Best Tricep Exercises12 Picks, Ranked
Your triceps make up most of the back of your upper arm, and their job is to straighten the elbow. The muscle has three heads, and the long head also crosses the shoulder, so it gets the most stretch when your arm is overhead. That is why a well-rounded triceps plan pairs pushdowns with an overhead or lying extension, then adds a heavier compound like dips or close-grip pressing, where the triceps work alongside the chest and shoulders.
- Weekly working sets
- 6–24
- The weekly range KasMaker measures triceps volume against. Fewer is a light week; more is past what most lifters recover from.
- Recovery window
- ~36 hours
- The base time KasMaker's recovery map allows for triceps to recover, scaled up or down by how much you did.
The list
The list mixes cable, barbell, dumbbell, machine and bodyweight options. Pick one or two from the top as staples, such as Triceps Pushdown and Lying Triceps Press, then add a variant for a different arm position, like Cable Rope Overhead Triceps Extension. Your triceps already work during bench and overhead presses, so plan your direct sets with that in mind. Add reps or weight gradually over the weeks and keep your elbows comfortable.
Covers: Triceps brachii (long, lateral and medial heads).
Triceps Pushdown
Most popular tricep isolation. Easy to learn, easy to load, every gym has a cable station. Hits the lateral head well.
Dips (Triceps Version)
Best compound for triceps. Bodyweight makes it accessible, can add weight for progression. Also hits chest and shoulders.
Lying Triceps Press
Targets the long head of the tricep, which is the largest head. EZ-bar version is wrist-friendly. Classic mass builder.
Triceps Pushdown (Rope Attachment)
Allows wrist rotation at bottom for peak contraction. Hits the lateral head slightly differently. Extremely common in every gym.
Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
Heavy compound for triceps. Allows the most absolute load of any tricep exercise.
Bench Dips
Bodyweight, no equipment needed beyond a bench. Beginner-friendly regression of parallel bar dips.
Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension
Targets the long head with the arm overhead (stretched position). One-arm version fixes imbalances.
Cable Rope Overhead Triceps Extension
Overhead cable extension for the long head with constant tension. Rope allows natural wrist position.
Cable One Arm Tricep Extension
Unilateral cable work isolates each arm. Great for fixing imbalances and mind-muscle connection.
Dip Machine
Machine-guided dip motion for those who can't do bodyweight dips yet. Adjustable resistance for progressive overload.
Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension
Decline angle increases stretch on the long head. Dumbbell version allows independent arm work.
Close-Grip Dumbbell Press
Dumbbell compound pressing with tricep emphasis. Neutral grip is easier on the wrists than barbell close-grip.
Other muscle groups
See how much each muscle is getting
KasMaker colors every muscle on a body map by how much you've trained it, so you can tell at a glance whether your triceps got enough work this week. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
