Muscle group

Triceps exercises

The triceps is about two thirds of your upper arm, so if you care about arm size it matters more than the biceps. It works on every press, which means part of the stimulus already comes from your chest and shoulder work.

The atlas has two families of movements: presses that share the load with your chest, like the close-grip bench press, and isolated extensions on the cable and with dumbbells. A good triceps session usually uses both.

Triceps exercises by equipment

Choose the equipment available to you and find exercises that suit your setup.

Cable18Easiest start and load to dial inBench17Dumbbell16Overhead and by your side

More equipmentOther 12·Bodyweight 9·Barbell 8

Exercise library

All Triceps exercises

12 exercises
Filters

12 exercises

OtherClear filters

Training guide

About training Triceps exercises

Choose one movement, perform it well, then progress it over time.

How do you train triceps?

The long head of the triceps attaches above the shoulder joint, so it works one way with your arm down and another way overhead. That is why a plan is better off with one movement with the arms by your sides and one with the arms overhead. Two to three exercises of 3 sets each are usually enough if you already press heavy for chest during the week.

Pressing movement or isolation?

The close-grip bench press and dips let you use real weight and build strength, but they share the work with your chest and shoulders. Cable and dumbbell extensions hit the triceps more precisely, at a lighter load. The simplest way to order a session is the compound first, then one or two extensions.

Where to start

Explore further

By equipment

Cable18Bench17Dumbbell16Other12Bodyweight9

Other muscle groups

BicepsForearms

Browse the exercise library

Workout tracker

Add this exercise to a workout and track your progress

Add it to a plan or to your current session, log sets, weight and reps, keep the instructions and tips at hand while you train, and check your previous results, records and volume.

  • Plan - add this exercise to a workout
  • Log - sets, weight and reps
  • Progress - history, records and volume
Add to a workoutSee how the workout tracker works