Best Tricep Exercises for Mass: Build Bigger Arms

Published By GainzTracker, 30th September 2024

When it comes to building bigger and more muscular arms, the triceps play a huge role. While many focus on bicep curls for arm growth, the truth is that the triceps make up about two-thirds of your upper arm size. If you're aiming for mass, you need to prioritize training this crucial muscle group. In this article, we'll cover the best tricep exercises that will help you add serious size to your arms.

1. Understanding the Tricep Muscles

The tricep muscles, located on the back of your arm, consist of three heads: the long head, the lateral head, and the medial head. For well-rounded growth, it's important to target all three parts. The following exercises are designed to hit every part of the tricep, ensuring maximum hypertrophy and overall arm mass.

2. Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press is one of the best compound exercises to target the triceps while also engaging your chest and shoulders. This movement allows you to lift heavier weights compared to isolation exercises, which is great for building overall mass. Here's how to do it:

• Lie on a bench and grip the barbell with your hands placed shoulder-width apart.
• Lower the barbell to your chest while keeping your elbows close to your body.
• Press the barbell back up, focusing on using your triceps to extend your arms.

Tip: Be sure to avoid flaring your elbows out too much as it may place unnecessary stress on your shoulders and take tension off your triceps.

3. Tricep Dips

Tricep dips are a powerful bodyweight exercise that can build impressive tricep mass. All you need is a pair of parallel bars or a sturdy bench. This movement heavily targets the long head of the triceps, making it ideal for building size:

• Start by gripping the parallel bars and lifting your body up so that your arms are straight.
• Lower your body slowly by bending your elbows, keeping them tucked close to your sides.
• Push back up by straightening your arms, squeezing your triceps at the top of the movement.

If you find this exercise too easy, you can add weight by using a dipping belt or placing a weight plate on your lap.

4. Skull Crushers (Lying Tricep Extensions)

Skull crushers are an isolation exercise that directly target the triceps, specifically the long head. They are excellent for building mass when performed with proper form. To do them:

• Lie flat on a bench and hold an EZ bar or dumbbells with your arms extended above your chest.
• Lower the weight slowly towards your forehead, bending only at the elbows.
• Press the weight back up by extending your arms, focusing on your triceps.

Be careful to control the weight at all times to avoid putting strain on your elbows. The slower and more controlled your reps, the better the muscle activation.

5. Overhead Tricep Extension

The overhead tricep extension is a great exercise for hitting the long head of the triceps. By performing the movement with your arms overhead, you create a deep stretch in the triceps, which leads to better hypertrophy. Here's how it's done:

• Hold a dumbbell or an EZ bar with both hands and raise it above your head.
• Lower the weight behind your head by bending your elbows.
• Extend your arms back up, focusing on contracting your triceps at the top.

This exercise can also be performed using a cable machine for constant tension throughout the movement.

6. Cable Tricep Pushdowns

Cable pushdowns are one of the most popular tricep isolation exercises, and for good reason. They allow you to focus on the lateral and medial heads of the triceps with constant tension throughout the movement. Here's how to perform them:

• Attach a straight or V-bar to a high pulley on a cable machine.
• Stand facing the machine and grip the bar with your palms facing down.
• Push the bar down, keeping your elbows stationary by your sides.
• Extend your arms fully at the bottom, squeezing your triceps, then return to the start position.

Keep the movement controlled and avoid using momentum. The slower and more controlled your reps, the better muscle engagement you'll achieve.

7. Kickbacks

Tricep kickbacks are another great isolation exercise that targets all three heads of the triceps, especially the lateral head. This exercise is often underestimated, but when performed with proper form, it can effectively build mass:

• Hold a dumbbell in one hand and bend over slightly at the waist.
• Keep your upper arm stationary by your side and extend your elbow to push the dumbbell back.
• Return to the starting position, controlling the movement throughout.

Make sure to keep the tension on your triceps by avoiding swinging the weight. Focus on slow and controlled reps.

Conclusion: Consistency is Key

Building massive triceps requires consistency and focus. Incorporating these exercises into your routine will ensure you hit all parts of the triceps for full muscle development. Make sure to progressively increase the weight and volume over time to continue seeing growth. Proper recovery and nutrition are just as important as the workouts themselves, so don't neglect these factors. By staying consistent, you'll soon see the size and strength gains you're looking for in your triceps and overall arm size.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a healthcare provider before beginning any exercise program. Use caution when performing exercises to avoid injury.