Triceps Exercises

Bench Dips

Exercise Advice: Position your hands shoulder width apart on a secured bench. Move your feet out as far out in front of you as possible. Straighten out your arms and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints. Slowly lower your upper body down towards the floor and keep your elbows tucked into your sides. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly press off with your hands and push yourself back up to the starting position with your triceps.

Cable Lying Extensions

Exercise Advice: Position flat bench in line with a cable machine. Attach a straight bar to the bottom part of the cable machine. Lay flat on your back on the bench. In this position, the best thing is to have someone hand you the straight bar but if your training solo, reach back and grab the straight bar from the cable machine. Hold the straight bar with your palms up and position the bar just above your head with your elbow in. Slowly extend your arms upwards, keeping your elbows in and flexing your triceps at the top of the movement. Slowly lower the bar back to the starting position while always keeping your elbow in.

Cable Single Arm Extensions

Exercise Advice: Using a cable machine, attach a cable handle to the top portion of the machine. Grab the cable handle with one hand and your palm facing towards you. The starting position should have your hand at about chin level. While keeping your elbow tucked in at your side, slowly extend your arm down until almost reaching a full locked out position at the bottom. Always keep a little bend in your arm at the extended position to keep tension on the tricep and off your elbow joint. Finally, slowly let your arm move back up into the starting position. Repeat with your opposite arm.

Cable Rope Overhead Extensions

Exercise Advice: Using a rope attachment on the lower part of a cable machine, position your body away from the rope so your back is facing it. The best way is to have someone hand you the rope attachment in this position. Firmly grasp the rope attachment with your palms facing together and position the rope directly behind your head with your elbows in. Slowly extend the rope upwards, keeping your elbows in. Keep a slight bend in your arms when you reach the top position to make sure you keep the tension on your triceps muscle and off your elbow joints. Slowly lower your arms back into the starting position while keeping your elbow is throughout the range of the movement.

Close Grip Bench Presses

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a regular free weight flat bench press machine. Lie flat on your back and grab the barbell above you with a very narrow grip. Focus on keeping about an 6-8 inch width in your grip Lift the barbell off of the rack and slowly lower it to about 3 inches above your chest and then press the bar back to the start position. Make sure to focus on keeping your elbows in towards your body throughout the full range of the movement.

Decline Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a decline bench and lay back completely flat. Have someone carefully hand you two dumbbells and position them above your head with your palms facing each other and your arms straightened out. Make sure to always keep a little bend in your arms to keep tension on the tricep muscle. Slowly lower both dumbbells to a few inches above your eyes and focus on keeping your elbows in towards you throughout the movement. Finally, extend your arms back up the starting position while keeping your elbows in.

Decline EZ Bar Extensions

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a decline bench and lay back completely flat. Have someone carefully hand you an EZ bar and position it above your head with your palms facing up and your arms straightened out. Make sure to always keep a little bend in your arms to keep tension on the tricep muscle. Slowly lower the EZ bar to a few inches above your eyes and focus on keeping your elbows in towards you throughout the movement. Finally, extend your arms back up the starting position while keeping your elbows in.

Dips

Exercise Advice: Firmly grasp the handles on the dip machine and raise your body up to the starting position. Your arms should be almost extended in the starting position but make sure to have a little bend in your arms to keep the tension on the triceps. Slowly lower your body downwards, keeping your elbows in at your sides. If you keep your elbows out, you will be working more of the pectoral muscles. You should lower yourself down so that your arms are in a 90 degree position as illustrated in the photo. Slowly raise your body back up to the starting position, while keeping your elbows in and tension on your triceps.

Incline Barbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Using an incline bench, position your body with your back flat on the bench. The best way is to have someone hand the barbell in this position. Grasp the barbell tightly with your palms facing up and slowly lower the barbell downwards behind your head while keeping your elbow in. Finally, slowly raise the bar upwards while keeping your elbows in and the tension directly on your triceps. Always keep a slight bend in your arms at the top position.

Kneeling Cable Concentration Extensions

Exercise Advice: Using a cable machine, attach a cable handle to the top portion of the machine. Grab the cable handle with your right hand and your palm facing up. Slowly position your body so your right knee is on the ground and your left knee up as displayed in the exercise photo. The starting position should have your hand at about chin level. While keeping your elbow tucked in at your side, slowly extend your arm down until almost reaching a full locked out position at the bottom. Always keep a little bend in your arm at the extended position to keep tension on the tricep and off your elbow joint. Finally, slowly let your arm move back up into the starting position. Repeat with your opposite arm.

Kneeling Cable Extensions

Exercise Advice: Position a flat bench near a cable machine. Attach a straight bar to the top portion of the cable machine and grab the bar with your palms facing down. Slowly position your body so your kneeling in front of the flat bench with your elbows resting on the middle of the bench. The starting position is with your hands positioned just above your head. Slowly extend your arms keeping your elbows on the bench. Keep the tension on your triceps and come to full extension with just a little bend in your arms. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position just above your head.

Low Cable Extensions

Exercise Advice: Position a flat bench near a cable machine. Attach a rope to the bottom portion of the cable machine. Lay flat on your back on the bench and reach back to grab the rope attachment. Hold the rope tightly with your hands near the top of your head and extend your arms upward, keeping your elbows in. At the top of the movement, make sure to keep a little bend in your arms and all the tension on the tricep muscles. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position while keeping your elbows in during the entire movement.

Lying Barbell Extension Behind Head

Exercise Advice: Lay flat on your back on a bench and grasp a barbell securely. Hold the barbell tightly with your arms extended and a slight bend in your arms and all the tension on the tricep muscles. Slowly lower the weight down behind your head while keeping your elbows in. Raise the dumbbell back to the starting position while keeping your elbows in during the entire movement.

Lying Barbell Press To Chin

Exercise Advice: Lay flat on your back on a bench and grasp a barbell with your palms facing up. Hold the barbell tightly with your hands a few inches from your head. Extend your arms upwards, keeping your elbows in. Make sure to keep a little bend in your arms and all the tension on the tricep muscles. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position while keeping your elbows in during the entire movement.

Lying Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Lay flat on your back on a bench and grasp a dumbbell securely. Hold the dumbbell tightly with your arms extended and a slight bend in your arms and all the tension on the tricep muscles. Slowly lower the weight down behind your head while keeping your elbows in. Raise the dumbbell back to the starting position while keeping your elbows in during the entire movement.

Lying Presses

Exercise Advice: Lay flat on your back on a bench and grasp a dumbbell securely. Hold the dumbbell tightly with your arms extended and a slight bend in your arms and all the tension on the tricep muscles. Slowly lower the weight down behind your head while keeping your elbows in. Raise the dumbbell back to the starting position while keeping your elbows in during the entire movement.

Lying Supinating Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a flat bench and lay back completely flat. Have someone carefully hand you two dumbbells and position them above your head with your palms facing each other and your arms straightened out. Make sure to always keep a little bend in your arms to keep tension on the tricep muscle. Slowly lower both dumbbells to a few inches above your eyes and focus on keeping your elbows in towards you throughout the movement. Finally, extend your arms back up the starting position while keeping your elbows in.

Single Arm Pronated Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a flat bench and lay back completely flat. Have someone carefully hand you a dumbbell and position it above your head with your palm facing out and your arms straightened but make sure to always keep a little bend in your arm to keep tension on the tricep muscle. Slowly lower the dumbbell to a few inches above your chest. Finally, extend your arms back up the starting position while keeping your elbows in. Repeat with your opposite arm.

Single Arm Supinating Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a flat bench and lay back completely flat. Have someone carefully hand you a dumbbell and position it above your head with your arm straightened but make sure to always keep a little bend in your arm to keep tension on the tricep muscle. Slowly lower the dumbbell to a few inches above your head. Finally, extend your arms back up the starting position while keeping your elbows in. Repeat with your opposite arm.

Pushups Hands Close

Exercise Advice: This exercise is your basic pushup, but with your hands positioned close together. As you lower your body down, make sure to keep your elbows in to keep all the tension on the tricep muscle. If you let your elbows turn out, you will be working more of the pectoral muscles (chest) than your triceps. Push up to the starting position while keeping your elbows in during the entire range of the movement.

Reverse Grip Pushdowns

Exercise Advice: Attach a straight bar to the top portion of a cable machine. Grab the bar with a reverse grip and your palms facing up. Position the bar at about chest level and slowly lower the bar downwards. Make sure to keep your elbows in while extending your arms and have a slight bend in your arms when you reach the bottom of the movement. Slowly let the bar come back up to the starting position while keeping your elbows in.

Reverse Bench Presses

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a flat bench and lay back completely flat. Have someone carefully hand you a barbell or EZ bar and position it above your head with your palm facing in. Keep your arms straightened but make sure to always keep a little bend in your arm to keep tension on the tricep muscle. Slowly lower the barbell to a few inches above your chest while keeping your elbows in toward your side. Extend your arms back up the starting position while keeping your elbows in.

Seated Single Arm Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Sit at the end of a flat bench while holding onto a dumbbell. Slowly lean your upper body down as displayed in the exercise photo. Keep your arm tucked into your side at a 90 degree angle. Slowly extend your arm out and keep your elbow in. At full extension of the movement, make sure to keep a little bend in your arm and all the tension on your tricep muscle. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat with your opposite arm.

Seated Overhead Barbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Sit on a flat bench and while holding a barbell securely, position it above your head with your arms extended. Make sure to keep a little bend in your arms while extending your arms. Slowly lower your arms down behind your head while keeping your elbows in and all the tension on your triceps. Slowly raise the barbell back up to the starting position while keeping your elbows in throughout the movement.

Seated Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Sit on a flat bench and while holding a dumbbell securely, position it above your head with your arms extended. Make sure to keep a little bend in your arms while extending your arms. Slowly lower your arms down behind your head while keeping your elbows in and all the tension on your triceps. Slowly raise the dumbbell back up to the starting position while keeping your elbows in throughout the movement.

Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Presses

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a smith machine flat bench. Lie flat on your back and grab the smith machine barbell with a very narrow grip. Focus on keeping about an 6-8 inch width in your grip Slowly lower it to about 3 inches above your chest and then press the bar back to the start position. Make sure to focus on keeping your elbows in towards your body throughout the full range of the movement.

Standing Single Arm Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: While standing, slowly lean over while holding a dumbbell in one hand. Keep your arm tucked into your side at a 90 degree angle. Slowly extend your arm out and keep your elbow in. At full extension of the movement, make sure to keep a little bend in your arm and all the tension on your tricep muscle. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat with your opposite arm.

Standing Two Arm Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: While standing, slowly lean over while holding a dumbbell in one hand. Keep your arm tucked into your side at a 90 degree angle. Keep your arms tucked into your sides at a 90 degree angle. Slowly extend your arms out and keep your elbows in. At full extension of the movement, make sure to keep a little bend in your arms and all the tension on your triceps. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Grab a dumbbell securely with both hands and while standing, position the dumbbell above your head with your arms extended with a slight bend in them. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head while keeping your elbows in through the movement. Slowly raise the dumbbell back up to the starting position.

Low Cable Single Arm Extensions

Exercise Advice: Using a cable machine, attach a cable handle to the bottom portion of the machine. Grab the cable handle with one hand and position it just behind your head. Slowly extend your arm up until almost reaching a full locked out position at the top. Always keep a little bend in your arm at the extended position to keep tension on the tricep and off your elbow joint. Finally, slowly let your arm move back down into the starting position.

Single Arm Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Grab a dumbbell securely with one hand and while standing, position the dumbbell behind your head with your arm extended and a slight bend to keep the tension on the tricep muscle. Slowly lower the dumbbell to a position behind your head. Slowly raise the dumbbell back up to the starting position. Repeat with your opposite arm.

Overhead Barbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: While standing, hold a barbell securely and position it above your head with your arms extended. Make sure to keep a little bend in your arms while extending your arms. Slowly lower your arms down behind your head while keeping your elbows in and all the tension on your triceps. Slowly raise the barbell back up to the starting position while keeping your elbows in throughout the movement.

Towel Extensions

Exercise Advice: While standing, hold a towel with both hands and position it above your head with your arms extended. Make sure to keep a little bend in your arms while extending your arms. Have a training partner hold the other end of the towel in order to apply resistance through the movement. Slowly lower your arms down behind your head while keeping your elbows in and all the tension on your triceps. Slowly raise the towel back up and have your training partner pull down on the towel for resistance. Raise the towel to the starting position while keeping your elbows in throughout the movement.

Two Arm Lying Dumbbell Extensions

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a flat bench and lay back completely flat. Grab two dumbbells and position them above your head with your palm facing out and your arms straightened but make sure to always keep a little bend in your arm to keep tension on the tricep muscle. Slowly lower the dumbbells to a few inches above your chest. Finally, extend your arms back up the starting position.

Dumbbell Kickbacks

Exercise Advice: Grab a dumbbell with your right hand and position your left knee and hand onto a flat bench. Keep your arm tucked into your side at a 90 degree angle. Slowly extend your arm out and keep your elbow in. At full extension of the movement, make sure to keep a little bend in your arm and all the tension on your tricep muscle. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat with your opposite arm.

Straight Bar Pushdowns

Exercise Advice: Attach a straight bar to the top portion of a cable machine. Grab the bar with your palms facing down and position the bar at about chest level and slowly lower the bar downward. Make sure to keep your elbows in while extending your arms and have a slight bend in your arms when you reach the bottom of the movement. Slowly let the bar come back up to the starting position while keeping your elbows in.

Rope Pushdowns

Exercise Advice: Attach a rope to the top portion of a cable machine. Grab the rope with your palms facing towards each other and position the rope at about chest level. Slowly lower the rope downward, making sure to keep your elbows in while extending your arms and have a slight bend in your arms when you reach the bottom of the movement. Slowly let the rope come back up to the starting position while keeping your elbows in.

V Bar Pushdowns

Exercise Advice: Attach a v-bar to the top portion of a cable machine. Grab the v-bar with your palms towards each other and position the v-bar at about chest level. Slowly lower the v-bar downward, making sure to keep your elbows in while extending your arms and have a slight bend in your arms when you reach the bottom of the movement. Slowly let the v-bar come back up to the starting position while keeping your elbows in.

Machine Hammer Extensions

Exercise Advice: Sit securely in a triceps machine and firmly grasp the handles. While keeping your elbows in, extend your arms downwards. At the bottom of the movement, focus on keeping a little bend in your arms to keep tension on the triceps muscles. Slowly let your arms come back up to the starting position.