How to Get Bigger Triceps: The Complete Guide to Tricep Training and the Best Bars and Attachments to Use
The triceps are the largest muscle group on the upper arm. They make up approximately two-thirds of upper arm mass — which means if arm size is the goal, you are spending too much of your training on the smaller muscle. More than that, the triceps are the primary driver of lockout strength in the bench press, the overhead press, and every other pushing movement you train. A stronger tricep means more weight pressed. It is not a secondary consideration — it is the limiting factor in the top range of most upper body pushing movements for most lifters.
This guide covers the anatomy of the tricep, the exercises that develop it most effectively, how to programme tricep training for both size and strength, and the specific bars and attachments that allow each exercise to be performed with the mechanics it requires.
Tricep anatomy: three heads, one function, different emphases
The triceps brachii has three heads — long, lateral, and medial — that share one function: extending the elbow joint. Understanding what makes each head distinct determines how to train each one most effectively.
The long head originates at the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula — it crosses the shoulder joint as well as the elbow, which means its length and recruitment are affected by arm position. When the arm is overhead and the shoulder is flexed, the long head is placed under a full stretch and is recruited most intensely. This is why overhead tricep extensions and skull crushers performed with the arms slightly inclined toward the head — not perfectly vertical — produce more long head stimulus than elbow extensions with the arm at the side. The long head is the largest of the three heads and the one most responsible for the overall mass and the "horseshoe" shape of the tricep when developed.
The lateral head originates on the posterior humerus and sits on the outer surface of the upper arm. It is most heavily recruited in elbow extension movements performed with the arm at or near the side — cable pushdowns, close-grip bench press, dips — and is the head most visible from the side and responsible for the peaked look of a developed tricep.
The medial head lies deep beneath the other two heads and is active throughout virtually all tricep work regardless of arm position. It is the workhorse head and the one that keeps working after the other two begin to fatigue. It cannot be specifically isolated but is developed by consistent heavy tricep work across multiple movement patterns.
A complete tricep training programme does not obsess over head-specific targeting — it ensures that both overhead (long head emphasis) and side-arm (lateral head emphasis) extension patterns are regularly present, and that the total volume and load are sufficient to drive hypertrophy across all three heads.
The six exercises that build the most tricep mass
1. Skull crushers
The most effective mass-building exercise for the triceps and the one that develops the long head most directly. The arm position — slightly inclined toward the head rather than perfectly vertical — places the long head under constant stretch throughout the movement, which is one of the most powerful hypertrophic stimuli available. The controlled eccentric — the lowering phase — is where most of the productive stimulus occurs. Three seconds down, full extension at the top, and the long head is under load for the entire rep.
Sets and reps: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps. Controlled eccentric throughout. Do not reduce the load to the point where the eccentric loses control — the slow lowering is the mechanism.
2. Overhead tricep extension
The overhead extension — single cable, dumbbell, or EZ bar overhead — is the other primary long head exercise. The arm is fully elevated overhead with the elbow pointing toward the ceiling, and the forearm lowers behind the head before being pressed back to lockout. The full shoulder flexion position places the long head at its greatest stretch, and every rep trains it through the entire lengthened-to-shortened range.
The cable version is particularly effective because it maintains constant tension throughout the movement — the free weight version reduces load at the bottom of the range where the long head is most stretched, while the cable keeps the load consistent. For maximising long head hypertrophy, the cable overhead extension is among the most direct tools available.
Sets and reps: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps. The overhead position is a mobility challenge for many lifters — programme this movement at a load that allows full range before chasing heavier weights.
3. Cable pushdown
The cable pushdown — bar, rope, or single handle attached to a high cable pulley — is the most widely performed tricep exercise and the primary developer of the lateral head. The arm stays at the side throughout, which is the position of maximum lateral head recruitment, and the cable provides constant tension through the full extension arc. At full lockout, the lateral head is under maximum contraction — a squeeze held briefly at the bottom of each rep significantly increases the training stimulus.
The key technique point: keep the upper arm fixed and vertical throughout. Any forward lean or upper arm movement shifts work away from the tricep and onto the shoulder and chest. The tricep extends the elbow — the movement happens at the elbow joint only.
Sets and reps: 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps, taken close to failure. Cable pushdowns respond particularly well to higher rep ranges and shorter rest periods.
4. Close-grip bench press
The close-grip bench press — hands roughly shoulder-width on a straight bar, or slightly narrower — is the heaviest compound tricep movement and the one that allows the most absolute load to be applied to the triceps. It develops the lateral and medial heads primarily, builds the lockout strength that carries directly to the conventional bench press, and allows progressive loading over time in a way that isolation movements cannot match.
For lifters whose goal includes a stronger bench press, the close-grip bench press is the most important tricep exercise in the programme. It replicates the mechanical pattern of the conventional bench press with a shift in grip that increases tricep demand and reduces chest involvement. Progress here transfers directly to the conventional bench.
Sets and reps: 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps for strength emphasis, or 4 sets of 8–12 for hypertrophy emphasis. Both work — the choice depends on the primary training goal.
5. Dips
Parallel bar dips are a compound tricep movement that allows substantial loading through a full range of motion. The upright torso position — leaning forward shifts emphasis to the chest — keeps the triceps as the primary mover throughout. Dips develop all three heads and are one of the most effective mass builders available. They also respond well to added load via a belt — weighted dips at 20–30kg added are a reliable intermediate and advanced tricep movement.
6. Single-arm cable extension
The unilateral cable extension — one arm at a time, using a single handle attachment — addresses the strength imbalances between sides that bilateral movements mask, allows a greater range of motion than the bilateral version, and keeps the tricep under load through the entire movement. For bodybuilders focused on symmetry and for lifters who notice asymmetric tricep development, the single-arm variation is worth including as a finishing movement.
The bars and attachments that make each exercise possible
Bar choice for tricep training is not cosmetic. The grip angle, shaft diameter, the rotation of the sleeve or attachment, and the geometry of the bar all determine wrist and elbow comfort, which in turn determines how much load can be used productively and for how many reps. The wrong bar for skull crushers costs you performance through discomfort before the tricep is the limiting factor. The right bar removes discomfort from the equation entirely.
The standard choice for skull crushers and the right starting point for most lifters. The semi-supinated grip angle — partway between palms-up and palms-down — reduces the torque placed on the wrist and elbow that a straight bar requires. This makes the exercise more comfortable at every load and allows the lifter to focus on the tricep contraction rather than managing joint discomfort as the weight gets heavier. Steel bushing rotating sleeves, 6.7kg, 1200mm length, 50mm Olympic-compatible sleeves, black E-coating with 2-year warranty.
The EZ bar is the correct primary choice for most lifters doing skull crushers, overhead EZ bar extensions, and tricep work generally. If you own one bar for arm training, this is it.
The heavy-duty upgrade. Needle bearings instead of steel bushings — the difference in sleeve rotation smoothness is immediately apparent under load. 28mm shaft, 135cm length, 12kg, 26cm loadable sleeve length, 150kg max suggested load. The longer sleeve length directly matters for skull crushers at heavy weights where a standard EZ bar runs out of plate room. If you skull crush heavy — 50kg or more including the bar — the Riot EZ bar is the correct tool. The 155,000 PSI steel gives confidence that nothing in this bar will fail before the lifter does.
The most wrist-friendly option in the lineup. The neutral grip — palms facing each other, thumbs up — is the biomechanically lowest-stress wrist position under elbow extension load. For lifters with existing wrist discomfort, previous wrist or elbow injuries, or simply those who find the semi-supinated EZ position still produces discomfort at heavier loads, the tricep bar solves the problem. It changes the muscle emphasis slightly — the lateral and medial heads become relatively more prominent, the long head slightly less so — but all three heads are still trained effectively. 9kg, 86cm total length, 25mm handle diameter, 50mm Olympic sleeves, E-coating.
The compact 86cm length also makes it easy to handle on a bench, load overhead for extensions, and store — a practical advantage in a home gym.
The most joint-friendly option for overhead and cable-based tricep work. The freely rotating handles mean the wrist self-selects its most comfortable position through every degree of the movement rather than being locked into a fixed angle. For overhead extensions in particular — where the wrist is under load at the extreme end of the shoulder flexion range — the rotating handle eliminates the fixed-angle stress that straight bars and even EZ bars impose. It also attaches directly to cable pulley systems for pushdowns, overhead extensions, and every cable-based tricep movement without requiring a separate attachment. 25mm shaft, 1200mm length, approximately 16.6kg, 50mm Olympic sleeves, 150kg max load.
For lifters with persistent wrist discomfort on fixed-grip bars, or for those who simply want the most ergonomic option for high-volume tricep work, the rotating handle bar removes joint restriction from the equation entirely.
The specialist option that adds grip and forearm training to every tricep exercise. The 50mm shaft diameter significantly increases the forearm and hand recruitment required to maintain the grip throughout skull crushers and overhead extensions — which some lifters actively want as combined forearm and tricep development, and others find limits the tricep work before the tricep is the limiting factor. This bar is earned rather than a starting point: develop skull crusher technique and baseline strength on one of the standard EZ options, then introduce the thick bar as a variation once the movement is reliable. 13kg, 120cm length, rotating Olympic sleeves.
The attachment designed specifically for cable pushdowns — and the one that makes pushdown mechanics work the way they should. The angled bar geometry positions the hands in an open-palm orientation at the bottom of the movement, which is the position that allows the most complete tricep contraction at lockout. Standard straight pushdown bars require a pronated grip that closes the hand around the bar at the point of maximum contraction — the Tricepatops angles past this, allowing the palm to press through rather than pull, maximising the squeeze at the bottom of each rep.
Rubber-coated steel eliminates sharp edges and grip discomfort through high-volume sets. Compatible with all standard cable machines via the 15mm attachment hole. 450mm length, 50mm width, 10mm material thickness. This is the attachment that makes cable pushdowns feel the way they should feel — and the name earns its place.
The rope attachment is the most versatile cable tricep tool and the one that produces the widest range of motion at the bottom of the pushdown. At full extension, the hands pull apart at the end of the movement, which allows the tricep heads to fully separate and maximises the contraction at lockout. The rope is also the standard attachment for overhead cable extensions, face pulls, and hammer curls. Compatible with any lat pulldown or cable machine, and with resistance bands for home gym use.
The rope produces a noticeably different stimulus from the Tricepatops bar — the bar produces maximum contraction through a fixed pressing path, while the rope allows the hands to flare apart for a broader tricep contraction. Both have a place in a complete tricep training programme and they work well as variation tools across different sessions or as a superset within the same session.
The enabling piece of equipment for any home gym that does not have a cable machine. The pulley attaches to any rack or cage, adds a loading pin for weight plates, and provides a cable system with a 195cm cable length — immediately enabling pushdowns, overhead extensions, lat pulldowns, face pulls, and upper back movements without any additional equipment. 120kg max load, compatible with all 50mm Olympic plates. Ships with a loading pin, pulley with cable and clips, and a short tricep/lat row strap. Additional attachments — the Tricepatops bar, the rope, the rotating handle bar — all connect directly to expand the movement options.
For home gym operators who want cable-based tricep training without investing in a full cable rack system, the pulley is the single most cost-effective enabling purchase available. It converts an existing rack into a cable station in minutes.
The full cable system integrated directly into the Riot MRR rack. For athletes who want the complete range of cable tricep movements — pushdowns, overhead extensions, single-arm work — alongside full barbell rack training in a single footprint, the cable rack system is the complete solution. Tricep-specific cable movements: tricep pushdown (with any attachment), overhead tricep extension, single-arm cable extension, cable rope pushdown with flare. The dual cable setup allows both sides to be trained simultaneously or independently with different weights and attachments.
Programming tricep training: how to build size and strength simultaneously
The mistake most lifters make with tricep training is not the exercise selection — it is the volume and intensity distribution. Tricep work for size requires meaningfully different programming from tricep work for strength, and most programmes do one at the expense of the other.
For size (hypertrophy): The triceps respond well to moderate loads (60–75% of training maximum) at higher rep ranges (10–20 reps) taken close to failure. The long head specifically responds to the stretched position under load — overhead extensions and skull crushers performed with a slow eccentric produce more hypertrophic stimulus than cable pushdowns at equivalent volumes. Total weekly volume for hypertrophy-focused tricep training: 12–20 sets spread across two to three sessions. Each session might include one overhead movement (skull crusher or overhead extension), one side-arm movement (pushdown), and one compound movement (close-grip bench or dip).
For strength (bench press lockout): The most productive exercises are the close-grip bench press (heaviest load, most specific to the bench press pattern) and weighted dips (highest load through a large range of motion). Skull crushers at moderate rep ranges (6–10) support strength development by building the tricep mass that contributes to pressing strength. Programming here mirrors the main lift structure — heavier loads, lower reps, longer rest periods, placed after the primary pressing work in each session.
The combination approach — the one most competitive powerlifters and physique athletes use — places the close-grip bench press or weighted dip as the primary tricep movement after the main bench press session, followed by skull crushers or overhead extensions as the secondary movement, and cable work or attachment-based movements as the tertiary volume work. This structure develops strength through the heavy compound movement, mass through the mid-range isolation work, and metabolic stimulus and pump through the cable and attachment finishers.
Frequency: two dedicated tricep sessions per week is the right starting point. The triceps receive indirect work from every pressing session, which means they are already being trained more frequently than the dedicated sessions suggest. Two direct sessions per week at adequate volume is sufficient for consistent progress at both intermediate and advanced levels.
The superset that works better than almost anything else for tricep mass
Skull crushers paired immediately with close-grip bench press — sometimes called "French press to close-grip" — is one of the most effective tricep hypertrophy combinations available. The skull crusher pre-fatigues the long head through the stretched position, and the close-grip bench press then trains the now-fatigued tricep through a compound pressing pattern where the chest and shoulder can contribute. The total tricep stimulus across both exercises in a single superset is substantially greater than either exercise alone, and the close-grip bench press specifically benefits from the pre-fatigue because it forces the tricep to work harder in its primary function — lockout — while already under metabolic stress.
Four sets of this superset at the end of a bench press session, done twice per week, produces tricep development that neither exercise alone at equivalent volume matches.
Common mistakes that limit tricep development
Relying exclusively on pushdowns. Cable pushdowns are the most popular tricep exercise and the least effective for overall mass development. They primarily develop the lateral head in a shortened-to-shortened range without the long head stretch that produces the majority of tricep hypertrophy. Pushdowns are an excellent finishing movement but a poor primary one.
Not training the overhead pattern. The long head — the largest of the three — is maximally recruited only when the arm is overhead. Lifters who never include skull crushers or overhead extensions are leaving the majority of their tricep's growth potential untrained.
Insufficient load. Tricep isolation work is frequently performed too light because the exercises feel challenging at low loads due to the small muscle size. The tricep is a strong muscle and responds to being trained like one. Skull crushers at 40–60kg, overhead extensions at 30–50kg, and cable pushdowns at moderate to high loads with controlled technique produce results that high-rep light work does not.
Elbows flaring during skull crushers and overhead extensions. When the elbows flare outward, the chest and shoulder begin to share the load, reducing the stimulus on the tricep. Elbows pointing toward the ceiling and staying there throughout the movement is the technical cue that keeps all three heads working throughout every rep.
FAQ
How long does it take to build bigger triceps?
Visible hypertrophic changes in the tricep are typically noticeable within six to twelve weeks of consistent, adequately loaded training with progressive overload. The long head, being the largest and most underdeveloped in most lifters' programmes, often shows the fastest response when overhead work is added to a programme that previously lacked it.
Should I train triceps on the same day as bench press?
Yes. The triceps are already warmed up and partially stimulated from the bench press. Placing tricep accessory work immediately after the bench press session is more efficient than a separate session and ensures the muscle is trained at its highest level of activation from the main lift. The only consideration is not adding so much tricep volume post-bench that it compromises recovery for the next pressing session.
What is the best attachment for cable tricep pushdowns?
It depends on what you want from the movement. The Tricepatops push down bar maximises contraction at the bottom through its angled geometry. The rope allows the hands to flare apart at lockout, producing a broader tricep contraction. The single-handle allows unilateral work and maximum range of motion. All three have a place — vary the attachment across sessions rather than using only one.
Is the EZ bar or straight bar better for skull crushers?
EZ bar, for most lifters. The semi-supinated grip angle reduces wrist and elbow torque compared to the fully pronated position a straight bar requires, making the movement more comfortable and allowing more load to be used without joint discomfort limiting the set. Use a straight bar only if an EZ bar is not available.
Do dips or close-grip bench press build more tricep mass?
Both are effective compound movements for tricep development. Dips allow a larger range of motion and substantial loading through a weighted belt, developing all three heads across a longer range. Close-grip bench press allows the highest absolute loads and most specifically trains the lockout pattern of the conventional bench press. For general mass development, dips have a slight edge. For bench press lockout strength, close-grip bench press is the more specific tool.
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