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So, you want to know what the top 9 exercises for bigger triceps are? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss what exercises will help you grow your triceps muscles much faster.
Table Of Contents
Top 9 Exercises for Bigger Triceps
When it comes to the tricep muscles, not everyone knows how to properly train them as they miss at least one of the three heads of the triceps (usually the medial head). That is why our team have put together a comprehensive list of the top 3 exercises for each head of the triceps.
Long Head
First of all, we will go over three excellent exercises for growing the long head of the tricep muscles.
Overhead Dumbbell Extensions
Overhead dumbbell extensions are an exercise that a lot of people turn to when it comes to training triceps as it is very good at effectively targeting the triceps long head. This exercise is an isolation movement, meaning it targets the long head of the triceps only (perhaps it engages some other supporting muscles too, but not enough to train them).
For this exercise, you shouldn't go too heavy, especially if it is your first time trying it out, as this can easily lead to injury (usually in the shoulder area). It is also important to ensure that you don't arch your back inwards too much as this can cause too much unnecessary strain on your lower back, which increases your chances of injury even more. I would recommend that you aim to complete 3 sets of 10-12 reps for this exercise if your goal is to build and grow the long head of the tricep muscles.
How to do Overhead Dumbbell Extensions:
Select the desired weight from the rack and position an adjustable bench at 90 degrees
To get into position, sit in an upright position and lift the dumbbell to the top of your shoulder. Take a deep breath, overlap your hands around the dumbbell, then press it into position overhead
Maintain an overlapping grip and slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head by unlocking your elbows
Once your forearms reach parallel or just below, drive the dumbbell back to the starting point by extending the elbows and flexing the triceps
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Close-Grip Bench Press
The close-grip bench press is a great exercise utilised by many for rapidly growing the triceps long head. This exercise is a compound movement, meaning it targets multiple muscle groups at once. However, due to the closer grip, it primarily focuses on the tricep muscles (particularly the long head). Still, it does also slightly engage other supporting muscles such as the front deltoids and chest.
For this exercise, unlike the regular bench press, you shouldn't go too heavy, especially if you're a beginner to the close-grip bench press. It is also suggested that you don't go for a personal record on the close-grip bench press as this has a higher risk of injury than the regular flat bench press. I would recommend that you aim to complete 10-12 reps for 3 sets + 1 warmup set for optimal long-head tricep growth.
How to do the Close-Grip Bench Press:
Position the barbell at the correct reach level on the rack (you should be able to grip/lift the bar off the rack with assistance)
Load weight resistance according to your fitness level onto the barbell
Lie flat on the bench and grip the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart
Lift the bar with assistance from the rack, arms locked, and hold the bar straight over you
Inhale and slowly bring the bar down toward your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body for the entire exercise
Exhale and push the bar up using the triceps and locking arms at the top of the movement
Repeat the exercise for the recommended number of repetitions
Return the bar to the rack upon exercise completion.
Tricep Pushdowns
The final exercise for the long head that we will be mentioning is tricep pushdowns, an amazing exercise for training the long head of the triceps muscles. This movement is an isolation exercise, meaning that it only works the triceps (particularly the long head), but does very slightly engage other supporting muscles in the arm.
For this exercise, you should focus on keeping your elbows in the same place and not using momentum to move the weight - instead, focus on maintaining proper posture and technique throughout the entire movement if you want to get the most out of this great tricep exercise. I would recommend that you do 3 sets of as many reps as possible until failure as this would give you a real burn in your triceps that will allow them to grow efficiently.
How to do Tricep Pushdowns:
Start by bracing your abdominals
Tuck your elbows in at your sides and position your feet slightly apart
Inhale and push down until your elbows are fully extended but not yet in the straight, locked position. Keep your elbows close to your body and bend your knees slightly on the pushdown. Resist bending forward - try to keep your back as straight as possible as you push down
As you exhale, return to the starting point using a controlled movement
Repeat for the desired amount of reps.
Lateral Head
After reviewing 3 exercises for the long head of the triceps, we will now talk about three of the best exercises for growing the lateral head of the triceps.
Bench Dips
Bench dips are a straightforward bodyweight exercise that effectively targets the triceps muscles' lateral head. This movement is a compound exercise, meaning it works multiple muscle groups at once, however, its primary focus is on the triceps muscles (particularly the lateral head).
For this exercise, you should focus on not going too low for each rep as this places unnecessary strain on your shoulders, which increases the risk of injury during your workout. What's more, as this is a bodyweight exercise, once you have mastered the form, it would be useful to add extra resistance in order to further develop your tricep muscle. I would recommend that you do as many reps as possible for 3 sets if you want to engage the lateral head most effectively, however, if you feel any strain on other muscles (such as the shoulders or chest), you should stop the exercise immediately.
How to do Bench Dips:
Position yourself just off the edge of the bench with hands shoulder-width apart on the edge in good posture. Knees at 90˚. Draw in and brace the abs. Lock the shoulder blades back and down
Slowly lower your body by bending at the elbows and shoulders until your arm at the forearms creates a 90-degree angle. Maintain posture throughout
Repeat for desired number of reps. Avoid jutting the chin forward, letting the shoulders round forward or shrug, or letting the back round.
Tricep Kickbacks
Tricep kickbacks are a common exercise utilised for training the muscles of the triceps. This exercise is an isolation movement, which means it primarily targets the triceps, especially the lateral head.
For this exercise, you should select a weight that you can do comfortably that isn't too heavy so that you can perform the exercise effectively without raising the risk of injury during the workout. Also, you should ensure that your elbow remains in the same position throughout the entire movement so you can feel it in your triceps the most. I would recommend that you do 3 sets of 12-15 reps per set in order to get the most out of a tricep kickbacks workout.
How to do Tricep Kickbacks:
Set up for the dumbbell tricep kickback by grabbing a flat bench and sitting a dumbbell on the left-hand side at one end
Position yourself on the left side of the bench with your right knee and right hand resting on the bench
Using a neutral grip, pick up the dumbbell with your left hand. Keep your back straight and look forward
Tuck your left upper arm close to your torso and bend at the elbow, forming a 90-degree angle with your upper arm and forearm. This is the starting position
Moving only at the elbow, raise the dumbbell behind you until your arm is fully extended
Pause, and then lower the dumbbell back to the starting position
Repeat this movement for desired reps and then repeat using your right arm.
Diamond Push-Ups
Diamond push-ups are a popular calisthenics exercise that is known for engaging your triceps and helping them grow stronger quickly. This bodyweight exercise is a compound exercise, meaning it utilises several muscle groups in order to carry out the movement; it mainly focuses on the triceps (particularly the lateral head), however, it does also engage other supporting muscles such as the front deltoids and the pectoral muscles (chest muscles).
For this exercise, you should focus on mastering the technique, then, after doing so, you can add extra resistance to make the exercise more challenging for yourself. This would allow you to increase the strength and size of your triceps much faster. You should also ensure that you maintain the proper posture throughout the entire movement so you reduce the risk of injury. I would recommend that you do as many reps as possible for 3 sets, which would allow you to efficiently grow your triceps lateral head.
How to do Diamond Push-Ups:
Starting on all fours, form a diamond shape with your hands on the ground directly in line with your chest. Your thumbs and index fingers should be touching, forming opposite corners of the diamond
Engage your core and step backwards with both feet, straightening your knees to assume a plank position
Bend your elbows, allowing your body to lower toward the ground until your chest touches your hands. Maintain a straight line from your head through your heels, keep your elbows in at your sides, and keep your core engaged throughout
Keeping your entire body straight and your core engaged, press through your palms, allowing your elbows to straighten and your body to ascend back up to a plank position.
Medial Head
After discussing the best exercises for both the long and medial heads, we will now go over 3 of the top exercises for quickly growing the medial head of the triceps.
Reverse Grip Cable Pushdown
An excellent exercise for targeting the medial head of the triceps is reverse grip cable pushdowns - a not-so-well-known exercise, yet still an effective one. This exercise is an isolation exercise meaning it engages the triceps only (the medial head primarily), but does very slightly work other supporting muscles.
For this exercise, you should focus on maintaining the correct posture and technique during the entire movement in order to reduce the risk of injury and so you can get the most out of this workout. You should also select a weight that you can do comfortably, especially if you have never done this exercise before. I would recommend that you do 6-12 reps for 3 sets when it comes to this exercise.
How to do Reverse Grip Cable Pushdowns:
Stand before the cable apparatus and grasp the desired attachment with an underhand grip (thumbs facing away from one another)
Keeping the elbows at the body's side, press the weight downward while exhaling throughout the movement
Slowly allow the weight to rise until the forearms are parallel to the ground, inhaling throughout the negative motion
Repeat for desired number of reps and sets.
The Floor Press
The floor press, while it may not be a well-established exercise, is amazing for growing the medial head of the triceps. This exercise is a compound movement, which means it engages multiple muscle groups at the same time - primarily the triceps muscles.
For this exercise, you should focus on mastering the correct technique so you limit your risk of injury and feel the workout in your triceps the most. I would recommend that you do 12-15 reps for 3 sets when it comes to this exercise as this will give your triceps (the medial head mainly) a great workout while still allowing other muscle groups to receive a small workout during the same exercise.
How to do the Floor Press:
Start by positioning yourself on the floor underneath the barbell (eyes should be underneath)
With the legs either straight or bent, be sure to place the feet, hips, and upper back on the floor, similar to that of a bench press
With the body actively gripping the floor, firmly squeeze the barbell and pull the elbows down towards the torso
Once the back of your arms touches the floor, stay tense and reverse the movement so that you’re primed to lift the weight
Now drive the weight until your elbows are fully extended. Make sure to not over-protract (bring your shoulder blades forward) at the top when completing a rep, as this could throw your positioning and base out of line
Lower your elbows back to the floor.
Cable Rope Pushdown
Finally, cable rope pushdowns are an amazing exercise for quickly growing the medial head of the triceps. This exercise is an isolation movement, meaning it only engages the tricep muscles to complete the movement but does very slightly engage other muscles to support it.
For this exercise, you should focus on keeping your elbows in the same place at all times as this will allow you to target your tricep muscles much easier, giving you a more effective workout. Also, you should select an appropriate weight that isn't too heavy so you can give your triceps a good workout without compromising your form. I would recommend that you aim to complete 12-15 reps for 3 sets when completing this exercise.
How to do Cable Rope Pushdowns:
Adjust the weight so you can do at least ten smooth repetitions, grab the rope on the cable station, and take a step back
Stand tall by bringing your shoulders back and directing your gaze forward. Your feet should be around hip-width apart, with your toes pointed slightly out. Keep your knees slightly bent
With your elbows bent at roughly 90 degrees, bring them down to your sides
Take a breath and extend both elbows by engaging your triceps
Once your arms are straight, hold the contraction for a second, exhale, and slowly release until your elbows are bent, and your wrists are slightly more elevated than your elbows
Inhale and repeat for desired reps and sets.
Summary
In this article, we have discussed what teh best nine exercises are for growing the muscles of the triceps rapidly. These exercises included:
I hope you have found the information in this article useful and I hope any questions you had have been answered. Thank you for reading, please come back soon.
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