Best Tricep Exercises for Size (2026 Guide)

The triceps make up roughly two-thirds of the upper arm — bigger arms come from bigger triceps more than bigger biceps. The triceps have three heads (long, lateral, medial), and most lifters train one heavily and undertrain the others. This guide ranks ten tricep exercises and tells you which combination actually builds size.

Quick Answer

The two highest-ROI tricep exercises are the overhead tricep extension (best long-head builder, stretched-position emphasis) and a cable pushdown variation (best lateral and medial head loader, easy to scale). Run both 1–2× per week with optional accessory work, and the triceps grow. Total: 10–16 weekly sets distributed across 2 sessions.

How These Are Ranked

Three criteria, weighted equally:

1. Head coverage — does it train the long, lateral, or medial head? Most lifters need more long head work; pushdowns alone aren't enough.
2. Loading ceiling — how much weight scales without form drift or elbow stress
3. Hypertrophy evidence — direct studies on tricep growth or analogous research on stretched-position training

The Top 10 Tricep Exercises

1. Overhead Tricep Extension

Stand or sit holding a single dumbbell with both hands behind the head, or hold a cable rope handle behind the head. Extend the elbows so the weight rises overhead. The arms stay tight to the head; only the forearms move.

Why it ranks #1: The only common tricep exercise that puts the long head in a fully stretched position. The long head crosses both the elbow and the shoulder, and it's most active when the arm is overhead (shoulder flexed). Multiple studies on lengthened-position training show stretched-position work produces materially more hypertrophy per set than shortened-position equivalents.

Trade-offs: Most lifters underload overhead extensions. The position is harder than a pushdown and feels exposed at heavy weight (the load is over your head). Start with moderate weight, focus on a 3-second eccentric, build up gradually. The strict form makes the per-set stimulus high even at moderate weight.

Programming: 3 sets of 10–15 reps, 1–2× per week. See overhead tricep extension and rope tricep extension.

2. Weighted Dip

Parallel dip bars, body upright (chest up, body close to bars — vertical torso = tricep-biased), lower until elbows reach 90 degrees, push back up to lockout. Add weight via a dip belt with plates once bodyweight reps exceed 8–10.

Why it's strong: One of the few tricep exercises that scales heavy. The weighted dip is essentially a closed-chain bench press for the triceps — bodyweight + 50 lbs is moderate; bodyweight + 100+ lbs is advanced. The vertical torso position biases the triceps over the chest. EMG data confirms triceps activation is high through the entire dip range.

Trade-offs: Brutal on the shoulder if you go too deep or lean too far forward. Stop at 90 degrees of elbow flexion, keep the chest up, and the shoulders stay safe. Lifters with shoulder mobility limits often can't run dips heavy without joint stress.

Programming: 3 sets of 6–10 reps with weight. See dips and tricep dip.

3. Skull Crusher (EZ Bar)

Lying on a bench with an EZ barbell extended over the chest, lower the bar toward the forehead or just behind the head by bending at the elbows. Press back up to lockout by extending the elbows.

Why it's strong: Trains all three tricep heads simultaneously with high loading. The lying position keeps the upper arms vertical, which means the triceps work through their full elbow-extension range. EMG data shows skull crushers produce comparable activation to pushdowns and overhead extensions across all three heads.

Trade-offs: Elbow joint stress. The straight-bar variant in particular forces the wrists into a position that strains the elbow joint over time. The EZ bar is much friendlier — the angled grip rotates the wrists about 30 degrees inward, which protects the elbows. Lifters with elbow tendinitis history should run rope extensions or cable variations instead.

Programming: 3 sets of 8–12 reps. See skull crushers.

4. Cable Tricep Pushdown

Cable pulley at high position, straight bar or V-bar attachment, push the bar down by extending the elbows from chest to thigh level. Elbows pinned to the sides; only forearms move.

Why it ranks here: Most consistent tricep exercise in a typical gym. Constant tension throughout the rep, easy to scale, accessible to every lifter. Biases the lateral and medial heads (the long head doesn't get a strong stretch in this position). Easy to push close to failure.

Trade-offs: Doesn't train the long head meaningfully. Lifters who only run pushdowns end up with overdeveloped lateral and medial heads but a flat-looking long head — the part that gives the triceps their visible "horseshoe" from behind.

Programming: 3 sets of 10–15 reps. See cable tricep pushdown and tricep pushdown.

5. Rope Tricep Extension

Cable rope at high position, push down and split the rope ends out at the bottom of the rep (palms turn down and outward at lockout). The split adds a peak contraction that the bar version doesn't allow.

Why it's strong: Combines the constant-tension benefit of cable work with a stronger peak contraction. The rope-split at the bottom forces the lateral head to fully shorten, which produces a brief but high-quality contraction. Easier on the elbows than a straight-bar pushdown for most lifters.

Programming: 3 sets of 12–15 reps. Often run as a finisher after pushdowns or as a primary tricep exercise in a high-volume arm day.

6. Close-Grip Bench Press

Barbell bench press with hands placed shoulder-width or slightly narrower. The chest still works, but the narrow grip dramatically increases tricep involvement.

Why it's strong: Heaviest tricep loading available. The compound lift recruits the triceps as a primary mover (alongside the chest) and lets you load with full barbell weight. For lifters who want measurable tricep strength progression, close-grip bench is the gold standard.

Trade-offs: It's a hybrid chest-tricep exercise. The chest still does ~30–40% of the work, so you're not getting pure tricep stimulus per set. Best as a secondary movement in a chest day or as a tricep-focused press in an arm-day rotation.

Programming: 3 sets of 6–10 reps. See close-grip bench press.

7. Tricep Dip (Machine or Bench)

Either a tricep dip machine (assisted or weighted) or a bench dip (hands behind on a bench, feet on the floor or another bench, dip down). Bodyweight or moderate load.

Why it ranks here: Accessible compound tricep movement for lifters who can't do parallel-bar dips. Moderate loading; safer for shoulders than parallel dips for some. Bench dips in particular are a productive volume tricep exercise even in minimalist setups.

Programming: 3 sets of 8–15 reps.

8. Single-Arm Cable Extension

Single cable handle (low pulley + reverse grip OR high pulley with rope), one arm at a time. Allows full range of motion through the long head with a stretched start position.

Why include: Per-arm long-head loading. Useful for fixing side-to-side imbalances and getting deep contraction on each arm individually.

Programming: 3 sets of 10–12 reps per arm.

9. Tricep Kickback

Bent-over position with a dumbbell, upper arm parallel to the floor, extend the elbow so the dumbbell goes back behind you. Lateral head emphasis.

Why it ranks here: Easy to do badly. With strict form, kickbacks load the lateral head well at the contracted position. With sloppy form (too much weight, swinging the dumbbell), they're a momentum exercise that doesn't load anything productively. Useful as a finisher, not as a main lift.

Programming: 3 sets of 12–15 reps strict, with light to moderate weight.

10. Bench Press (compound)

Standard barbell bench press. Triceps work as a secondary mover throughout, with peak activation at the lockout phase.

Why include for triceps: Indirect volume. Heavy bench pressing builds tricep strength and contributes to size, but the loading is shared with the chest and front delts. For tricep development specifically, direct work is more efficient — but heavy bench press still adds significant tricep stimulus over a training year.

Programming: Programmed as part of chest training; tricep stimulus is a bonus. See bench press and What Muscles Does the Bench Press Work.

What to Skip

• Diamond push-ups as a primary tricep exercise — loading is too light past beginner level
• Behind-the-back kickbacks on machines — gimmick movement, no advantage over standard kickbacks
• Heavy bench dips with feet elevated and weight on lap — high shoulder injury risk

How to Build a Tricep Day

The shortest effective tricep program:

• One stretched-position move (overhead extension or skull crusher): 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps
• One pushdown variation (cable straight bar or rope): 3 sets of 12–15 reps
• Optional compound (close-grip bench or weighted dip): 3 sets of 6–10 reps

That's 9–10 working sets, all three heads trained. Run 1–2× per week.

The Bottom Line

The triceps grow when you train all three heads with appropriate volume distribution. Most lifters undertrain the long head, which is why their triceps look flat from behind despite heavy pushdown training. Add overhead extensions, increase total volume to 10–16 weekly sets, and the triceps respond in 6–10 weeks.

For more, see our deep dives on Tricep Pushdown vs Skull Crusher vs Overhead Extension, the bigger arms program, and Best Bicep Exercises Ranked for the matched bicep approach.