Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Health & Fitness

7 killer tricep workouts to supercharge your strength training

Best tricep workouts for mass, the gym and at-home: Supercharge your strength training

By
a man doing a tricep bench dip
Sinitta Leunen/Pexels

It’s arm day. If you’re taking a guided workout on an app like Peloton or AppleFitness+, you’ll likely be instructed to work your triceps. If you’re into working out and bodybuilding, you may wonder about the best triceps exercises for mass. Even if you’re not, a tricep workout is important — and not simply to look ripped.

Working the arms builds strength, allowing us to lift items and move our upper body without pain. Though guided workouts tend to include tricep work, the muscle group can take a backseat to the more visible biceps. The fact that there seem to be endless variations on the bicep curl doesn’t help.

Recommended Videos

However, you won’t want to forget to work on the other major muscle in the arm, the triceps. Unsure where to get started? Here are the best triceps workouts.

man in white tank, back view
Mario Valenzuela / Pexels

Triceps 4-1-1: What to know about this important muscle group

Knowing why you’re performing tricep exercises may make you more inclined to finish that one last rep. Here’s a primer on where the muscle does and how the triceps play a critical role in your day-to-day life — even if you don’t notice.

Where are the triceps, and what do they do?

The triceps begin at the shoulder’s top and run down the back of your arm to the elbow. The triceps take up two-thirds of your arm, making them bigger than the biceps. They’re considered the primary upper arm muscle. Pretty big deal, right?

You bet. The triceps play significantly important roles, including:

  • Elbow extension. When you contract the triceps, you straighten your elbow. For this reason, “tricep extensions” are popular moves in a tricep workout. You need this function to get dressed, push yourself up, and reach for something on a high shelf.
  • Healthy spine indicator. The triceps have a distinct reflex. The forearm will involuntarily extend if the tendon is hit close to the bottom (near the elbow). When a person has this reflex, it’s a sign of a functioning spine.
  • Shoulder mobility. The triceps start at the shoulder, aiding arm extension behind the body.

Why should you strengthen the triceps?

Doing tricep gym workouts — or exercises at home — has numerous benefits, including:

  • Elbow function and mobility
  • Shoulder function and mobility
  • Ability to press and push up (needed for building additional strength in the gym and functionally)

Additionally, weight training more generally has numerous benefits, such as:

  • Blood sugar management
  • Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
  • Better balance and decreased fall risk
  • Improved mobility
  • More flexibility
  • Reduced pain performing day-to-day tasks
  • Improved mental health

These benefits are significant as you age, lose functional strength, and are at an increased risk for chronic disease and falls. You can’t stop aging altogether but can slow its effects with a strength training regimen that includes tricep exercises.

man bench dipping outside
Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels

Best tricep workouts for mass and functional strength

Ready to get stronger? Try these tricep exercises.

Tricep kickbacks

A classic. These can be done with body weight but are typically done with dumbbells.

  1. Hold dumbbells in each hand with palms facing the thighs.
  2. Slightly bend the knees. Hinge forward at the waist, keeping the spine straight.
  3. Keep your upper arms tucked in and close to the body as you straighten your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment.
  5. Bring the weights to the starting position.
  6. Repeat 10-15 times.

Bench dips

A popular element of tricep gym workouts, bench dips can also be done using a stair.

  1. Sit on the edge of a bench with feet flat on the floor.
  2.  Extend your arms, keeping your hands behind you on the bench facing away from you.
  3. Push up and off the bench. Squeeze your shoulder blades.
  4. Lower down. Stop if you feel less tension in your mid-back or if your elbows go higher than shoulder height.
  5. Extend the elbows and engage the triceps by squeezing them as you return to the starting position.
  6. Repeat 10 times.

Hand release push-ups

No equipment is needed for this one, making the move one of the most accessible tricep exercises.

  1. Assume a high plank position. Shoulders and wrists should be in one light.
  2. Lower your body until your chest is on the floor, keeping elbows at a 45-degree angle from your torso.
  3. Pick your hands up a couple of inches off the floor.
  4. Return palms to the floor.
  5. Push back up to a high plank.
  6. Repeat 10-20 times.

Tricep pushdown

This exercise requires a cable and is typically done at the gym.

  1. Face the cable machine.
  2. Take the horizontal cable bar or rope attachment using an overhand grip. Ensure the bar or rope is at chest level (adjust if needed).
  3. Stand with feet less than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Position your elbows so that they’re tucked by your sides. 
  5. Push down as you bend your knees slightly. Using core strength, prevent yourself from bending over.
  6. Stop when your elbows are fully extended but not locked (or straight). They should remain close to the body.
  7. Return to start slowly and with control.
  8. Do 10 reps.

Diamond push-up

Another at-home and accessible workout, the diamond push-up doesn’t require equipment to get a good tricep workout.

  1. Get into a high plank position.
  2. Create a diamond with your thumbs and index finger, positioning the shape at the center of your chest.
  3. Do a push-up.
  4. Return to start.
  5. Repeat 10-20 times.

Overhead extension

You’ll need one dumbbell for this tricep exercise.

  1. Stand with one foot slightly behind another in a narrow split stance. Keep weight evenly distributed throughout this exercise.
  2. Hold a dumbbell with both hands, with your palms facing the ceiling.
  3. Lift the dumbbell overhead, keeping the head and chest in one line. Shoulders should remain relaxed and not bunched up by the ears.
  4. Extend the arms and lower the weight with control, keeping the chest and hips in one line. Do not arch the back.
  5. Return to start.
  6. Repeat 10-15 times.

Bench press with dumbbells

Another mainstay in gym workouts this bench press swaps the barbell for free weights.

  1. Grab a set of dumbbells.
  2. Lie back on the bench with a weight in each hand by the chest.
  3. Lift the arms until they form a right angle with the chest.
  4. Stop when the elbows are straight.
  5. Lower the arms with control.
  6. Repeat 20-30 times.

A personal trainer can help you customize a workout plan for you.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
BethAnn Mayer
BethAnn Mayer
Contributor
Beth Ann's work has appeared on healthline.com and parents.com. In her spare time, you can find her running (either marathons…
How to do an upright row the right way: Your complete guide
Here's how to perform an upright row with proper form to lower your risk of injury
Adobe image man wearing black shorts doing upright row exercise with dumbbell in gym on wooden floor white background

When you want to bulk up your shoulders and upper back, the upright row is an effective exercise. It’s important you understand how to properly and safely perform an upright row. Without proper form, you won’t be able to achieve optimal results, and you risk injury to your shoulders. Most athletes and professional trainers consider this an advanced exercise and caution that it isn’t suitable for everyone.

You can incorporate upright rows into your upper body or shoulder training days; all you need is a barbell, kettlebell, or a pair of dumbbells. Alternatively, you can perform other variations of the upright row using a cable machine or resistance bands. 
What muscles does the upright row target?

Read more
How to build strength and mobility with functional training
Strengthen your upper and lower body with functional fitness
a man doing pull ups

As you prepare to start your summertime fitness routine, you’ll want to include functional training. Now more than ever, there’s an increased focus on this type of training within the fitness-conscious world, and with good reason; functional training primes your body for your everyday activities. 

As we go on with the hustle and bustle of our day, we often overlook it, but functional training provides the strength to carry out the daily tasks that require you to push, haul, load, and lift. Keep reading to learn more about functional training and how to include it in your routine.
Does functional training build strength?

Read more
Add these 4 easy gluteus minimus exercises to your workout routine
Resistance band single leg glute bridge.

Whether you love or hate leg day, we all know it's one workout we cannot skip as part of a weightlifting rotation. As tempting as it may be to skip leg day, working out your lower body is especially important for your overall health and wellness. From a boosted metabolism to better balance and mobility, lower body workouts offer more than just a sculpted physique.

Your glutes are made of three major muscles, which means it's important to target your exercises to ensure you're hitting each specific muscle adequately. Yet, the gluteus minimus is the smallest of the three gluteal muscles -- and often forgotten. Maintain a well-rounded leg and glute day with these 4 gluteus minimus exercises that require minimal to no equipment at all.
About the gluteus minimus muscle

Read more