The 15 Best Triceps Exercises to Work the Back of Your Arms

The dream of every bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast is to have a bigger arm size and that can't happen unless you've trained your triceps perfectly. The best Tricep exercises are essential to work the back of your arms and in this article we're going to learn each and everyone of them. 

Understanding Anatomy of Triceps Muscle

To build better triceps you must understand the anatomy first. The Tricep muscle consists of three major parts: The long head, lateral head and medial head. 

Long Head: This is the longest strain in tricep muscle, this is the closest to the body or inside of the arm and is mostly activated when lifting things up your head. 

Lateral(Short) Head:The outer strain of Tricep is the lateral Head. This is the aesthetic strain which gives the horseshoe tricep look. 

Medial Head: Below the lateral and Longbhead is the Medial Head which is smaller compared to the other two but provides greater stability when doing compound exercises. 

Best Tricep Exercises

To build a bigger better Tricep you must train all three heads equally and with proper intensity, you must understand that Triceps also engage in exercises like bench press and overhead press and accordingly you must add exercises.Following are the best 15 Tricep Exercises for those t-shirt arm filling arms. 

1.Overhead Triceps Extension

This is a pretty standard Tricep exercise/" title="exercise" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">exercise you can do, almost anyone can be seen in the gym performing. This exercise mainly targets your long head and can be performed using cable machines, dumbbells and even barbells. Let's see how to perform this exercise with a cable machine as it gives constant tension on the muscle. 

How to Do It

• Setup the cable machine to the lowest setting and pin the weight stack with suitable weight. 
• Now pin a rope attachment on the machine and lift the rope behind your back. 
• Now stand straight and bend forward a little while holding the rope. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now lift up your arms holding the rope to fully extend over your head. 
• Once reached maximum stretch you slowly return back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

2.Tricep Push Down

The Tricep Push Down is a favorite tricep exercise indicated by most polls, the reason being is the easy setup and the feedback from every rep is always on tricep, plus this exercise helps you focus on shaping the lateral head to give you that perfect horseshoe tricep. 

How to Do It

• Adjust the cable machine on the highest setting and pin the weight stack with appropriate weight. 
• Now attach a bar handle to the machine and hold the handle at a comfortable width. 
• Now erect your back and bend a little forward. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now push the bar down so your hands are straight all the way. 
• Once you reach maximum stretch then slowly return back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

3.Skull Crusher

The Skull Crusher is considered as a complete exercise by most pro bodybuilders, this exercise provides a high tension on the tricep muscle. This exercise hits all the heads in your tricep. Let's see how we can do this exercise using a barbell. 

How to Do It

• First load up a barbell with enough plates for you to do the exercise without breaking form. 
• Take the barbell and lay down on your back on a flat bench and extend your arms in front of you
• This is your starting position. 
• Now pull your shoulders back, slightly move your arms back and brace your core. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now slowly bend your arm at your elbow to bring the barbell at your head level. 
• Once reached maximum stretch, you can bring the weight back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

4.Close Grip Bench Press

Anyone who has bench pressed knows it engages the tricep fairly and when you narrow your grip on a bench press the emphasis on chest lowers and tricep becomes the main moving muscle. Let's see how to properly load the triceps using a close grip bench press. 

How to Do It

• Load up a barbell with enough plates so you can do the exercise without breaking the form. 
• Lay down flat on your back on the bench and grip the bar exactly at the center of the bar. 
• Now pull your shoulders back and brace your core and unrack the bar. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now slowly lower the bar till it touches your chest. 
• Once reached maximum contraction, lift the weight back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

5.Bench Dip

The Bench Dip is a beginners exercise to learning the bodyweight dip, this exercise provides good stimulation while providing safety to joints and tendons. 

How to Do It

• Set Up a flat bench and sit on it. 
• Extend your legs forward and lift your body with your hands. 
• Move your hips at the edge of the bench and pull your shoulders back. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Slowly lower your hips so your triceps are parallel to the bench while keeping your hips close to the bench. 
• Once reached maximum contraction you return back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

6.Tricep Kickbacks

Tricep Kickbacks or Skiers are a functional tricep exercise, this workout is done if you want to build functional strength in your triceps. You can do this exercise on a cable machine but we want to mimic a ski rowing motion which can be done using only dumbbells. 

How to Do It

• Grab a pair of dumbbells with suitable weight. 
• Now bend your knees a little bit and lean forward with dumbbells in your hands. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now brace your core and try to extend your arms behind as if you were pushing forward while skiing. 
• Once you've reached maximum contraction slowly lower down the dumbbells to the starting position without using too much momentum. 
• Repeat for reps. 

7.Diamond Push Up

One of the best exercises a calisthenics athlete would recommend to build triceps is Diamond Push Up. With no equipment needed this is a go to executive for someone who is always on the go and can't make it to the gym quite often. 

How to Do It

• Lay down on the floor on your stomach. 
• Bring your hand close to the middle of your chest area forming a diamond with the palm of your hands. 
• Now push up while maintaining an erect body posture. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Take a deep breath and slowly lower yourself down till your chest touches your arms. 
• From here you exhale out and push yourself to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

8.TRX Tricep Extension

If you are a calisthenics athlete Or wish to develop a gymnast's strength then tricep overhead extension is no good for you the best alternative would be the TRX Tricep extension. 

How to Do It

• First set up TRX straps to a suitable height. 
• Grab hold of the TRX handles and lean forward slowly till you are suspended with your feet as anchor. 
• Now extend your hands in front of your head so you start erect while leaning forward. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now slowly bend your elbow till you at least reach 90° angle between forearm and biceps. 
• Once you've reached your desired stretch push yourself back to the starting position. 
• If you can't hit the desired angel then try to lean a little back. 
• Repeat for reps. 

9.Tate Press

A novice lifter might see Tate Press as a bad form dumbbell press but that is far from the truth. Tate press is a very risky exercise so be sure to perform it with a lighter weight. This exercise is advised for an experienced lifter so beginners stray away. 

How to Do It

• Grab a pair of dumbbells with light weight and lay down on your back on a bench. 
• Now extend your arms in front of your face and hold the dumbbells with a pronated grip. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now slowly lower the dumbbells so they touch your chest. 
• Once the dumbbells make a light contact with your chest then push the dumbbells to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

10.Bodyweight Dip

The most standard bodyweight exercise is a bodyweight dip. Late bodybuilder Mike Mentzner called Dip an upper body squat which is true considering how multiple upper body muscles are hit and the muscle that is targeted heavily while performing the dip is tricep. 

How to Do It

• Set up a parallel bar to your height and hold it with a firm neutral grip. 
• Now pull your shoulders back and take a deep breath. 
• Lift your legs so you balance on your arms. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now slowly lower your body by bending the elbow, try to at least reach a 90° angle between the bicep and forearm. 
• Once you've reached the maximum depth loft yourself up back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

11.Close Grip Pike Push Up

The pike pushup is best for your shoulders but with just changing the hand width you can put more emphasis on the tricep. With a close grip your range of motion will be restricted but for the tricep that will be enough. 

How to Do It

• Lay down on the floor on your stomach and assume the push up position. 
• Now slowly bring your legs closer to your hands so you form an upside down V-shape with a bend in your hips. 
• Bring your palms closer to each other. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now lower your body by bending your elbow. 
• Once you've reached the lowest depth you can attain, slowly push yourself back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

12.Band Tricep Pushdown

Bands are seen by most people as a recovery tool more than a hardcore training equipment but high resistance bands are great tools for muscle building also. The Band Tricep Pushdown not only provides a constant tension but also elevates it when the contraction is reaching its peak. 

How to Do It

• Take a resistance band with a suitable resistance and hook it to a bar or a leverage. 
• Now hold the resistance band with both hands, you can use neutral or pronated grip to grip the band. 
• Now bend forward and maintain an erect body posture. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now slowly pull the band down till your arms are straight. 
• Once you've reached maximum stretch slowly bring back the band to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

13.JM Press

The JM press is somewhat like the skull crusher with the only difference being you do not take the bar above your head, you try to touch it to your upper chest. This exercise is always done with a lighter weight or it will definitely crush your skull. 

How to Do It

• Set up a flat bench and load up a barbell with enough plates for you to do the exercise without breaking the form. 
• Now lie down on the bench with the barbell and assume the bench press stance. 
• Now Grab the barbell toward the middle with a shoulder width grip, arch your back and pull your shoulders back. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now slowly lower the weight till the barbell touches your upper chest. 
• Once the barbell touches the upper chest area you push the barbell back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

14.Mudgar Swings for Tricep

Whenever we pick up weights at the gym the common notion is never to swing the weight and control it throughout the motion but mudgar swinging is an ancient Indian workout where we are supposed to love the weight to understand how movement works with training. Mudgar swings are an effective tool to train your tricep as it manages to get the resistance from momentum and secures the joints. 

 How to Do It

• Hold a mudgar with enough weight which you can lift and swing with one arm. 
• Hold the mudgar upright in one arm with a neutral grip. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now push the mudgar up and back and swing it around to reach back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 
• Swing again with your other arm as well for the same number of reps. 

15.Hindu Pushup

The basic movement every Indian wrestler does is the Hindu Pushup. This exercise trains your tricep with a functional movement pattern and helps build a better mind muscle connection. This exercise is basically a hybrid of cobra pose and a regular push up. 

How to Do It

• Lay down on the floor on your stomach. 
• Now assume a push up position and bring your feet a little close to your hands. 
• This is your starting position. 
• Now do a cobra stretch. 
• From the cobra pose you pull your hips up so you assume the starting position of a pike push up. 
• From the pike pushup's starting position lower yourself back to the starting position. 
• Repeat for reps. 

More Tricep Training Tips

To train your tricep efficiently you need to control your volume and intensity as per your lifting experience. 

Beginners: If you are someone who has just started lifting you can easily do more volume and low intensity and get better results. Your weight and intensity would be lower than average but you must cover it up with more sets and reps. Remember this is your experience collecting time you should try out new and different variations and stick to those which yields maximum results. 

Intermediate: If you have considerable experience in lifting and you've gained an average strength level then you should only try out maximum of three variations, one for the long head, one for short and one for medial head. Doing more isn't going to yield better results for you at this stage. Focus on muscle first and plan your workout around that. 

Advanced: To the advanced lifter controlling volume is the key and that only happens when you listen to your body, doing heavy bench press is sometimes enough stimulus for the tricep and anything after that is just conditioning workout, you can easily fall victim to overtraining and end up with tendonitis or worse tennis elbow or impingement. You need to understand heavy compounds are going to be enough at this stage and even if you can squeeze some more exercises you shouldn't do more than 1 or 2 sets.