The Best Triceps Exercises for Strong Arms

When it comes to building strong, muscular arms, the triceps are just as important as the biceps. The triceps, located on the back of your upper arm, are responsible for the extension of the elbow and contribute significantly to the overall appearance and strength of your arms. Whether you're looking to improve your athletic performance or enhance the aesthetics of your upper body, targeting your triceps with the right exercises is essential. In this post, we’ll dive into some of the best triceps exercises, including long head triceps exercises, and provide tips for getting the most out of your arm training.

Why Triceps Matter for Strong Arms

The triceps muscle group consists of three distinct heads: the long head, the lateral head, and the medial head. These three muscles come together to form the full tricep muscle, and each plays a unique role in upper body strength. While the biceps get a lot of attention due to their prominent position on the front of the arm, the triceps actually account for a larger portion of the upper arm’s total muscle mass—making them crucial for both aesthetics and strength.

A well-developed tricep not only enhances the shape and size of your arms but also plays a vital role in a wide range of exercises. The triceps contribute to movements such as pressing, pushing, and throwing, making them essential for functional strength and performance in sports like swimming, boxing, and weightlifting.

Best Triceps Exercises for Maximum Growth

To build strong and defined triceps, it’s important to incorporate a variety of triceps exercises in the gym. Each exercise will target the triceps in different ways, hitting all three heads for balanced muscle development. Below are some of the most effective triceps exercises to include in your workout routine.

1. Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press is an excellent compound movement that works the triceps while also engaging the chest and shoulders. By narrowing your grip on the barbell, you place greater emphasis on the triceps, making it one of the best triceps exercises for building mass.

• How to do it: Lie on a flat bench and grip the barbell with your hands placed about shoulder-width apart. Lower the barbell to your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body, then press it back up to the starting position.
• Target muscles: Primarily the triceps, with secondary activation of the chest and shoulders.

2. Tricep Dips

Tricep dips are a classic bodyweight exercise that targets all three heads of the triceps. This movement is great for building strength and size in the triceps and can be performed using parallel bars, a bench, or even the edge of a sturdy chair.

• How to do it: Place your hands on the edge of a bench or dip bars, keeping your legs extended in front of you. Lower your body until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, then push back up to the starting position.
• Target muscles: Primarily the triceps, with secondary activation of the chest and shoulders.

3. Overhead Tricep Extension

The overhead tricep extension is one of the best exercises for hitting the long head of the triceps. This movement stretches the muscle, allowing for greater activation and growth.

• How to do it: Sit or stand with a dumbbell or cable in both hands. Hold the weight above your head with your arms fully extended, and slowly lower it behind your head by bending your elbows. Press the weight back up to the starting position.
• Target muscles: Primarily the long head of the triceps, with secondary activation of the lateral and medial heads.

4. Skull Crushers (Lying Tricep Extensions)

Skull crushers, or lying tricep extensions, are a fantastic isolation exercise that specifically targets the triceps. By focusing on a controlled movement and full range of motion, this exercise can help build strength and definition in the triceps.

• How to do it: Lie on a flat bench with a barbell or EZ curl bar. Hold the bar with your arms extended above your chest, then slowly lower it to your forehead by bending your elbows. Press the weight back to the starting position.
• Target muscles: Primarily the triceps, with a focus on the long head.

5. Triceps Pushdowns

Triceps pushdowns are one of the best triceps exercises to perform with a cable machine. The controlled movement allows you to focus on squeezing the triceps at the bottom of the rep for maximum contraction and development.

• How to do it: Stand in front of a cable machine with a rope attachment or bar. Grip the handle and pull it down until your arms are fully extended by your sides. Slowly return to the starting position.
• Target muscles: All three heads of the triceps, with a slight emphasis on the lateral head.

6. Diamond Push-Ups

Diamond push-ups are a variation of the traditional push-up that targets the triceps more directly. By positioning your hands close together in a diamond shape, you shift the focus to the triceps while still engaging the chest and shoulders.

• How to do it: Get into a push-up position with your hands placed close together under your chest, forming a diamond shape with your fingers. Lower your chest to the ground and press back up.
• Target muscles: Primarily the triceps, with secondary activation of the chest and shoulders.

7. Kickbacks

Tricep kickbacks are an isolation exercise that targets the triceps, particularly the long head. Using dumbbells or cables, you can perform this exercise for a concentrated contraction.

• How to do it: Bend over at the waist with a dumbbell in each hand, keeping your upper arms parallel to the ground. Extend your elbows to straighten your arms and squeeze the triceps at the top of the movement.
• Target muscles: Primarily the long head of the triceps, with secondary activation of the lateral and medial heads.

Long Head Triceps Exercises for Bigger Arms

The long head of the triceps is the largest of the three heads, and it contributes significantly to the overall size and appearance of your arms. To target the long head effectively, it’s important to include exercises that involve overhead movements. Here are some of the best long head triceps exercises:

1. Overhead Tricep Extension (Dumbbell or Cable)

As mentioned earlier, the overhead tricep extension is one of the best exercises to target the long head of the triceps. This exercise places the muscle in a stretched position, allowing for better activation.

2. Close-Grip Bench Press

Although this is a compound movement, the close-grip bench press can also be effective for hitting the long head of the triceps, especially if you keep your elbows close to your body.

3. Tricep Dips with Forward Lean

To emphasize the long head of the triceps during dips, you can lean forward slightly as you lower your body. This variation helps to shift the load onto the long head, maximizing its activation.

Tips for Effective Triceps Training

To get the best results from your triceps workout, keep the following tips in mind:

1. Focus on Form: Proper form is crucial for targeting the right muscles and preventing injury. Avoid flaring your elbows or using momentum to complete reps.
2. Use a Full Range of Motion: Make sure to lower the weight fully during exercises like skull crushers or triceps pushdowns, allowing for maximum muscle activation.
3. Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the weight, reps, or sets over time to continue challenging your muscles and promoting growth.
4. Incorporate Variety: To fully develop all three heads of the triceps, include a mix of compound and isolation exercises in your routine.
5. Give Your Triceps Time to Recover: Like any muscle group, your triceps need adequate rest to recover and grow. Be sure to allow at least 48 hours between triceps workouts.

Conclusion

Building strong, well-defined triceps is essential for achieving balanced, muscular arms. By incorporating a variety of triceps exercises in the gym—especially those that target the long head of the triceps—you can ensure that you're hitting all parts of the muscle for maximum growth. Whether you're focusing on compound movements like the close-grip bench press or isolation exercises like the tricep kickback, consistency and proper technique are key to seeing results. So, if you’re looking to take your arm training to the next level, make sure to include these best triceps exercises in your routine.