The 10 Best Triceps Exercises and Workouts:

The 10 Best Triceps Exercises and Workouts, Recommended by a CPT

Your triceps, the muscles at the back of your upper arms, are key to arm strength and size. Strengthening them not only improves your arm appearance but also enhances your pushing strength for activities like bench pressing or overhead lifting. Here’s a guide to the 10 best exercises for triceps and how to structure them into effective workouts.

1. Close-Grip Bench Press

This compound lift targets the triceps while engaging your chest and shoulders. Keep your hands about shoulder-width apart for maximum effectiveness.

2. Triceps Dips

Use parallel bars or a sturdy chair for this bodyweight classic. Lower yourself slowly to engage your triceps deeply, then push back up.

3. Overhead Triceps Extension

Using a dumbbell or an EZ-bar, lift the weight overhead and lower it behind your head, focusing on keeping your elbows steady.

4. Skull Crushers

Performed with an EZ-bar or dumbbells, this isolates the triceps by lowering the weight to your forehead before extending your arms back up.

5. Rope Triceps Pushdowns

On a cable machine, attach a rope and push the weight down, focusing on squeezing your triceps at the bottom.

6. Kickbacks

Hold a dumbbell in one hand, bend forward slightly, and extend your arm backward to fully contract your triceps.

7. Diamond Push-Ups

Position your hands close together under your chest to form a diamond shape. This variation intensely targets the triceps.

8. Close-Grip Push-Ups

Similar to diamond push-ups but with hands slightly wider, this move builds strength and endurance in your triceps.

9. Cable Overhead Triceps Extension

With a cable machine, pull the rope behind your head and extend your arms upward to isolate your triceps.

10. Floor Press

Lie on the floor with dumbbells or a barbell, lowering the weights until your elbows touch the ground, then press upward.

Sample Workout

    Warm-Up: 5 minutes cardio, dynamic stretches.
    Workout:
        - Close-Grip Bench Press: 4x10
        - Rope Triceps Pushdowns: 4x12
        - Overhead Extensions: 4x10
        - Diamond Push-Ups: 3x12

Incorporate these exercises twice a week for balanced arm strength and growth!