (Rope or Bar)

Isolation Lateral + Medial Head ▾

The most popular cable tricep exercise. Constant tension throughout. Rope allows for greater range of motion than bar.

How to Perform:

  • Stand facing cable machine, grip rope or bar
  • Keep elbows pinned to sides throughout
  • Push down until arms are fully extended
  • Squeeze at bottom, control the return

Sets & Reps:

3-4 sets of 12-15 reps | Great for pump and metabolic stress

6. Tricep Kickback

Isolation All Three Heads ▾

Often done incorrectly but effective when performed properly. Peak contraction exercise - squeeze hard at the top.

How to Perform:

  • Hinge forward, support yourself on bench
  • Keep upper arm parallel to floor
  • Extend elbow until arm is straight
  • Squeeze at top for 1 second, control negative

Sets & Reps:

3 sets of 12-15 reps | Use light weight, focus on contraction

7. Diamond Push-Ups

Compound All Three Heads ▾

Bodyweight tricep exercise you can do anywhere. Research shows high tricep activation. Great finisher or when equipment isn't available.

How to Perform:

  • Push-up position, hands together forming diamond
  • Keep elbows close to body as you lower
  • Lower until chest nearly touches hands
  • Push up by extending elbows

Sets & Reps:

3 sets to failure | Elevate feet for added difficulty

8. Cable Overhead Extension

Isolation Long Head ▾

Cable version of overhead extension with constant tension. Great for long head development without loading the spine.

How to Perform:

  • Face away from low pulley, rope behind head
  • Step forward to create tension
  • Extend arms overhead, squeeze at top
  • Control the return, feel the stretch

Sets & Reps:

3-4 sets of 12-15 reps | Constant tension variation

📋 Sample Tricep Workouts

Choose the workout that matches your experience level and available equipment. All workouts target all three tricep heads.

Beginner Workout

2x per week | Total: 6 sets

Exercise Sets Reps
Tricep Pushdown 3 12-15
Overhead Extension 3 12-15

Intermediate Workout

2x per week | Total: 12 sets

Exercise Sets Reps
Close-Grip Bench 4 6-10
Skull Crushers 3 10-12
Rope Pushdown 3 12-15
Overhead Cable Ext. 2 15-20

Advanced Workout

2x per week | Total: 16 sets

Exercise Sets Reps
Close-Grip Bench 4 5-8
Weighted Dips 3 8-10
Skull Crushers 3 10-12
Cable Overhead Ext. 3 12-15
Rope Pushdown 3 15-20

🤖 Track Your Tricep Volume

PRPath automatically tracks your weekly tricep training volume. Atlas AI ensures you're in the optimal 10-20 sets per week range for growth without overtraining.

📈 Tricep Training Tips

💡 Don't Neglect the Long Head

The long head is the largest and often undertrained. Include at least one overhead movement (overhead extension, skull crushers) every tricep workout for complete development.

💡 Control the Negative

The eccentric (lowering) phase is crucial for tricep growth. Use 2-3 second negatives on all exercises. This creates more muscle damage and growth stimulus.

💡 Full Range of Motion

Lock out completely at the top and get a full stretch at the bottom. Partial reps limit muscle growth. If you can't complete full ROM, the weight is too heavy.

💡 Progressive Overload

Track your weights and aim to increase over time. Add 2.5-5 lbs when you hit the top of your rep range on all sets. PRPath makes this easy to track.

💡 Optimal Volume

10-20 hard sets per week for triceps is optimal for most people. Remember, bench press and overhead press also train triceps - account for this in your programming.

💡 Mind-Muscle Connection

Focus on feeling your triceps work, not just moving weight. Squeeze at the top of each rep. If you can't feel your triceps, use lighter weight with better form.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best tricep exercise? ▾
Close-grip bench press and dips are best for overall tricep development due to their heavy loading potential. For isolation, tricep pushdowns and overhead extensions target all three heads effectively. Include both compound and isolation movements for complete development.
How many tricep exercises should I do per workout? ▾
2-4 tricep exercises per workout is optimal. On push days, include 2-3 exercises after pressing movements. On dedicated arm days, you can do 3-4 exercises. Volume matters more than variety - aim for 10-20 total sets per week for triceps across all workouts.
How do I target all three tricep heads? ▾
Long head: overhead extensions (arms overhead). Lateral head: pushdowns and close-grip pressing. Medial head: reverse grip pushdowns and close-grip pressing. Include at least one overhead movement and one pushdown/pressing movement per workout for complete development.
Should I train triceps on push day or separately? ▾
Both approaches work. On push day, triceps are pre-fatigued from pressing, so do 2-3 isolation exercises. On a separate arm day, triceps are fresh and can handle more volume. Choose based on your split and recovery ability. Most people do well with 2 tricep sessions per week.
Why are my triceps not growing? ▾
Common reasons include: not enough volume (need 10-20 sets/week), not training the long head (needs overhead work), going too heavy with bad form, or inconsistent training. Track your tricep sets in PRPath to ensure you're hitting optimal volume and progressively overloading.

🔗 Related Exercises

Bicep Curl

Balance your arm training. Train biceps and triceps equally for complete arm development.

Shoulder Press

Compound exercise that heavily involves triceps. Great synergy with tricep isolation work.

Bench Press

Major compound for triceps and chest. Close-grip variation emphasizes triceps.

Lat Pulldown

Antagonist muscle group. Pair pulling and pushing for balanced upper body development.

Last updated: January 2026

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