Your Guide to the 8 Best Triceps Workouts to Build Muscle and Strength

Biceps often get a lot of attention, but your triceps actually have the most real estate in your upper arms. The triceps, located on the backs of your upper arms, are key for pushing and pressing movements, as well as overall, well-rounded arm strength.

If you want to build strength, perform upper-body movements like push-ups, move with ease, and sculpt your arms, you need to be doing triceps workouts. Here’s everything you need to know to support the triceps-building process, including:

• Understanding triceps anatomy

• Why triceps strength matters

• The 8 best triceps workouts to build muscle and strength

• Tips for training your muscles for triceps growth

• A sample triceps-focused workout routine 

• How long does it take to build triceps muscle? 

Let’s dive in!

Understanding triceps anatomy

The triceps muscles are located on the back sides of your upper arms. They account for most of your upper arms, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE). The “tri” in the name comes from the fact that each triceps muscle has three heads, the long head, lateral head, and medial head, up by your shoulder. All three come together into a single tendon down by your elbow. 

These muscles are the primary movers when you extend (straighten) your arms. They also help stabilize your elbows.

Why tricep strength matters

Many people want to build strength and size in their triceps to change the appearance of their arms. While working toward that toned appearance is a valid goal if it makes you feel empowered, triceps strength matters for more than just looks.

Strong triceps are key for activities that involve lifting your arms overhead—like tennis, pickleball, and rock climbing. They’re also essential for pushing movements, such as doing push-ups or getting up from the floor. Building upper-arm strength makes everyday tasks like carrying groceries, climbing ladders, and opening doors easier.

Plus, because the triceps stabilize your elbows, you’re less likely to injure that joint if the muscles around it are strong.

The 8 best triceps workouts to build muscle and strength

You can do triceps exercises with just your bodyweight or with different types of equipment. Here eight of the best types of triceps exercises, including:

• Bodyweight triceps exercises

• Dumbbell triceps exercises

• Cable machine triceps exercises

• Compound movements for triceps.

The best bodyweight triceps exercises

One major benefit of bodyweight exercises is you can do them pretty much anywhere without any equipment.

1. Triceps dips

• Sit on a sturdy chair or other surface with your hands by your hips, fingers hanging over the edge.

• Plant your feet in front of you with your knees bent and scoot your glutes off the seat, supporting yourself on your arms.

• Bend your elbows behind you to lower your hips toward the floor.

• Continue lowering until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, all while maintaining a strong posture. 

• Press through your arms to lift yourself back up.

• Continue for your desired number of repetitions.

2. Walking plank

• Lie on your stomach on a yoga mat or other cushioned surface.

• Prop yourself up on your toes and your forearms, with your elbows right under your shoulders.

• Lift your body until you form a straight line from your heels to your hips to your head. Don’t let your hips sag or lift them too high.

• Place your right palm on the mat. Press through your right palm to lift your right side.

• Place your left palm on the mat. Press through your left palm to lift your left side. You should now be in a high plank with your palms directly under your shoulders.

• Return your right forearm to the mat. Return your left forearm to the mat. That’s one rep.

• Repeat, this time starting with your left palm, and continue alternating sides for your desired amount of reps.

The best dumbbell triceps exercises

Dumbbells (or household items like water bottles or canned foods) add a challenge to your triceps exercises without requiring a ton of equipment or a gym membership.

3. Overhead triceps extension

• Start either in a seat position or standing position with your feet planted shoulder-width apart holding a single weight over your head.

• Keeping your upper arms steady and close to your ears, bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head.

• Press the weight back up to the starting position.

• Continue for your desired number of reps.

4.  Triceps kickback

• Stand tall with your feet planted shoulder-width apart holding a weight in each hand by your sides, palms facing inward.

• Keep a small bend in your knees as you lean forward by hinging from the hips and maintaining a long spine.

• Engage your core and hold your arms by your side, with your elbows aligned with your spine at 90-degree angles. This is the starting position.

• Press the weights behind you and squeeze the muscles in your upper arms.

• Slowly and with control, bring the weights back to the starting position.

• Continue for your desired number of reps.

The best cable machine triceps exercises

If you have access to a cable machine at your gym, you can try some of these more advanced triceps workouts.

5. Rope pushdown

• Position a rope attachment on a cable machine above your head. Face the machine and firmly grip the rope with your elbows tight to your sides.

• Engage your core and keep your feet hip-distance apart.

• Pull your shoulders back and down as you slowly press the rope down, moving only from your elbows. Press until your arms are straight (but don’t lock your elbows).

• Pause here briefly, then slowly bend your elbows to return to the starting position.

• Continue for your desired number of reps.

6. Single-arm cable triceps kickback

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart facing a cable machine with a handle attachment at hip height.

• Hold the cable machine handle with one hand. Hold onto the machine for balance with the other hand.

• Keep a small bend in your knees as you lean forward slightly.

• Press backwards on the cable to move your arm behind you, squeezing the muscles in your upper arm.

• Slowly and with control, move the handle back toward the machine.

• Continue for your desired number of reps.

• Switch sides, and complete the same number of reps using the other hand.

The best compound movements for triceps

Compound movements are exercises that challenge multiple joints and muscle groups at the same time. The best compound moves for triceps are typically variations on push-ups.

7. Narrow push-up

• Start balancing on your toes and palms in a high plank. Plant your palms directly under your shoulders. Your body should form a straight line from head to hips to heels.

• Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor. Keep your upper arms tight to your sides. 

• When you’re about an inch or two from the ground, press through your palms to push your body back up to the starting position.

• Continue for your desired number of reps.

8. Triangle push-up

• Start balancing on your toes and palms in a high plank. Plant your palms under your chest, with your thumbs and index fingers touching to form a triangle. Engage your core to keep your body in a straight line from head to hips to heels.

• Bend your elbows out to the sides to lower your chest toward the floor. 

• When you’re about an inch or two from the ground, press through your palms to push your body back up to the starting position.

• Continue for your desired number of reps.

A sample triceps-focused workout routine 

Triceps exercises can be part of a broader arm or upper-body workout. A smart place to start is with two triceps workouts a week. Give yourself at least two to three days of rest from triceps exercises before working these muscles again, per the NASM.

When you’re picking your exercises, aim to do 8 to 12 repetitions and build up to 3 to 5 sets over time, according to the NASM. Rest for 30 to 90 seconds between sets.

Here’s one example of how you might structure a week of workouts so you can get a sense of where triceps exercises might fit in:

• Monday: Lower-body strength workout

• Tuesday: Cardio workout

• Wednesday: Upper-body strength workout (with two to three triceps exercises)

• Thursday: Lower-body strength workout

• Friday: Cardio workout

• Saturday: Upper-body strength workout (with two to three triceps exercises)

• Sunday: Rest day

Or, if you prefer more cardio and full-body workouts with triceps exercises, a sample week of workouts might look like:

• Monday: Cardio workout

• Tuesday: Full-body strength workout (with one to two triceps exercises)

• Wednesday: Cardio workout

• Thursday: Easier cardio workout

• Friday: Full-body strength workout (with one to two triceps exercises)

• Saturday: Cardio workout

• Sunday: Rest day

Tips for training your triceps for muscle growth

Training your triceps is no different from training any other muscle group for growth. These tips will help you maximize your efforts:

• Move slowly and with control, and always use proper form.

• Always firmly grip any weights or cables you’re using.

• Engage your core throughout every triceps workout.

• Avoid hyperextending or locking out your elbows.

• Include exercises that tax other parts of your arms in your upper-body workouts for well-rounded strength.

• Always warm up before a triceps workout with movements like arm circles and triceps kickbacks without any weights.

• Cool down and reduce soreness with static arm stretches after a workout.

• Use weights or cables that challenge you. If you start to notice your level of resistance feels too easy, it’s time to push yourself a little further so you can continue building strength. Never increase by more than 10 percent each week, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

• Include at least one full rest day in every seven days of training to give your body time to repair and build your triceps.

• Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet, including plenty of protein, to fuel triceps growth. 

• Get enough sleep so your body has time to recover and you feel ready to tackle your next workout.

How long does it take to build triceps muscle? 

Noticeable muscle gains take time, and depend on a number of factors, including your diet, age, sex, and training history, according to the ACE. If you’re just starting out with strength training, you might build visible triceps muscle in as little as one to three months. If you’re more experienced with weightlifting, it might take more like three to six months.

Consistency is important, too. Stick with your triceps workouts, and you’ll see the results you’re looking for in time. Hydrow’s library of guided strength-training routines can help keep you on track. Our upper-body workouts have plenty of triceps exercises for people of all fitness levels. And our elite Athletes will keep you motivated to make progress safely as you grow more comfortable with triceps workouts.

Learn more about Hydrow’s strength training workouts today!