6 Exercises That Will Totally Blow Up Your Triceps

The triceps brachii (commonly known as the triceps) is made up of three heads - lateral, medial, and long.

The long head forms the bulk of your tricep muscles and runs down the back of the arm along the body. The lateral head of the tricep gives the iconic 'horseshoe' look seen in bodybuilders and is found on the outer side of the humerus.

The medial head is the smallest of the three and sits behind the arm, just above the elbow.

---

Exercises to Blow Up Your Triceps

As the tricep muscles take up two-thirds of the arm, they are vital for bigger looking arms. Along with muscular biceps, they can make the upper arm look spectacular. Below, we will discuss the two best exercises for each tricep head.

Long Head

1) Close Grip Barbell Bench Press

This is one of the best exercises to hit all three tricep heads. Due to its progressive loading capacity, it's an amazing option for building huge, meaty triceps. It's also used in powerlifting to increase bench press strength.

Instructions:

• Lie down on a flat bench. Set your shoulder blades in a stable position.
• Without lifting your shoulders or butt off the bench, arch your back slightly,
• Grip the barbell at shoulder width or slightly narrower. You can experiment with the grip to find one that activates your triceps the most.
• Unrack the barbell such that it lies directly over your chest.
• Maintain a 30-degree angle between your elbows and torso as you lower the barbell to your chest.
• When the bar makes contact with your lower chest, explode upwards, and return to the starting position.

---

2) Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extension

In general, any overhead extension will target the long head of the tricep. It places the muscle in a stretched position, which can lead to better muscle hypertrophy.

Instructions:

• Sit up straight on a bench/chair.
• Lift a dumbbell overhead with your arms straight while holding the end with both palms.
• Make sure the weight is secure in your grip.
• Slowly lower the weight by bending your elbow. You will feel a good stretch on your tricep.
• As the dumbbell disappears behind your head, straighten your arms to return to the starting position.

---

Medial Head

1) Reverse Grip Pushdown

Instructions

• Start with a lighter weight. Attach a straight bar to a cable machine.
• Grasp the bar with an palms-up, undergrand grip.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, and keep the arms close to your torso.
• Press the bar downwards while extending your arms.
• Hold the contaction fora second before returning to the starting point.
• High rep sets focusing on the pump are ideal for this exercise.

2) Skullcrusher

It's an excellent exercise that works all the tricep heads. Make sure to use weights you can handle comfortably. It's referred to as skullcrusher for a valid reason.

Instructions:

• Lie down on a flat bench.
• Using an overhand grip, press the barbell/EZ bar/dumbbells to arm length.
• Bend your elbows while keeping the upper arms stationary. Lower the bar towards your forehead while controlling the weight.
• Extend you arms at the bottom of the movement, and return to the starting position. Repeat.

---

Lateral Head

1) Tricep Pushdowns

To build meaty triceps, pushdowns are mandatory. Not only are they an excellent exercise to warm up the elbows for heavier movements, they can also be used in a superset or as a finisher.

Instructions:

• Attach a straight bar/EZ bar/ rope to the cable machine.
• Use an overhand grip to hold the selected equipment.
• Place your feet slightly apart to form a stable base. Bend slightly at the waist.
• Brace the core, and tuck your elbows to your side.
• Push down till your elbows are fully extended.
• Keep your back as straight as possible during the movement,,and avoid rounding the shoulders excessively.
• Control the eccentric, and return to the starting position.

2) Dips

Dips are an old-school bodyweight exercise that can help you build huge triceps. You can do them at a dip station, on a bench or using gymnastic rings. We will take a look at bench dips, which are ideal for beginners.

Instructions:

• Sit on the edge of a bench/chair. Grip the edge such that it's at hip level.
• Your legs should be extended, feet should be roughly hip-width apart, and heels contacting the ground.
• Keep your chin up and look straight ahead. Lift your body up using the arms.
• Descend into the dip motion, bending your elbows between 45 and 90 degrees.
• At the bottom position, explode up.
• Make sure the shoulders are in a safe position.

If you have a history of shoulder pain/injury, it's recommended to stay away from this exercise. You can perform tricep kickbacks instead.

---

Takeaway

Triceps typically respond well to high reps. Pick any three among the aforementioned exercises on your arm day for strong and well-developed triceps.