The Best Exercises for Toned Triceps – Build Muscle Fast

There’s no better feeling than glancing sideways in a mirror and being pleasantly surprised by the definition in your arms! Building muscle is the only way you’re going to get that toned, fit look. These are the best exercises for toned triceps.

Defining Triceps

The muscle group on the back side of your arms is actually made up of three, individual muscles (hence the “tri”). The individual muscles are called heads. You’ve got the long head, the medial head and the lateral head.

The primary function of the triceps is to support and stabilize the shoulder joint and elbow extension. Each head plays a slightly different role in that effort. For maximum strength, most efficient function and the best aesthetics (aka obviously toned triceps), it’s important to develop your triceps from all angles.

Increasing muscle size is one side of the muscle toning coin. (The other side: body fat composition. More on that here). You’ll want to complete 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps every week. Ideally, you add these exercises to a well-balanced strength training routine:

• If you train full body, include at least 1 of the exercises in each workout, 3-4 times a week.
• For a push/pull/legs split, you’ll work triceps on your push day.
• More of a bodybuilding split kind of girl? Chest and triceps it is.
• Or, read on if you’re looking for an uber-focused, tricep toning exercise routine.

The Best Exercises for Building Toned Triceps

The best exercises for building toned triceps demand stability and control at the shoulder and elbow joints. Otherwise, you won’t be able to target the tricep muscle as closely as you’d like to.

Dumbbell Close Grip Press

How to: Start lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with elbows tucked in towards your sides. Keep lower back pressed into floor, press weights straight up over chest, and extend arms. Pause for a moment, then slowly bend elbows to lower weights back down until backs of upper arms return to floor. That’s one rep.

Why it’s great for triceps: I love this exercise for triceps because you have so much stability for your upper body built in. Since you don’t have to worry about immobilizing your shoulders, you can focus on the lift and end up lifting more!

Pushups – Regular, Close Grip and Cobra

How to do a basic pushup: Start in a high plank position, with your arms straight, palms flat on the floor under your shoulders and core tight. Bend at the elbows, pushing them out at a 45 degree angle away from your sides, and slowly lower yourself towards the floor. Once your arms reach about 90 degrees, press back up to the start position.

Close Grip Pushup: Start in the same position but with hands close together, under your chest instead of under your shoulders. As you lower yourself to the ground, keep elbows tucked closer to your rib cage.

Cobra Pushups: Start on the ground for this one, palms flat under your armpits. Keep your elbows tight to your ribcage while pushing your upper body up off the floor into cobra position (your lower body will remain on the mat).

Why it’s great for triceps: Pushups are one of those upper body exercises that let you know they’re there. They develop core strength, chest strength, arm and shoulder strength, and even glutes when you do them right! Plus, there are so many varieties of pushups to ever so slightly shift your focus. Close grip and cobra pushups really dial in the target: toned triceps – in a big way, so give that variety a shot!

Standing Tricep Overhead Extensions

How to: Stand with feet shoulder width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Press the dumbbells together and straighten your arms overhead. Keeping your elbows close to your ears, bend at the elbows to lower the weights behind your head. Pause at the bottom of the bend and then push the dumbbells back to the start position.

Why it’s great for triceps: This exercise works the long head of your triceps muscle group and your core if you keep your back straight and hips tucked. I love the feeling of full extension moving to full contraction of the muscle.

Skullcrushers aka Lying Tricep Extensions

How to: Start lying on back with legs bent and feet flat on the floor holding a pair of dumbbells so arms are extended toward the ceiling. Let your arms angle backwards slightly so the weights are above your forehead. Keeping your upper arms locked in next to your ears, slowly bend at the elbows to lower weights just behind your head. Pause, then slowly press weights back up overhead. That’s one rep.

Why it’s great for triceps: Skullcrushers, like overhead extensions, hit the long head. They have the added benefit though that you get the added support from your back being pressed against the mat.

Tricep Kickbacks

How to: Stand with feet shoulder width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with arms straight down at your sides. Hinge at the waist to lower your torso. Bend your elbows and lock them in at your rib cage. Push the dumbbells behind you while straightening your arms. Pause with arms straight before bending elbows to return to the start position. That’s one rep.

Why it’s great for triceps: kickbacks require some core strength, lower back stability and body awareness. I love that you can practice a variety of styles of this one exercise: alternating kickbacks, single arm kickbacks, supported kickbacks, and more!

Tricep Dips

How to: Place a bench behind you, perpendicular to your body. Face away from the bench and hold on to the edge on either side of your butt, fingers facing forward. Slide your butt forward off the bench, knees bent at a 90 degree angle. Bend at the elbows until your butt is inches from the ground. Push through your hands to engage your triceps and return to the start position. That’s one rep.

Why it’s great for triceps: this is a bodyweight exercise that builds the burn. This one is great for beginners (keep your knees bent at a 90 degree angle), and seasoned gym-goers alike!

Tricep Pushdowns – Rope and Straight Bar

How to: Attach a straight bar or rope attachment to a high pulley. Stand upright in front of the pulley hands grasping the attachment (straight bar: palms facing down, rope: palms facing each other). Keeping your elbows close to your ribcage push the bar down until it touches the front of your thighs and the arms are fully extended. Pause and then return to the start position. That’s one rep.

Why it’s great for triceps: the attachment you use will change the angle of your grip and extension. That will really help you hit the different heads of the tricep muscle group.