This compilation of triceps exercises will benefit you if you fall into any of these three categories:

  1. You're a bodybuilder and you want to build balanced, aesthetic arms with bigger triceps.
  2. You're a strength athlete and want to press more weight. Powerlifting bench press or strongman log press? Doesn't matter, this article applies to you.
  3. You aren't a a bodybuilder, but you want to look better. You don't need a statistic to justify your love for triceps work, but if you do, here it is: your triceps make up nearly 70% of the muscular mass of your arm.

Which of these exercises and variations work best for you will depend on which of the three groups you fall in to, but the importance of exercise rotation and training variation can be achieved with each of these 11 movements.

Swiss Press Bar Triceps Extension w/ Chains

This particular exercise increases strength for pressing while using accommodating resistance to decrease stress on the elbow joint.

On the concentration motion of the lying triceps extension, the resistance becomes more difficult, but with accommodating resistance using eliteFTS™ Chains, Scott creates the most resistance at the top of the strength curve.

The elbow joint is also in a less vulnerable position when using a neutral grip provided by the eliteFTS™ Swiss Press Bar.

Great triceps movement and another one that is very low risk for the elbows. - Scott Yard

Single Arm Band Pushdowns

Elitefts™ founder Dave Tate performs a drop set of single arm band pushdowns. Execution: 

  • Attach five bands to a sturdy overhead object.
  • Grab the free end with one hand.
  • Tuck the elbow to your side and extend the arm until it is nearly locked out.
  • Perform 10 continuous reps and then drop 1 band.
  • Continue this until you have done five sets.

There has been much written about the benefits of this movement. It will bring up your tricep endurance, second it will act as a restoration workout by bringing fresh blood to the muscle tissue. This will help you to be better recovered for your next bench session.

Elitefts™ Triceps Training Techniques with Dave Tate

Elitefts Founder Dave Tate explains and demonstrates an exercise variation for a seated triceps dip machine. Keys to success:

  • Pick a weight that is 1-2 plates more than you could push down with one arm.
  • Push the weight down with both arms.
  • Lower the weight with only one arm.
  • Continue to alternate between arms until failure is reached.
  • Do not go too heavy in weight or you will not be able to control the weight and tempo on the eccentric phase.
  • When you can no longer control the eccentric phase with one arm use both arms and perform as many reps as possible until failure.
  • Once failure is reached bring the weight to lock out with a slight bend in the arms and hold.
  • Keep holding until you feel the tension of the weight transfer from your triceps to your chest. Once this happens the set is complete.

 

JM Press with Swiss Bar and Chains

Elitefts Founder Dave Tate performs the JM Press with the Swiss Bar and Chains. The bar puts your hands in a perfect position for the JM press. Keys to Success:

  • Grip the bar at shoulder width with the elbow slightly wider than the hands (30-45 degrees)
  • Lower the bar without moving the upper arm with the wrists flexed (cocked)
  • Once the forearm is in contact with the upper arm, press the bar to the extended position.
  • The Upper Arm should not come forward or backward to keep maximal tension on the triceps.
  • The wrists should stay flexed until lockout to alleviate unwanted strain on the elbow

*The chains are a great addition to this exercise because it decreases the weight at the bottom of the motion, taking much of the stress off the elbows and increasing stress on the triceps.

 

Tricep Pushdowns with the elitefts™ Heavy Duty Teardrop Strap

Elitefts.com™ Founder and CEO Dave Tate explains and performs a mechanical drop set of Tricep Pushdowns with the elitefts™ Heavy Duty Teardrop Strap.

  • The multiple loops allow the lifter to change the mechanical leverage due to hand placement.
  • The longer strap allows the lifter to completely extend and shorten the muscle fibers in the triceps creating a stronger contracting.
  • The top loops are shorter which allows you to get your hands up higher for a better stretch and fuller range of motion.

MAG Grip Chain Extensions

elitefts™ Sponsored Pro Bodybuilder Mark Dugdale demonstrates how to perform Chain Extensions with a MAG Grip attachment. The use of chains will accommodate to the strength curve and increase the intensity of this exercise by overloading the contracted position of the movement and provide more load to the triceps when the muscle fibers are shortest. During the eccentric phase of the extension the chains deload on the floor reducing the amount of resistance when the triceps are in the weakest part of the range of motion.

elitefts™ Reverse Band JM Press

elitefts™ Advisor and owner of Ludus Magnus Matt Wenning coaches elitefts™ Managing Editor Sheena Leedham in how to perform reverse band JM presses. His first cues are to use a close grip (first finger on the smooth) while keep eyes open throughout the set. Watch as the bar floats above her eyebrows, pausing a split second before locking out and squeezing triceps. This exercise was used as a secondary movement to load triceps, following reverse band max effort bench press work. - Sheena Leedham

elitefts™ Fat Bar JM Press with Chains from Floor

elitefts.com™ Sales Director, Matt Goodwin demonstrates JM Presses using the Elitefts™ Econo Fat Bar with chains from the floor.  Using the Fat Bar increases motor recruitment while forcing the wrist to stay flexed at the bottom of the exercise. The accommodating resistance of the chains relieves unwanted pressure from the elbows when flexed.  The chains, easily held on the bar by the elitefts™ EZ Loader, increases the resistance as the upper arms are extended to improve the lockout and increase hypertrophy.

One Arm Lying Tricep Extension with Muscle Mace & Chains

elitefts.com founder Dave Tate performs one-arm lying triceps extensions (skullcrushers) using the 3" Muscle Mace attached to chains.  This variation involves the opposite arm so the extension is performed across the body.  Dave utilizes a drop set technique by lengthening the lever arm over the course of 3 sets.

Slayer Bar JM Press with Chains

JM Presses may be the top assistance movement for a bigger bench press. Problem is they are truly one of the most difficult assistance exercises to master with a regular barbell. The solution: The elitefts Slayer Bar. The unique pad design keeps the upper and lower arms in the proper position to effectively perform this lift.  Add Chains for more muscle recruitment for the lockout.

Band Pushdown w/ Grenades

Check out a reader submitted video of grenade ball pushdowns. Using a light and mini band on each arm, Jeremy knocks out a set. These are a great tricep accessory exercise. That band tension looks brutal!

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