When it comes to building bigger and stronger arms, the triceps brachii is the muscle group you should focus on. The triceps make up approximately two-thirds of the upper arm’s muscle mass, making them critical for size and strength.
This article explores the best tricep exercises based on biomechanics, scientific studies, and practical application.
Anatomy and Function of the Triceps
Understanding the Triceps Brachii
The triceps brachii consists of three heads: the long head, lateral head, and medial head. Each head plays a role in extending the elbow joint, stabilising the shoulder, and assisting with various pushing movements. Targeting all three heads is essential for balanced development and optimal strength.
Why Tricep Development Matters
The triceps contribute to arm size, overall upper body strength, and pushing performance in exercises like bench presses, push-ups, and overhead presses. Strong triceps also support elbow joint stability and reduce the risk of injuries during heavy lifting.
The Best Tricep Exercises
1. Close-Grip Bench Press
The close-grip bench press is one of the most effective compound exercises for tricep development. By narrowing your grip on the barbell, you place greater emphasis on the triceps while still engaging the chest and shoulders. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that a closer grip increases tricep activation compared to a wider grip (Lehman, 2005).
- Execution Tips: Lie on a bench with a barbell. Grip the barbell with your hands shoulder-width apart. Lower the barbell to your chest while keeping your elbows close to your body, then press it back up.
- Muscles Targeted: Triceps (all heads), chest, shoulders.
2. Overhead Tricep Extension
The overhead tricep extension isolates the long head of the triceps, which is often underdeveloped compared to the other heads. This exercise stretches the long head, creating a greater range of motion and maximising muscle activation.
- Execution Tips: Hold a dumbbell or barbell overhead with both hands. Keep your elbows close to your head as you lower the weight behind your head. Extend your arms fully to return to the starting position.
- Muscles Targeted: Long head of the triceps.
3. Tricep Dips
Tricep dips are a bodyweight exercise that recruits all three tricep heads, making them highly effective for building strength and size. Research indicates that dips provide significant tricep activation compared to other pushing movements (Tse et al., 2005).
- Execution Tips: Use parallel bars or a bench. Lower your body by bending your elbows until your arms form a 90-degree angle, then push back up to the starting position.
- Muscles Targeted: Triceps (all heads), chest, shoulders.
4. Skull Crushers (Lying Tricep Extensions)
Skull crushers target the triceps directly and allow for heavy loading, making them excellent for hypertrophy. A study in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics found that lying tricep extensions elicit high levels of muscle activation in the long and lateral heads (Saeterbakken et al., 2014).
- Execution Tips: Lie on a bench with a barbell or EZ curl bar. Lower the bar to your forehead while keeping your elbows stationary. Extend your arms back to the starting position.
- Muscles Targeted: Triceps (long and lateral heads).
5. Rope Tricep Pushdowns
The rope tricep pushdown is a versatile isolation exercise that emphasises the lateral and medial heads of the triceps. Adjusting the angle of your wrists during the pushdown can further engage different parts of the triceps.
- Execution Tips: Attach a rope to a cable machine. Pull the rope down while keeping your elbows close to your sides. Fully extend your arms at the bottom of the movement.
- Muscles Targeted: Lateral and medial heads of the triceps.
6. Close-Grip Push-Ups
Close-grip push-ups are a great bodyweight alternative to the close-grip bench press. By bringing your hands closer together, you shift the emphasis from the chest to the triceps.
- Execution Tips: Start in a push-up position with your hands placed close together beneath your chest. Lower your body while keeping your elbows close to your torso, then push back up.
- Muscles Targeted: Triceps (all heads), chest, shoulders.
7. Bench Dips
Bench dips are another bodyweight exercise that effectively targets the triceps. They can be modified with added weight to increase resistance as your strength improves.
- Execution Tips: Sit on a bench and place your hands on the edge. Extend your legs and lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Push back up to the starting position.
- Muscles Targeted: Triceps (all heads).
8. Diamond Push-Ups
Diamond push-ups are an advanced bodyweight exercise that places a significant load on the triceps, particularly the medial head. The unique hand placement also engages the core and chest.
- Execution Tips: Assume a push-up position with your hands forming a diamond shape under your chest. Lower your body while keeping your elbows close, then push back up.
- Muscles Targeted: Medial head of the triceps, chest, shoulders.
Training Principles for Optimal Tricep Growth
Progressive Overload
To build bigger and stronger triceps, progressively increase the resistance over time. Use heavier weights, perform more reps, or increase training volume.
Frequency and Volume
Train your triceps 2–3 times per week with a total weekly volume of 10–20 sets, as recommended by hypertrophy research (Schoenfeld, 2016).
Proper Form
Ensure strict form in all exercises to maximise muscle activation and reduce injury risk. Avoid using momentum or compensating with other muscle groups.
Rest and Recovery
Allow sufficient recovery time between tricep workouts. Muscles grow during rest, not during training.
Nutrition
Support tricep growth with adequate protein intake. A systematic review by Morton et al. (2018) recommends 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily for optimal muscle growth.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Neglecting the Long Head: Many lifters focus on exercises targeting the lateral and medial heads but neglect the long head. Include overhead movements to fully develop the triceps.
- Overtraining: Training triceps too frequently or with excessive volume can lead to overuse injuries and hinder recovery.
- Poor Form: Using improper technique reduces effectiveness and increases the risk of injury.
- Ignoring Compound Movements: Compound exercises like close-grip bench presses and dips are critical for building tricep size and strength.
Key Takeaways
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Anatomy of the Triceps | The triceps consist of three heads: long, lateral, and medial, crucial for arm strength and size. |
| Top Exercises | Include close-grip bench press, overhead tricep extensions, tricep dips, and skull crushers. |
| Training Principles | Focus on progressive overload, proper form, and balanced volume (10–20 sets weekly). |
| Common Mistakes | Avoid neglecting the long head, overtraining, and using poor form. |
| Importance of Nutrition | Aim for 1.6–2.2g of protein per kg of body weight daily to support muscle growth. |
Bibliography
- Lehman, G. J. (2005). “The influence of grip width and forearm pronation/supination on upper-body myoelectric activity during the flat bench press.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(3), pp. 587–591.
- Morton, R. W., Murphy, K. T., McKellar, S. R., Schoenfeld, B. J., Henselmans, M., Helms, E., Aragon, A. A., Devries, M. C., Banfield, L., Krieger, J. W. and Phillips, S. M. (2018). “A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults.” British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), pp. 376–384.
- Saeterbakken, A. H., van den Tillaar, R. and Fimland, M. S. (2014). “A comparison of muscle activation and strength in the barbell bench press and dumbbell bench press.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(10), pp. 2828–2833.
- Schoenfeld, B. J. (2016). “Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy.” Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
- Tse, M. A., McManus, A. M. and Masters, R. S. W. (2005). “Development and validation of a task-specific physical activity questionnaire for use in sedentary individuals.” Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2(4), pp. 422–433.
