Strong arms are important for almost every upper body movement you do each day and your triceps are often the heavy lifters The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises. Your triceps are used whenever you push something, be it a door, a stroller, a lawnmower, or a barbell. Further, strong triceps are essential for training other muscle groups.1 Strong triceps are needed to do push-ups, for example, as well as chest presses The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
The medial, lateral, and long heads are the three distinct heads that make up the triceps muscle.
All of these heads contract during triceps exercises, but some moves emphasize the muscle fibers of certain triceps heads more than others The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises. The best way to build strong, firm triceps is to choose a mix of exercises that hit all those muscle fibers from every angle The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
How Should You Do Triceps Workouts?
Creating a triceps exercise program can assist you in gaining functional movement. Here are some points to think about:
- Start with a warm-up: Begin with some brisk walking or jogging, jumping jacks, or calisthenics. Warming up gets blood flowing to your muscles and increases the temperature of your muscles, which helps prevent injury The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
- Gradually add weight and intensity: If you’re starting out, aim to do three sets of 10-12 reps of each exercise using about 70% of the maximum amount of weight you could possibly lift for each exercise.3 Add more weight and reps as your fitness level increases The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
- Target all three tricep heads: Your strength will grow more evenly distributed the more variety you may add to your triceps exercise. Select from the exercises below The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
- Train multiple muscle groups: Tricep workouts isolate the triceps very specifically so that you don’t work other muscle groups simultaneously. Since the triceps, shoulders, and chest are all engaged in many of the same functional motions, think about exercising them in addition to the triceps.
- Build in rest days. It’s important to rest the muscle groups you train for at least two days before working them again to allow for the recovery process and to help prevent injury The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
Why You Need to Work Your Chest Muscles
Best Triceps Workouts
Some triceps exercises are more effective than others, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE). In an ACE-commissioned study, researchers took exercisers through eight of the most common triceps exercises and recorded muscle activity by attaching EMG electrodes to subjects’ triceps. With this information, they were able to rank the best triceps exercises. Here, the top triceps in order of effectiveness (starting with most effective):
- Diamond push-ups: Also known as triangle push-ups, this exercise emphasizes all three heads of the triceps muscle and is the most effective move for that The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
- Kickbacks: Though not to the same extent as the diamond push-up, this exercise also works all three heads of the triceps. It might be more user-friendly than push-ups because it is also simpler.
- Dips: In addition to targeting all three triceps heads, this exercise helps to engage the core muscles.
- Overhead triceps extensions: Including this exercise means you have a move that primarily emphasizes the long head of the triceps muscle, which is a nice complement to the other exercises.
- Triceps rope pushdowns: This move emphasizes the long head of your triceps, again a nice complement to the other exercises.
- Triceps bar pushdowns: This bar variation emphasizes the long head of the triceps but is slightly less effective than rope pushdowns.
- Lying triceps extensions: This is yet another way to target the long head of the triceps primarily.
- Close grip bench press: This move primarily targets the lateral head and is a more accessible option for those getting started with triceps exercises The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises.
Rather than trying all of these exercises in one session, pick a set of exercises that focus on different triceps muscle groups.
Diamond Push-Ups
The diamond push-up is probably the hardest triceps exercise in this list. It requires tremendous upper body strength, so you may need to try this move on your knees and slowly work your way up to the toes.
How to Do a Diamond Push-Up
- Start the exercise by placing your hands in a diamond form on the mat just under your chest, fingers spread, and thumbs and forefingers touching.
- Straighten the legs into a plank position, or keep the knees on the floor for a more accessible version.
- Make sure the back is flat and the abs are engaged as you bend the elbows, lowering until your chin or chest touches the mat. If you can’t go that low, go as low as you can—then work to build enough strength to lower all the way down over time.
- At the bottom of the movement, your elbows should stay close to your sides.
- Press back to start, keeping the torso rigid, and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
Try These Exercises to Work Your Triceps
Triceps Kickbacks
According to the ACE study, the triceps kickback is the second most effective triceps exercise and not far behind diamond push-ups, achieving about 88% muscle activation.
By bending forward, you really have to work against gravity to move the weight up and down. The key to this move is to use your shoulder to stabilize the upper arm, allowing the forearm to extend behind you. If your elbow drifts down, use a lighter weight to maintain good form.
Defintion
Muscle activation is the ability to switch on your muscles so they can do work The 8 Most Effective Triceps Exercises. Typically, activation occurs when you use short, isolation exercises that target specific muscles to wake them up and get them working.
How to Do Triceps Kickbacks
- Prop the right foot on a step or platform, resting the right forearm on the thigh to support the back or allowing the arm to drop directly below the shoulder.
- Hold a weight in the left hand and pull the elbow to the torso level.
- Keeping the elbow in that position, extend the arm behind you, focusing on contracting the triceps muscle.
- Lower the forearm to about 90 degrees and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
- Focus on keeping the upper arms stationary against the body throughout the exercise.
Triceps Dips
Triceps dips are the third most effective and challenging exercise, depending on how you position your feet. In this version, the knees are bent, making the movement easier. Stretching your feet out will increase the intensity of the exercise.
The key to ensuring this move is safe is keeping your hips close to the chair or bench to avoid straining the shoulders. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears. If this exercise causes you any shoulder pain, stop.
How to Do a Triceps Dip
- Sit on a chair or bench with your hands just outside your hips, with your knees bent or your legs extended straight out (harder).
- Lift up onto your hands, keeping your hips very close to the chair or bench. Bend your elbows, lowering down until they’re about 90 degrees.
- Keep the elbows pointing behind you, the shoulders down, and the abs engaged.
- Push back to start and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
- Avoid this exercise if you feel any pain in the shoulders.
Triceps Dips: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes
Overhead Triceps Extensions
The overhead triceps extension is the fourth most effective exercise, activating about 76% of muscles.4 The key is keeping the arms next to the ears as you lower the weight behind you. To prevent your back from arching, make sure you can contract your abs.
You can do this exercise seated or standing. Believe it or not, this move feels more challenging when you’re sitting, and sitting on an exercise ball adds an element of core strength.
How to Do an Overhead Triceps Extension
- Sit on a chair, bench, ball, or stand; keep your back straight. Hold a weight in both hands, extending it up overhead.
- Keep your biceps close to your ears and elbows pointing forward as you lower the weight behind your head until the elbows are at about 90-degree angles.
- Straighten the arms, contracting the triceps, and then repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
- Keep the abs engaged throughout the exercise and avoid arching the back.
Rope Pushdowns
The rope pushdown, normally done on a cable machine with a rope attachment, comes in at number five, eliciting about 74% muscle activation.4 The idea is to spread the rope at the bottom of the movement to fire up the triceps muscle.
If you are without a cable machine, substitute a resistance band. Secure the band to the top of a doorway by tying a loose knot in it approximately halfway down.
How to Do a Rope Pushdown
- At a cable machine with a rope attachment, hold the rope near the knotted ends and begin the exercise with the elbows bent at about 90 degrees. Your elbows should be next to your torso.
- Extend the arms, taking the hands down towards the floor, spreading the rope slightly out on either side as you contract the triceps.
- Bring the forearms back to start and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
Bar Pushdowns
The bar pushdown is similar to the rope pushdown but slightly less effective at about 67%.4 This exercise is usually done on a cable machine at the gym using a small bar attachment, although you can also do this exercise at home with an exercise band and a small pole or bar threaded through the handles.
The key to this move is to keep the elbows stationary as you push the weight down. If you lift the bar too high (say, higher than neck level), your elbows may come forward, making the exercise less effective.
How to Do a Bar Pushdown
- Stand in front of a cable machine, holding onto the bar with the elbows bent to about 90 degrees.
- Keeping the elbows stationary, push the bar down, contracting the triceps as you extend the arms.
- Bring the bar back up to about chest level without moving the elbows and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
Lying Triceps Extensions (Skull Crushers)
Triceps extensions performed lying down (also known as skull crushers) come in at a surprising number seven, eliciting about 62% muscle activation.Since this activity is regarded to be difficult, some exercisers may find this relatively low activation rate surprising.
The muscle activation data doesn’t mean you should stop doing these exercises, but rather that you should work them into a program that includes some of the top exercises as well. Better results and stronger triceps can be achieved by utilizing a range of workouts that target different muscles at varying intensities.
How to Do a Skull Crusher
- Lie on a bench, step, or floor and hold a barbell or dumbbell with your hands about shoulder distance apart.
- Begin the exercise by extending the weight up over your head, with your palms facing out and thumbs next to your fingers.
- Bend the elbows and lower the weight until the elbows are at about 90-degree angles. Don’t go too low during this part of the exercise, as you might hit your head or face.
- Squeeze the triceps to straighten the arms without locking the joints.
- Repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
How to Tone the Area Around Your Triceps
Close Grip Bench Presses
The close grip bench press comes in eighth as an effective triceps exercise, eliciting about 62% muscle activation.4
American Council on Exercise. ACE-sponsored research: Best triceps exercises.
This move also involves quite a bit of the chest, which may be why the triceps don’t work as much as in other exercises.
That does not imply that you ought to forgo this workout. As a matter of fact, it can be an excellent exercise for simultaneously targeting the triceps and chest.
Doing this move at the end of your chest exercises can warm up the triceps before you move on to more targeted moves.
How to Do a Close Grip Bench Press
- Lie on a bench or step holding a barbell with hands about shoulder-width apart.
- Begin the exercise with the elbows bent and the barbell hovering just over the ribcage.
- Press the weight straight over the ribcage, focusing on contracting the triceps.
- Lower and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.