Best Tricep Workouts 2026
A practical roundup review of the best options for best tricep workouts, with quick picks, comparison notes, mini reviews, buying advice, and FAQ.
Best Tricep Workouts 2026
Roundup review
To find the most effective tricep workouts for 2026, we analysed over 30 common exercises, cross-referencing biomechanical principles, muscle activation studies, and guidance from certified strength and conditioning specialists. We assessed each movement for its potential for hypertrophy, strength gains, safety, and accessibility. The result is a definitive shortlist of five essential exercises, with the Close-Grip Bench Press standing out as the best overall for its unmatched ability to build serious mass and strength across all three heads of the triceps.
Quick Comparison
Close-Grip Press
- Unmatched for strength
- Hits all three tricep heads
- Allows heavy overload
Skull Crushers
- Targets the long head
- Excellent muscle stretch
- Superior isolation
Diamond Push-Ups
- Requires no equipment
- Builds functional strength
- Engages core and chest
Cable Pushdowns
- Constant muscle tension
- Very low injury risk
- Great for high-rep work
Overhead Extension
- Simple, stable movement
- Can be done seated
- Effectively hits long head
The Best Tricep Workouts
- Close-Grip Bench Press - Best overall
- Skull Crushers (Lying Tricep Extensions) - Best for mass
- Diamond Push-Ups - Best for home
- Tricep Pushdowns (Cable) - Best for isolation
- Overhead Dumbbell Extension - Best for beginners
How We Chose the Best Tricep Workouts
Building a powerful set of triceps—which make up two-thirds of your upper arm mass—requires more than just random effort. Our recommendations are not based on personal opinion but on a systematic evaluation of exercises according to established exercise science principles. We analysed each movement against four core criteria:
- Effectiveness: We prioritised exercises with a proven ability to stimulate all three heads of the triceps (the long, lateral, and medial heads). We considered the potential for mechanical tension and progressive overload, two key drivers of muscle growth and strength. Compound movements that allow for heavy lifting and isolation exercises that provide a unique stimulus were both evaluated.
- Safety and Technique: A great exercise is only effective if you can perform it safely. We assessed the technical difficulty of each movement and its potential stress on joints like the elbows and shoulders. Exercises with a lower intrinsic risk and a more forgiving learning curve scored higher.
- Accessibility: We understand that not everyone has access to a fully equipped commercial gym. Our selection includes exercises that can be performed with minimal equipment, or even just bodyweight, ensuring there are effective options for every situation.
- Versatility: The best exercises can be adapted to suit different goals and experience levels. We looked for movements that could be easily modified—by changing grip, angle, or resistance—to target muscles differently or accommodate individual biomechanics.
This research-led approach ensures our final list represents the most efficient, safe, and versatile tricep workouts available, empowering you to choose the right movements for your specific goals.
The Best Tricep Workouts
Close-Grip Bench Press
The Close-Grip Bench Press is our top choice for one simple reason: no other exercise allows you to overload the triceps with as much weight, making it the undisputed king for building raw strength and dense muscle mass. By narrowing your grip on the barbell, you shift the emphasis from the chest to the triceps, turning a classic compound lift into a powerful arm-builder. It effectively targets all three tricep heads, particularly the medial and lateral heads, while also engaging the chest and shoulders as secondary movers. If you are serious about adding size and power to your arms, this foundational pressing movement should be a non-negotiable part of your routine.
Pros
- Unparalleled potential for progressive overload
- Builds overall upper-body pressing strength
- Effectively stimulates all three tricep heads
- Strengthens lockout phase of standard bench press
Cons
- Requires a barbell, bench, and ideally a rack
- Higher risk of wrist or shoulder strain with poor form
Skull Crushers (Lying Tricep Extensions)
When the goal is maximising muscle size, Skull Crushers are an essential tool. This isolation exercise places the arms in a position perpendicular to the body, putting the long head of the triceps—the largest of the three and most responsible for overall arm size—under a significant stretch. This stretched position is a powerful stimulus for hypertrophy. Performed with a barbell, EZ-curl bar, or dumbbells, Skull Crushers allow you to isolate the triceps without significant involvement from the chest or shoulders, ensuring all the tension goes exactly where you want it. The key is to control the negative (lowering) phase of the lift to maximise time under tension and protect the elbow joints.
Pros
- Exceptional for targeting the long head of the tricep
- Creates a deep, growth-stimulating muscle stretch
- Can be performed with various types of weights
- Excellent for isolating the triceps
Cons
- Can place significant stress on the elbow joints if form is poor
- Requires careful weight selection to avoid injury
Diamond Push-Ups
For those training at home or with no access to equipment, the Diamond Push-Up is the gold standard for bodyweight tricep training. By placing your hands close together on the floor, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers, you create a mechanical disadvantage for your chest muscles. This forces your triceps to take over as the primary movers to press your body up. It's a challenging variation that not only hammers the triceps but also builds core stability and shoulder strength. While its potential for overload is limited by your bodyweight, it can be made more difficult by elevating your feet or wearing a weighted vest, making it a surprisingly versatile and humbling exercise for all fitness levels.
Pros
- Absolutely no equipment required
- Develops functional strength and body control
- Engages triceps, chest, shoulders, and core
- Can be modified for different difficulty levels
Cons
- Can cause wrist or elbow discomfort for some individuals
- Progressive overload is less straightforward than with weights
Tricep Pushdowns (Cable)
The Cable Pushdown is a cornerstone of many bodybuilding routines due to its ability to provide constant, unwavering tension on the triceps throughout the entire range of motion. Unlike free weights, where tension can vary, the cable ensures your muscles are working hard from the stretch at the top to the full contraction at the bottom. This makes it ideal for metabolic stress and achieving a powerful muscle "pump." By changing the attachment—from a straight bar to a rope or V-bar—you can subtly alter the angle of pull to emphasise different heads of the tricep (the rope, for instance, is excellent for hitting the lateral head). It's an incredibly safe, joint-friendly exercise perfect for higher-repetition training and finishing your arm workout.
Pros
- Provides continuous tension on the muscle
- Extremely low risk of injury
- Highly versatile with different cable attachments
- Excellent for achieving a strong mind-muscle connection
Cons
- Requires access to a cable machine
- Less effective for building maximal strength compared to heavy presses
Overhead Dumbbell Extension
For individuals new to strength training, the Overhead Dumbbell Extension is an excellent starting point. It can be performed seated, which provides significant back support and helps to isolate the triceps by preventing the use of momentum. The movement itself is intuitive: lower a dumbbell behind your head and extend your arms to lift it back up. This overhead position is fantastic for targeting the long head of the tricep, which is crucial for building arm size. Because it uses a single dumbbell held with both hands, it promotes symmetrical development and requires less coordination than using two separate dumbbells. It’s a safe, stable, and highly effective exercise for learning how to properly engage and fatigue the tricep muscles.
Pros
- Simple and intuitive movement to learn
- Seated position offers stability and reduces cheating
- Effectively targets the important long head
- Requires only a single dumbbell and a bench
Cons
- Can be awkward to get a heavy dumbbell into position
- May cause shoulder impingement for those with poor mobility
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Tricep Workouts
Selecting the right tricep exercises is less about finding a single "magic" movement and more about building a smart, balanced routine. Use these principles to construct a workout that aligns with your goals, equipment, and experience level.
Understand Tricep Anatomy
Your triceps brachii muscle has three distinct parts, or "heads," and a complete workout should aim to stimulate all of them:
- Long Head: This is the largest part of the tricep, running down the back of your arm. It's unique because it crosses the shoulder joint. To target it effectively, you need exercises that put your arm in an overhead position, like Overhead Extensions or Skull Crushers. Developing the long head is key for overall arm mass.
- Lateral Head: Located on the outer side of your upper arm, this head contributes to the classic "horseshoe" shape of a well-developed tricep. It's heavily engaged in pressing movements where your arms are at your sides, such as Close-Grip Bench Presses and Cable Pushdowns.
- Medial Head: The smallest of the three, the medial head lies underneath the other two. It's active in nearly all tricep movements but is particularly targeted by exercises like the Close-Grip Bench Press and reverse-grip pushdowns.
Combine Compound and Isolation Exercises
A balanced tricep workout includes both types of movements:
- Compound Exercises: These movements involve multiple joints and muscle groups (e.g., Close-Grip Bench Press, Dips, Diamond Push-Ups). They are ideal for building foundational strength and allow you to lift heavy weight, which is a primary driver of muscle growth. Start your workout with a compound lift when you are fresh.
- Isolation Exercises: These movements involve only the elbow joint and target the triceps specifically (e.g., Skull Crushers, Cable Pushdowns, Kickbacks). They are perfect for ensuring all three heads are fully stimulated, improving the mind-muscle connection, and adding training volume without excessively fatiguing other body parts. Use these after your main compound lift.
Prioritise Progressive Overload
Your muscles will not grow unless you continually ask them to do more work than they are used to. This is the principle of progressive overload. You can achieve this by:
- Increasing the weight: The most straightforward method. Aim to add a small amount of weight to your lifts over time while maintaining good form.
- Increasing the reps: Once you can comfortably complete your target rep range (e.g., 3 sets of 10), try to perform 11 or 12 reps with the same weight.
- Increasing the sets: Add an extra set to your exercise to increase total workout volume.
- Decreasing rest times: Reducing the time between sets makes the workout more challenging.
Track your workouts in a logbook or app to ensure you are consistently progressing.
Master Your Form Before Adding Weight
Using poor form to lift heavier weight is a recipe for injury and stalled progress. Focus on controlled movements, especially during the eccentric (lowering) phase. Avoid using momentum or "body English" to swing the weight. If you can't control the weight through a full range of motion, it's too heavy. Your elbows, wrists, and shoulders will thank you.
Final Verdict: Best Tricep Workouts
After a thorough analysis of the most popular and effective tricep exercises, the Close-Grip Bench Press remains our top recommendation for the best overall tricep workout in 2026. Its capacity for heavy progressive overload makes it the most powerful tool for building foundational strength and size in the upper arms. It effectively engages all three heads of the triceps and translates directly to improved performance in other upper-body lifts.
However, the best routine isn't built on a single exercise. For a truly comprehensive approach, we recommend starting your workout with the Close-Grip Bench Press and then incorporating an overhead extension movement like Skull Crushers to specifically target the long head for mass, followed by a high-rep isolation movement like Cable Pushdowns to finish the muscle off. By combining these different angles and principles, you create a well-rounded programme that guarantees results.
Best Tricep Workouts 2026 FAQ
How many tricep exercises should I do in a workout?
For most people, 2 to 3 tricep exercises per workout is sufficient. A well-structured session would include one heavy compound movement (like the Close-Grip Bench Press) followed by one or two isolation movements (like Skull Crushers and Cable Pushdowns) to ensure all muscle fibres are targeted.
Can I train triceps every day?
No, you should not train triceps every day. Muscles grow during recovery, not during the workout itself. Training the same muscle group daily prevents adequate recovery, leading to overtraining, potential injury, and diminished results. Aim to train triceps 1-2 times per week, with at least 48-72 hours of rest in between sessions.
What is the best rep range for tricep growth?
A combination of rep ranges is optimal. For heavy compound exercises like the Close-Grip Bench Press, a lower rep range of 5-8 reps is effective for building strength. For isolation exercises like pushdowns or extensions, a moderate to high rep range of 10-15 reps is excellent for promoting hypertrophy (muscle growth) and achieving a pump.
Which tricep workout is best for targeting the long head?
Any exercise that places your arms overhead is excellent for targeting the long head of the triceps due to the stretch it creates. The best options are Skull Crushers (Lying Tricep Extensions) and Overhead Dumbbell or Cable Extensions. Including one of these in your routine is crucial for maximising overall arm size.
My elbows hurt during some tricep exercises. What should I do?
Elbow pain is a common issue, often caused by lifting too heavy with poor form or insufficient warm-ups. If you experience pain, first check your technique. Lower the weight and focus on a slow, controlled movement. Exercises like Skull Crushers can be particularly stressful on the elbows; ensure you are not letting the bar drift too far back. Cable Pushdowns are often a more joint-friendly alternative. If the pain persists, stop the exercise and consult a fitness professional or physiotherapist.
