IF YOUR SLEEVES still feel loose no matter how many curls you crank out, your push ups plateaued back in 2023 and your arm day ends with you Googling ‘what is the long head of the triceps’, it might be time to update your arm workout with some better triceps exercises.
The triceps make up a whopping two-thirds of your total arm mass. If you want arms that fill out your sleeves and move serious weight, you can’t just rely on basic curls, you need to hit your triceps with purpose.
To help you do exactly that, we’ve rounded up the nine best triceps exercises for size and strength. Some are classics and some you’ve probably never heard of, but all of them will bring the heat.
What are the best triceps exercises?
1. Close-grip bench press
Think of this as the bench press’s more tricep-focused cousin. It lets you move serious weight while lighting up all three heads of the triceps.
How to do it:
- Lie flat on a bench, feet planted. Grab the barbell with a grip slightly narrower than shoulder-width.
- Lower the bar slowly to your chest, keeping elbows tucked.
- Press back up explosively and repeat.
2. Triceps dips
Dips provide pure bodyweight burn. They’re great for building strength and can be loaded up with a dip belt or weighted vest.
How to do it:
- On parallel bars, support yourself with locked arms.
- Lower your body by bending at the elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
- Push back up to the start and repeat.
3. Overhead triceps extensions
These stretch the long head of the triceps, which loves to be worked with overhead movements.
How to do it:
- Hold a dumbbell or EZ bar overhead with both hands.
- Lower the weight behind your head by bending at the elbows. Keep your upper arms close to your ears.
- Extend back up to the top and repeat.
4. Skull crushers
The name sounds violent, but this is a triceps isolation staple. It’s one of the most effective exercises for specifically targeting your triceps.
How to do it:
- Lie on a bench with a barbell, EZ bar or dumbbells. Start with the weight extended above your chest.
- Bend at the elbows to lower it toward your forehead.
- Extend your arms back up and repeat.
5. Cable triceps pushdowns
This cable exercise keeps your triceps under constant tension throughout the movement. And constant tension equals constant gains. Perfect for high-rep pump work.
How to do it:
- Use a straight bar, rope or V-bar attached to the high pulley. Grip the handle with elbows pinned to your sides.
- Push the bar down until arms are fully extended.
- Slowly return to the start and repeat.
6. Diamond push ups
Minimal equipment, maximum triceps burn. Also mildly humbling if you’ve only ever done wide-grip push ups.
How to do it:
- Get into a push up position. Bring your hands together under your chest, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
- Lower your chest toward the diamond and press back up.
7. Triceps kickbacks
Great for targeting the lateral head, which is difficult to hit with the other exercises on this list. Also an excellent finisher, but try not to swing the dumbbell no matter how sore your triceps are.
How to do it:
- Hinge forward at the hips with a dumbbell in one hand. Keep your upper arm locked at your side, elbow bent 90 degrees.
- Extend your arm back until straight, squeeze, then return.
8. Single-arm overhead dumbbell extension
The unilateral focus of this exercise helps you address any imbalances your triceps may have.
How to do it:
- Sit or stand tall with a dumbbell in one hand.
- Extend it overhead, then bend your elbow to lower behind your head.
- Extend fully, then repeat.
9. Floor press
Floor press is similar to bench press but cuts out the bottom range of motion, where your chest does most of the work, rather than your triceps. Instead, it emphasises the lockout phase, where your triceps take over.
How to do it:
- Lie flat on the floor with dumbbells or a barbell.
- Lower the weight until your upper arms touch the floor.
- Press back up and repeat.
