Triceps exercises are crucial for building bigger, stronger arms. But which ones are truly effective, and which are a waste of time? This article ranks 20 popular triceps exercises, categorizing them from S-tier (super) to F-tier (fail). We’ll explore how each exercise targets the three triceps heads – lateral, medial, and long – for optimal muscle growth. We’ll analyze exercises based on tension, comfort, and progression potential, using scientific evidence to guide our choices.
The triceps consist of three heads: the lateral head (responsible for the horseshoe shape), the medial head (contributing to overall arm size), and the long head (adding thickness to the back of the arm). Effective triceps training requires exercises that stimulate all three heads for balanced development.
Let’s begin with a common favorite: the press down. This exercise engages all three triceps heads, but preferentially targets the medial and lateral heads. Variations include rope, bar, and reverse grip press downs. The rope press down allows for a strong contraction at the bottom, enhancing the mind-muscle connection. However, it limits the load compared to the bar.
The bar press down offers greater stability and overload potential, allowing for more weight and reps. While not maximizing the stretch at the top, it provides consistent tension throughout the movement. It’s a highly recommended exercise for overall triceps growth. The reverse grip press down, although favored by some, reduces strength output and is less effective for building muscle.
Overhead cable triceps extensions are a game-changer for long head development. By raising the arms overhead, the long head is placed under significant stretch, leading to increased muscle growth. Studies have shown overhead extensions to be superior to press downs for triceps hypertrophy.
The overhead cable extension with a rope offers similar benefits, but the rope can limit overload. The katana triceps extension, performed with crossed arms and cables, effectively targets both arms individually in the scapular plane. This variation is excellent for addressing strength imbalances while saving time.
Overhead Triceps Extension with Rope
Dumbbell French presses also stretch the long head and are easy to set up. However, the circular resistance path provides uneven tension. The single-arm version alleviates some of these issues by allowing for better shoulder positioning and reducing dumbbell bulkiness.
Skull crushers, especially with the bar arced back, provide high tension in the stretched position. They are excellent for overload and can be adjusted to target the triceps effectively. Dumbbell skull crushers offer similar benefits, but can be slightly awkward to control.
The JM press, a hybrid between a close-grip bench press and a skull crusher, targets the triceps in the mid-range. While offering a unique stimulus, it may not be essential if already performing bench presses and overhead extensions. The Smith machine JM press offers a more stable movement path, enhancing triceps activation.
Dumbbell French Press
Cable triceps kickbacks, with the arm held behind the torso, maximize long head contraction. The cable provides consistent tension, making it superior to dumbbell kickbacks. Dumbbell kickbacks lack tension in the stretched position, limiting their effectiveness.
Close-grip dips provide a strong long head contraction, but may cause shoulder discomfort for some individuals. As a compound exercise, they offer excellent overload potential. Bench dips isolate the triceps better but lack the same overload capacity. Machine dips provide stability and a stronger mind-muscle connection.
Cable Triceps Kickbacks
The close-grip bench press is exceptional for overload and provides consistent tension. However, it primarily targets the medial and lateral heads, neglecting the long head. Close-grip push-ups offer similar benefits but are difficult to overload. Diamond push-ups increase the challenge and are effective as a finisher exercise.
In summary, pressing exercises alone are insufficient for maximizing triceps growth. Isolation work, particularly with overhead movements that stretch the long head, is crucial. For balanced development, incorporate exercises targeting different shoulder angles, including overhead, lateral, and behind-the-torso positions. The overhead cable triceps extension emerges as the top choice for overall triceps development, while the dumbbell kickback is less effective compared to other options. By selecting the right exercises and focusing on progressive overload, you can achieve significant triceps growth.
