Best Tricep Exercises: 7 Moves for Bigger Arms

By Jon Klipstein, U.S. Army Combat Veteran & Founder of Die Tryin Co., and Chelsea Rodgers, IFBB Pro & Die Tryin Co. Athlete

YOUR TRICEPS ARE TWO-THIRDS OF YOUR ARM

If you want bigger arms, stop hammering biceps curls and look at the back of your arm. The triceps make up roughly two-thirds of your upper-arm mass — so if your arms are stuck, your triceps are almost always the reason.

The fix isn't more sets of one exercise. It's training the triceps the way they're actually built: three separate heads, each needing a different angle. Here are the best tricep exercises to hit all three, plus how to program them so the work turns into size.

MEET YOUR THREE TRICEP HEADS

The triceps ("tri" = three) have three heads, and a complete arm needs all three trained:

• Long head — the big one on the inner/back of the arm, and the biggest contributor to overall size. It only fully works when your arm is overhead or behind you, which is exactly why most people under-build it.
• Lateral head — the outer head that gives the arm that "horseshoe" look. Hit hard by pushdowns.
• Medial head — the smaller, deeper head that works on nearly every pressing movement.

The takeaway: pushdowns alone won't cut it. You need overhead and stretched positions to grow the long head — that's the difference between flat triceps and full ones.

THE 7 BEST TRICEP EXERCISES

A smart mix of heavy compounds for mass and isolation work to target each head.

1. Close-Grip Bench Press

Your heaviest tricep builder. A flat bench press with hands about shoulder-width loads the triceps hard while letting you move real weight. Start here when you're fresh.

2. Weighted Dips

A brutal compound that hits triceps, chest, and shoulders. Keep your torso fairly upright to bias the triceps, and add weight once bodyweight gets easy.

3. Overhead Cable or Dumbbell Extension

The most important move for size, and the one most people skip. Pressing from overhead puts the long head in a deep stretch — the position where it grows. If you only add one exercise, add this.

4. Skull Crushers (Lying Tricep Extension)

Lying on a bench, lower an EZ-bar or dumbbells toward your forehead and extend. Hits the long and lateral heads through a big range of motion. Control the lowering — don't just drop and bounce.

5. Rope Pushdown

The lateral-head finisher. Use a cable with a rope and spread the ends apart hard at the bottom for a full contraction. Great for high reps and a serious pump.

6. Diamond Push-Ups

Hands together under your chest. A free, bodyweight movement that torches the triceps — perfect as a finisher or for training anywhere with zero equipment.

7. Dumbbell Kickback

Often dismissed, but done right it nails peak contraction on the lateral and medial heads. Lighter weight, strict form, full squeeze at the top — ego-lifting ruins this one.

HOW TO PROGRAM THEM FOR GROWTH

Exercises only matter if you program them right. The thing that actually drives growth is progressive tension over time — the core of the mechanisms behind muscle hypertrophy. Keep it simple:

• Train triceps 2× per week with 10–16 hard sets total across the week.
• Pick 3–4 exercises per session that cover all three heads — always include one overhead/stretched movement for the long head.
• Heavy compounds (close-grip bench, dips) in the 6–10 rep range; isolation (pushdowns, kickbacks) in the 10–15 range.
• Use a full range of motion and add weight or reps over time. That progression is the whole game.

COMMON MISTAKES THAT KEEP TRICEPS SMALL

• Only doing pushdowns. They hit the lateral head and ignore the long head — the biggest one.
• Half reps. Cutting the range short kills the stretch and the growth. Full lockout, full stretch.
• Ego lifting isolation moves. Skull crushers and kickbacks with too much weight turn into shoulder swings. Control beats load here.
• Skipping the overhead work. No overhead/stretched movement = a long head that never grows. Non-negotiable for real arm size.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the best tricep exercise for mass?

The close-grip bench press, because it lets you load the triceps with the most weight. Pair it with an overhead extension to also build the long head, and you've got the two biggest size drivers.

How do I grow the long head of my triceps?

Train it in a stretched position — overhead extensions (cable or dumbbell) are the best move. The long head only fully activates when your arm is overhead or behind you, so standard pushdowns won't do it.

How often should I train triceps?

Two times per week works well for most lifters, with 10–16 hard sets total across the week. They also get indirect work on every pressing day, so you don't need to crush them daily.

Can I build triceps without weights?

Yes. Diamond push-ups and bench/bodyweight dips build real triceps with no equipment. Add reps or elevate your feet to keep them challenging.

How many exercises should I do per tricep workout?

Three to four, chosen to cover all three heads — one heavy compound, one overhead/stretched movement, and one or two isolation finishers.

READY TO GEAR UP?

Bigger arms come from showing up, training hard, and recovering right. Train your hardest sessions on a real pre-workout like SEND IT, add daily Creatine for strength and size, and put the full plan together with our complete guide to building muscle. Want bigger arms all around? Don't skip the biceps side — or take the quiz to build your stack.

ALWAYS FORWARD.