Exercise Library · Triceps brachii (3 heads)
Best Triceps Exercises
The triceps (triceps brachii (3 heads)) are the two-thirds of your upper-arm mass — they extend the elbow. Below are 5 exercises worth building a program around — 2 compound movements to load heavy, and 3 isolation movements to add volume without burning out.
Every triceps exercise, with sets and reps
| Exercise | Type | Equipment | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close-Grip Bench Press | Compound | Barbell | 3 | 8–10 |
| Triceps Pushdown | Isolation | Cable | 3 | 10–15 |
| Overhead Cable Extension | Isolation | Cable | 3 | 10–15 |
| Skull Crusher | Isolation | Barbell | 3 | 8–12 |
| Bench Dips | Compound | Bodyweight | 3 | 10–15 |
How many triceps sets per week?
Aim for 8–16 hard sets per week, spread across two sessions rather than one. Training a muscle twice a week beats once for growth at matched volume, and splitting the work keeps set quality higher than grinding it all out in a single session. Pressing covers a lot of this; add overhead work for the long head.
Splits that train triceps
Full Body
1× per week · 3 days totalHit everything, every session.
Upper / Lower
2× per week · 4 days totalThe best all-around balance.
Push / Pull / Legs
2× per week · 6 days totalThe most popular split for a reason.
Bro Split
1× per week · 5 days totalOne muscle, all the volume.
Common questions
How often should I train triceps?
About twice a week. That frequency lets you accumulate 8–16 quality sets without any one session running so long that the last sets turn into junk volume.
Which triceps exercise should I start with?
Start the session with Close-Grip Bench Press while you're fresh — it lets you move the most weight, and heavy compound work drives most of the growth. Save isolation work for the end.
What rep range builds the most muscle?
Anywhere from 6 to 20 reps works as long as you finish sets close to failure — roughly 1–3 reps left in reserve. Keep heavier compounds at the low end of that range and isolation work at the high end, where the joints tolerate it better.