Triceps exercises: which work your triceps most?
The triceps make up most of the back of the upper arm and straighten the elbow. Overhead extensions stretch the long head; pushdowns, dips and close-grip presses load all three heads.
Last reviewed 13 November 2026. Every study cited is listed at the end.
The muscles that make up your triceps
- Long headRuns from the shoulder blade to the elbow, so it crosses both joints. It is stretched when your arm is overhead and slack when your arm is by your side.[1][2]
- Lateral and medial headsStart on the upper-arm bone and cross only the elbow, so they work hard whatever your arm position.[1]
- What the triceps doesStraightens the elbow. That is why it works in every press, push-up and dip, not just in triceps exercises.[1]
Exercises where the triceps is a primary mover
Ranked by how much of the work the triceps does in each exercise.
Exercises that also work the triceps
The triceps assists in these, but is not the main target.
How to train your triceps: what the research shows
Include an overhead exercise. In a 12-week study, 21 adults trained one arm with overhead cable extensions and the other with the arm at their side, as in a pushdown. The overhead arm grew 1.4 times more in total triceps volume (+19.9% vs +13.9%) and 1.5 times more in the long head, even though it lifted lighter weights.[2] Pushdowns still built muscle; an overhead move simply covers the long head better.
Presses train them too. In a 10-week bench press study, the triceps grew alongside the chest and front shoulders, though less than the chest.[3]
Narrow your grip to shift work to the triceps. In a study of 28 men, wide grips reduced triceps activity compared with medium and narrow grips on the bench press.[4] A second study found 1-rep maxes of about 104 kg with a narrow grip versus 109 to 110 kg with medium or wide grips.[5] Shoulder-width is a good balance.
Dips. In a study of 15 men doing one set of bar dips to exhaustion, the chest and triceps became more active as fatigue set in, and technique did not change much.[6]
Reps. Light and heavy loads built muscle about equally across studies when sets were taken close to failure; heavier loads built more maximal strength.[7] A weight you can lift 6 to 15 times with good form, with the last two reps hard, is a practical range.
Sets. In a pooled analysis of 15 studies, more weekly sets per muscle led to more growth.[8] Bench presses, dips and overhead presses all count towards your triceps sets.
See your triceps on your own 3D body
FormTwin shows every muscle on a 3D twin of your body. Log your workouts and see which muscles you have trained, which have recovered, and what to train today.
Get FormTwin — free on the App Store
Frequently asked questions
What is the best triceps exercise?
Pair an overhead extension with a press or pushdown. In a 12-week study, overhead extensions grew the triceps about 1.4 times more than the same exercise with the arm at the side.
Do pushdowns build the triceps?
Yes. In the study above, cable extensions with the arm at the side, as in a pushdown, grew the triceps by about 14% in 12 weeks; overhead extensions simply grew it more.
Does bench press work the triceps?
Yes. The triceps grew in a 10-week bench press study, and a narrower grip increases triceps activity.
Why are my elbows sore from triceps work?
Often too heavy a load or bouncing at the bottom. Use a weight you can control for 10 or more reps and lower it slowly. If pain continues, see a professional.
Other muscle groups
Sources
- OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, section 11.5: Muscles of the pectoral girdle and upper limbs. Rice University, 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/11-5-muscles-of-the-pectoral-girdle-and-upper-limbs
- Maeo S et al. Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European Journal of Sport Science, 2023; 23(7):1240-1250. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35819335/
- Lanza MB et al. Muscle hypertrophy response across four muscles involved in the bench press exercise: randomized 10 weeks training intervention. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2024; 40:1417-1422. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39593465/
- Saeterbakken AH et al. The effect of grip width on muscle strength and electromyographic activity in bench press among novice- and resistance-trained men. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021; 18(12):6444. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34198674/
- Larsen S, Gomo O, van den Tillaar R. A biomechanical analysis of wide, medium, and narrow grip width effects on kinematics, horizontal kinetics, and muscle activity on the sticking region in recreationally trained males during 1-RM bench pressing. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2021; 2:637066. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33554113/
- McKenzie A et al. Fatigue increases muscle activations but does not change maximal joint angles during the bar dip. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022; 19(21):14390. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36361276/
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2017; 31(12):3508-3523. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28834797/
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2017; 35(11):1073-1082. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27433992/
This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Muscle involvement varies with form, grip and individual anatomy.