8 Best Tricep Exercises For Your Next Upper Body Workout

As fun as it might be to flex an impressive set of biceps, having a strong upper body is about so much more than how you look. Holistic strength means your daily movements are easier and you can live your life with less risk of muscle strain or injury. 

Carrying heavy grocery bags or your surfboard? Lifting your kids or moving furniture? Shovelling dirt or snow? Perhaps your job requires heavy lifting? Whatever your lifestyle, having a strong upper body can make these daily tasks so much easier.

One arm muscle we sometimes neglect (or find difficult to strengthen) is our triceps, located on the back of our upper arm. Including tricep exercises in your workout routine is an important part of building a strong upper body, so we’ve put together two workouts featuring some of the best tricep exercises to take the guesswork out of your training sessions.

Jump to:

• At-Home Tricep Workout

• Tricep Workout For the Gym

Both of these tricep workouts are based on popular Sweat programs. The first workout can be done at home and has been inspired by High Intensity with Kayla Itsines. The second is a gym-based workout with exercises from Kelsey Wells’ PWR program. 

At-home tricep workout

No gym membership? No problem! These tricep exercises can be done at home and all you need is a set of dumbbells and a chair. If you don’t have access to any home gym equipment, you can easily swap dumbbells for a weighted item in your home – just make sure it’s easy to grasp! 

To turn these exercises into a longer circuit or make them part of a full-body workout, rest for 30 seconds at the end before completing two more rounds from the beginning.

Tricep dips

What you need: Chair or a bench

1. Sit on a chair.

2. Position your hands on the edge of the chair under your glutes and directly below your shoulders with your fingers facing forwards. 

3. Shift your glutes forward off the chair until they are hovering above the floor and your arms are supporting your body. 

4. Lower your body towards the floor by bending your elbows until you create a 90-degree angle with your arms. Ensure your shoulders, elbows, and wrists remain in line and close to your torso at all times.

5. Push through the heel of your hand and extend your arms to return to starting position. Avoid using your legs to assist you and always try to maintain an upright position.

6. Repeat for 10 repetitions. For a more challenging option, straighten your legs in front of you with your heels on the floor.

Tricep push-ups

1. Place both hands on the mat shoulder-width apart, feet together on the mat behind you while resting on your knees. This is your starting position.

2. While maintaining a neutral spine, bend your elbows and lower your torso towards the mat, keeping your elbows close to the sides of your body throughout the whole movement.

3. Extend your elbows to lift your body back into the starting position.

4. Repeat for 10 repetitions. For a more challenging variation, perform triceps pushups on your toes!

Tricep extensions with dumbbell

What you need: Dumbbell (or alternative)

1. Holding a single dumbbell with both hands, stand with your feet hip-width apart.

2. Extend your arms above your head, on either side of your ears. This is your starting position.

3. While keeping your shoulders as still as possible and your arms close to your ears, bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head.

4. Using your triceps, extend your elbows to return to the starting position, ensuring your shoulders, elbows and wrists remain in line with one another at all times.

5. Repeat for 10 repetitions.

Tricep kickback

What you need: Dumbbells (or alternative)

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing inwards), stand with your feet hip-width apart.

2. While maintaining a slight bend in your knees, bend forwards from the hips until your torso is parallel to the floor. Bend your elbows to bring the dumbbells to either side of your chest. This is your starting position.

3. Using your triceps, extend your elbows back behind you, keeping your arms close to the sides of your body.

4. Bend your elbows to return to the starting position.

5. Repeat for 15 repetitions on each side.

Tricep workout for the gym

You can choose to do some of these tricep exercises as part of your arm day workout, or you can dedicate an entire workout to your triceps — it’s up to you.

For a great tricep workout, complete each exercise once, rest for 30 seconds and then repeat the entire circuit for two more rounds.

Gym equipment needed: Cable machine + rope attachment, barbell, bench

Tricep pushdown

What you need: Cable machine + rope attachment

1. Connect the rope attachment and set the cable pulley at the top of the pole.

2. Turn to face the cable pulley. Stand half a step away with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart.

3. Place both hands on the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing inwards). Without changing the angle of your wrists, pull the rope down until your hands are positioned on either side of your body. Keep your core engaged for stability.

4. Bend your elbows to allow the rope to come up towards your chest, stopping when your hands are at chest height. Keep your elbows close to the sides of your body throughout the whole movement.

5. Repeat for 12 repetitions.

Overhead tricep extension

What you need: Cable machine + rope attachment

1. Connect the rope attachment and set the cable pulley at the top of the pole.

2. Place both hands on the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing inwards), then turn to face away from the cable pulley, holding the ropes above and behind your head with your elbows bent. Stand half a step  away from the pole with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart. 

3. Bend at the hips and knees, lean your torso forward and press your glutes into the pole. 

4. Extend your elbows to bring the rope in front of your head. 

5. While keeping your shoulders as still as possible and your arms close to your ears, bend your elbows to return the ends of the rope back behind your head.

6. Repeat for 12 repetitions.

Barbell skull crusher

What you need: Barbell, Bench 

1. Holding a barbell, lie down on the bench with your feet on the floor on either side of the bench or on the bench itself — whichever is most comfortable.

2. Extend your arms straight above you, holding the barbell directly in front of your chest in an overhand grip (palms facing away from your body). 

3. While keeping your shoulders as still as possible, bend your elbows to lower the barbell towards your forehead.

4. Using your triceps, extend your elbows to straighten your arms and lift the barbell back above your chest, ensuring your shoulders, elbows and wrists remain in line with one another at all times.

5. Repeat for 15 repetitions.

Negative tricep dip

What you need: Bench 

1. Begin seated on a bench. Place your hands on the edge of the bench under your glutes and directly below your shoulders with your fingers facing forwards.

2. Shift your glutes forwards off the bench. 

3. Take a full three seconds to bend your elbows and lower your glutes towards the floor until you have created two 90-degree angles with your arms, ensuring your shoulders, elbows and wrists remain in line with one another.

4. Take one second to push through the heels of your hands and extend your arms to return to the starting position. Avoid using your legs to assist you and always try to maintain an upright position.

5. Repeat for 10 repetitions.

Tricep workouts for home or the gym

Whether you prefer training at the gym or at home, these two tricep workouts are a great place to start building your upper-body strength. Remember, building strength and muscle takes patience and consistency.

For an intense arm workout, try pairing these tricep exercises with a shoulder workout!