Triceps exercises

The 8 staple movements, taken from the 3,215 exercise guides in the SETR app: technique, recommended volume, cues and classic mistakes.

The triceps makes up roughly two thirds of the arm. It straightens the elbow, and its long head also crosses the shoulder, so it is only fully stretched with the arm overhead. Hence the value of mixing overhead extensions, pushdowns and a heavy press such as the close-grip bench press or dips.

1. Triceps pushdown

Cable Triceps Pushdown

Triceps pushdown — Cable Triceps Pushdown
Sets
3-4
Reps
10-15
Tempo
3-0-1-0
Equipment
Cable
Level
Beginner
Muscles worked
Triceps

How to do it

  1. Facing the high pulley, grab the bar or rope, elbows close to your body.
  2. Push down until your arms are fully extended.
  3. Squeeze your triceps hard at the bottom of the movement.
  4. Return under control to about 90° of elbow bend.

Tips

  • Keep your elbows pinned to your sides throughout the set.
  • Lean slightly forward for a stable base.
  • Focus on extending your elbows, not on moving your shoulders.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Letting your elbows move away from your body.
  • Using your torso to push harder.
  • Only using a partial range at the top.

2. Skull crusher

EZ Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

Skull crusher — EZ Barbell Lying Triceps Extension
Sets
3-4
Reps
10-15
Tempo
3-0-1-0
Equipment
EZ Bar
Level
Beginner
Muscles worked
Triceps

How to do it

  1. Lie on the bench, EZ bar held with straight arms above your chest.
  2. Keeping your upper arms still, bend your elbows to lower the bar toward your forehead.
  3. Straighten your arms back to the starting position.
  4. Keep your upper arms perpendicular to the floor the whole time.

Tips

  • The angled shape of the EZ bar eases the strain on your wrists compared with a straight bar.
  • Keep your elbows pointing forward, not flared out.
  • Lower slowly to control the stretch safely.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Letting your elbows drift back or out.
  • Moving your upper arms instead of isolating your elbows.
  • Using too heavy a load and losing control near your face.

3. Overhead cable triceps extension

Cable Overhead Triceps Extension

Overhead cable triceps extension — Cable Overhead Triceps Extension
Sets
3-4
Reps
10-15
Tempo
3-0-1-0
Equipment
Cable
Level
Beginner
Muscles worked
Triceps · secondary : Shoulders

How to do it

  1. With your back to the high pulley, hold a rope or handle with both hands overhead.
  2. Keep your elbows fixed and close to your head.
  3. Bend your elbows to bring your hands behind your head.
  4. Straighten your arms forward to full extension.

Tips

  • Step forward to create constant tension throughout the movement.
  • Keep your elbows tucked in, not flared out.
  • Brace your core so you don't arch your lower back.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Letting your elbows flare out to the sides.
  • Leaning forward excessively to compensate.
  • Using a load that is too heavy and cuts your range of motion.

4. Seated dumbbell triceps extension

Dumbbell Seated Triceps Extension

Seated dumbbell triceps extension — Dumbbell Seated Triceps Extension
Sets
3-4
Reps
10-15
Tempo
3-0-1-0
Equipment
Dumbbells
Level
Beginner
Muscles worked
Triceps · secondary : Shoulders

How to do it

  1. Sit with your back straight, one dumbbell held with both hands overhead.
  2. Keep your elbows fixed and close to your head.
  3. Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head.
  4. Straighten your arms to lockout overhead.

Tips

  • Sitting removes momentum from your legs for stricter form.
  • Keep your elbows tucked in, not flared out.
  • Brace your core so you don't arch your lower back.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Letting your elbows flare out to the sides.
  • Arching your lower back to compensate.
  • Using too heavy a load for this demanding position.

5. Close-grip bench press

Barbell Close Grip Bench Press

Close-grip bench press — Barbell Close Grip Bench Press
Sets
3-4
Reps
6-10
Tempo
3-1-1-0
Equipment
Barbell
Level
Intermediate
Muscles worked
Chest · secondary : Triceps, Shoulders

How to do it

  1. Lie on the bench, hands on the bar about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Squeeze your shoulder blades, plant your feet and unrack the bar.
  3. Lower the bar toward your lower chest, keeping your elbows close to your torso.
  4. Press until your arms are fully extended.

Tips

  • Too narrow a grip strains your wrists: shoulder width is the right guide.
  • Elbows tucked at your sides: that's what shifts the work to your triceps.
  • Lower the bar further down your chest than with a wide grip.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Bringing your hands so close together that you strain your wrists.
  • Flaring your elbows and losing the benefit of the close grip.
  • Bouncing the bar off your chest.

6. Triceps dips

Triceps dips — Triceps Dips
Sets
3-4
Reps
6-10
Tempo
3-1-1-0
Equipment
Bodyweight
Level
Intermediate
Muscles worked
Triceps · secondary : Shoulders, Chest

How to do it

  1. Set yourself up on parallel bars or a bench, arms straight.
  2. Lower your body by bending your elbows, torso upright to emphasize your triceps.
  3. Lower until your shoulders are close to elbow level.
  4. Press back up to full arm lockout.

Tips

  • Keep your torso upright, not leaning, to maximize triceps work.
  • Control the descent — dips put a lot of stretch tension on your shoulders.
  • Add weight once you've mastered your body-weight reps.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Lowering too far and stressing your shoulder joint.
  • Leaning your torso forward, which shifts the work to your chest.
  • Using momentum to bounce at the bottom of the movement.

7. Bench dip

Bench dip — Bench Dip
Sets
3-4
Reps
6-10
Tempo
3-1-1-0
Equipment
Bench
Level
Intermediate
Muscles worked
Triceps · secondary : Shoulders, Chest

How to do it

  1. Sit on the edge of a bench, hands on either side of your hips, legs extended in front of you.
  2. Slide your hips off the front of the bench, arms supporting your body weight.
  3. Lower your body by bending your elbows to about 90°.
  4. Press back up to full arm extension.

Tips

  • Keep your hips close to the bench throughout the descent.
  • Bend your knees to make it easier, keep your legs straight to make it harder.
  • Keep your elbows pointing back, not flared out.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Letting your hips drift away from the bench, which stresses your shoulders.
  • Lowering too far and straining your shoulder joints.
  • Flaring your elbows excessively.

8. Dumbbell kickback

Dumbbell kickback — Dumbbell Kickback
Sets
3-4
Reps
10-15
Tempo
3-0-1-0
Equipment
Dumbbells
Level
Beginner
Muscles worked
Triceps

How to do it

  1. Stand with your torso bent forward, back flat, a dumbbell in your hand.
  2. Keep your upper arm parallel to the floor, elbow bent at 90°.
  3. Extend your forearm back to full extension.
  4. Return to the starting position with control.

Tips

  • Keep your upper arm still — only your forearm should move.
  • Use a light load and focus on the squeeze at full extension.
  • Keep your torso stable; avoid rocking to create momentum.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Swinging your upper arm to help extend against the load.
  • Gradually straightening up as the set goes on.
  • Using too heavy a load to keep your elbow pinned.

Tempo is read in seconds: lowering, pause at the bottom, lifting, pause at the top. “3-1-1-0” means three seconds down, a one-second pause, one second up, then straight into the next rep.

How to combine them

There is no need to do them all in one session. Two or three exercises per muscle are enough: a heavy compound lift first, while you are fresh, then one or two more targeted moves.

Aim for roughly 10 to 20 sets per muscle per week, spread over two sessions, with sets taken to within 1 to 3 reps of failure. Beyond that, fatigue grows faster than results.

Keep the same main lifts for at least eight weeks: it is the only way to tell whether you are genuinely progressing.

128 exercises for this muscle in the app

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