Do you work out at home and want to target your triceps? Incorporating tricep workouts at home can improve upper body strength and enhance aesthetics.
Many of the exercises we’ve included can be used with or without equipment if you’re limited. Most of them utilize a dumbbell or two or even a bench but can be modified depending on equipment access. Every one of these exercises effectively engages the triceps brachii and other upper body muscles to improve strength and aesthetics.
7 At-Home Tricep Workouts
Integrate these seven at-home tricep workouts in your routine to boost strength and muscle growth:
- Push-Up.
- Triceps Dip.
- Dumbbell Skull Crusher.
- Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extension.
- Dumbbell Pullover.
- Incline Push-Up.
- Dumbbell Close-Grip Press.
Each exercise effectively engages the triceps brachii and other muscles to promote strength and muscle gains.
7 Tricep Workouts At Home
Want to start incorporating tricep workouts at home? Use these top seven tricep exercises to promote muscle growth and increase strength. Make sure to use these tricep stretches to warm up before you work out.
Push-Up
The push-up is one of the most well-known upper-body exercises. As a bodyweight exercise, it can be performed anywhere, whether at the gym or at home.
This exercise incorporates a variety of upper body muscles, including the triceps, deltoids, and pectorals. By strengthening these muscles, the push-up can increase upper body strength to reduce injury risk and promote good posture. These qualities can be desirable for lifters seeking improvements in these areas.
How To Do
- To prepare for the push-up, enter the high plank position. Your hands should be under your shoulders, and both legs should be extended with your toes on the mat.
- Keep a straight back throughout the exercise and core engaged.
- Bend at the elbows, driving them back to lower your chest to the mat.
- Inhale and lower as far as possible, or until your chest hits the mat.
- Exhale and straighten the arms to lift the body to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Think of driving the hands through the floor, like you’re pushing against a wall, to return to the starting position. This visual cue helps proper muscle engagement.
- If you find the push-up to be too challenging at the moment, consider a regression alternative like the knee push-up. This variation decreases the weight load and provides more balance for individuals looking to build up to the push-up.
Optimal Sets & Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Triceps Dip
Triceps dips are an upper-body exercise that emphasizes the isolation of the triceps muscle. During this exercise, secondary muscles like the anterior deltoids and pectorals are also utilized.
Tricep dips are excellent for prioritizing engagement of the triceps brachii to enhance strength and hypertrophy. Building muscle and strength in the upper body can better stabilize joints, decrease injury risk, and improve function. Incorporating tricep dips into your workout routine can be productive for supporting health and quality of life.
How To Do
- To perform this exercise at home, you will need a stable surface like a bed or chair. Ensure it will not lift off the ground while performing the tricep dip.
- Sit on the edge of the bed or chair, placing your palms flat on the surface by your hips.
- Press down into the surface with your palms to lift your butt.
- Move your butt over the edge of the surface.
- Inhale and bend your elbows, allowing them to drive back as you lower your body almost to the floor.
- Exhale and engage the triceps to pull your body up until both arms are fully extended.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- This exercise can also be performed at home without a bed or chair. Sit on a mat with feet and hands flat on the ground and knees bent. Bend the elbows to touch your butt to the mat and straighten the arms to lift it off the mat.
- Use the visual cue of driving the palms through whatever surface you are using to engage the triceps. This will provide better muscle engagement during the exercise.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Skull Crusher
The dumbbell skull crusher is another great exercise to incorporate at home for tricep workouts with dumbbells. You only need a pair of dumbbells to perform this upper-body exercise focusing on the tricep muscles. It functions as an isolation exercise, which utilizes movement that specifically engages a muscle group.
The dumbbell skull crusher prioritizes engagement of the tricep muscle. It incorporates elbow flexion (bending), where the forearm moves towards the upper arm. This emphasizes the triceps brachii, which flexes the elbow and strengthens under the weight load of the dumbbell.
How To Do
- Grab two dumbbells for the exercise.
- Lie down on your back on a flat mat.
- Place feet flat on the floor with knees bent.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Extend both arms above your head while holding the dumbbells in a neutral grip.
- Inhale. Bend at the elbows to slowly lower the dumbbells towards the sides of your head to touch the mat. Engage the triceps throughout the movement.
- Exhale and drive the dumbbells back up until arms are extended overhead once more.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Try to keep the upper arms still while performing the exercise. Limiting movement to the forearm only will emphasize tricep engagement.
- As a visual cue, think of banging your fist on a door. The elbow bends to draw the arm back behind the head and draws forward to straighten.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extension
The dumbbell overhead tricep extension targets the triceps brachii lateral, medial, and long heads. It is an isolation exercise that places emphasis on the entire triceps brachii.
Working this movement into tricep workouts at home is a flawless maneuver, as it only requires one dumbbell. If you don’t have a chair to perform the seated version, sitting on the floor or standing will also work.
How To Do
- For this exercise, you will need one dumbbell and a chair.
- Sit back against the back of the chair.
- Grasp the dumbbell in both hands, cupping one end.
- Lift the dumbbell overhead with arms extended.
- Inhale and slowly bend the elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head.
- Exhale and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- If you do not have a chair, you can also perform this exercise on a mat. Sit on a mat or flat surface and follow the instructions above.
- Minimize movement in the upper arm. Most of the movement should come from the elbow and forearm. This will prioritize triceps brachii engagement in the exercise.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Pullover
The dumbbell pullover is another isolation exercise that targets the triceps brachii. It engages other secondary muscles, such as the deltoids and serratus anterior, to support stability and movement.
By engaging the triceps and other upper body muscles, the dumbbell pullover helps improve strength, muscle growth, and joint stability. It can be incorporated into your training routine at home with a bench for a greater range of motion or without a bench if you’re missing equipment.
How To Do
- You will need a bench and one dumbbell for the dumbbell pullover.
- Enter a glute bridge position with only the upper back on the bench and feet flat on the floor.
- Grasp the dumbbell in both hands, cupping the end.
- Extend the arms to hold the dumbbell overhead.
- Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping a slight bend in the elbows.
- Exhale and engage the triceps to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- If you do not have a bench at home, you can perform the dumbbell pullover on the ground. Lie flat on your mat, bending your knees to place your feet on the ground. Repeat the instructions above to extend the arms over your head with the dumbbell in hand.
- For a visual cue, the biceps should reach your ears as the dumbbell is lowered overhead. To maintain position, the lower back should remain pressed into the bench, with the core engaged.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Incline Push-Up
The incline push-up is an upper-body-focused exercise that engages several muscle groups like the triceps and deltoids. This exercise is a variation of the traditional push-up and is considered a regression for beginners.
The elevated position of the incline push-up decreases gravity’s pull on the body and, therefore, weight load to decrease intensity. This is why it is considered a regression of the traditional push-up.
In the incline push-up, the triceps brachii are incorporated to support elbow extension as the body is lowered and lifted. This exercise can easily be added to tricep workouts at home as it requires minimal equipment.
How To Do
- You will need an elevated surface, like a bench or countertop, to perform the incline push-up.
- Enter a high plank position with hands on the elevated surface and toes on the ground.
- Maintain a straight back and neutral spine.
- Engage the core and inhale.
- Bend the elbows to lower your body as you would in a traditional push-up.
- Once you reach the lowest portion of the movement, exhale and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Aim to go as low as you can, the lowest being touching the torso to the elevated surface. Use this visual cue as a goal for performing a full range of motion for the push-up.
- Different elevated surfaces, such as tables and exercise boxes, can be used for the incline push-up. Unstable surfaces like plyo balls can increase the difficulty for lifters, as maintaining balance is challenging while performing push-ups.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Close-Grip Press
The dumbbell close-grip press is an upper-body-focused exercise that works the triceps, deltoids, and pectoralis major. It involves a narrow and close grip that engages the triceps brachii to push the dumbbells up to extend the arms.
An easy addition to tricep workouts at home, the dumbbell close-grip press can be performed on a bench or on the ground. It requires only two pieces of equipment: dumbbells and a bench, which is optional.
This exercise efficiently engages numerous upper body muscles to encourage hypertrophy and strength gains. It utilizes the triceps brachii to drive the dumbbells up and slow their descent.
How To Do
- You will need a flat bench and two dumbbells for the exercise.
- Lie down on your back on the bench. Keep your feet flat on the floor.
- Grab the dumbbells and hold them in a neutral grip at your chest, with palms facing each other.
- Inhale and engage the abdominal muscles to protect the spine.
- Crush the dumbbells together and drive them up to the ceiling.
- Stop when both arms are fully extended.
- Exhale and slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat the motion for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Pinch the shoulder blades together to keep the shoulders stable throughout the movement.
- Keep your lower back on the bench to prevent excessive arching during the exercise. To reduce arcing, drive the feet onto the floor and engage the abdominals.
- Use a lower weight when first starting the dumbbell close-grip press. Due to the narrow and close grip position, intensity is increased in the arm muscles. Start off light and move up in weight as you gain confidence and strength.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Anatomy Of The Triceps
This is a muscle in the back of the upper arm. It is responsible for extending the elbow joint, which involves straightening the arm away from the body. This muscle consists of three heads: the triceps long, lateral, and medial heads.
Each of these heads supports some kind of function in the arm, including forward movement needed to reach for objects. When we change clothes, open doors, or pick up items, we use the triceps brachii to create arm movement.
Keeping the triceps strong is vital for supporting daily movements, stabilizing the elbow joint, and preventing injury. Using tricep workouts at home is a productive action for maintaining health and functionality in the triceps brachii. Incorporate exercises like the dumbbell close-grip press and incline push-up to strengthen the triceps muscle and improve its function.
Triceps Lateral Heads
Muscles located on the back of your arm between your shoulder and elbow.
Triceps Medial Heads
Small muscles located at the back of your arms. Deep to the triceps long heads between the shoulder and elbow.
Triceps Long Heads
Large muscles located at the back of your arms between your shoulder and elbow. Most outside portion of the tricep.
Benefits Of At-Home Tricep Workouts
What are the benefits of at-home tricep workouts? Even if you don’t have a gym membership or a ton of equipment, exercising at home can be extremely productive. Below are the amazing benefits of tricep workouts at home, from improved stability to increased range of motion.
Improves Stability
Stability plays a vital role in our everyday lives in preventing injury and supporting movement. For example, when we walk, the erector spinae muscles stabilize the spine to deter hyperextension and injury while maintaining alignment. Stability is required in all parts of the body for proper function.
Of the three heads of the triceps brachii, the triceps long head is connected to the scapula, or shoulder blade. It helps stabilize the shoulder joint through its connection and prevents displacement of the humerus. The other tricep heads work with the tricep long head to support stability in the elbow and shoulder joint.
Increases Range Of Motion
Tight or weak muscles are incapable of properly supporting a healthy range of motion without potential injury risk. By strengthening the triceps brachii using tricep workouts at home, these muscles can better facilitate stable movement.
Strong triceps can increase the range of motion in the elbows and shoulders because of their connection to these joints. Improved strength in the triceps brachii comes with better stability, flexibility, and range of motion in the elbows and shoulders. These improvements can benefit individuals in terms of functionality for everyday activities and sports.
Builds Strength
Incorporating tricep workouts at home is beneficial for building strength in the upper body. The exercises above primarily engage the triceps brachii but also utilize secondary muscles like the deltoids and pectorals.
This encourages increases in strength. Whether it be low- or high-frequency training, progress can be made by incorporating resistance exercise.
These exercises, like the dumbbell pullover, can help lifters build strength, reduce injury risk, and aid functionality. Stronger muscles can make everyday movement patterns easier, improving stability and performance.
Expert Tips For Tricep Exercises At Home
These tips can aid form, increase intensity, and enhance results when performing tricep workouts at home.
- Add Intensity — As you grow stronger, it’s important to incorporate progressive overload to encourage further progress. Consider adding more weight, utilizing time under tension, or doing more reps to increase intensity.
- Prioritize Mind-To-Muscle Connection — When performing tricep workouts at home, it’s crucial to prioritize mind-to-muscle connection. The aim is to activate and isolate the triceps, so using this tool will improve muscle engagement.
Conclusion
Tricep workouts at home can promote muscle growth and strength in the upper arms for lifters without a gym membership. Each exercise in this article actively engages the triceps brachii and can easily be incorporated at home. These exercises are fantastic tools for promoting progress without the need for various pieces of equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Like with exercise at the gym, practice consistency, and good form, and incorporate balanced nutrition to promote progress. Different exercise frequencies, low and high, can be to encourage improvements in strength using tricep workouts at home.
Triceps can be built without weights, but a plateau may be imminent if progressive overload is not established. Incorporating techniques like time under tension and increasing repetitions can increase intensity and promote hypertrophy.
To grow huge triceps, hypertrophy must be encouraged through exercise and nutrition. Regular exercise that targets the triceps and progressive overload will encourage muscle growth in the area. Balanced nutrition, including high protein, will aid muscle recovery and growth.
Tricep dips can be challenging for numerous reasons. The exercise requires a greater range of motion than a push-up while supporting your body weight. Balance and coordination are also tested in tricep dips, which can cause the muscles to work harder to stabilize.
Resources
Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
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About the Author
Kaelyn Buzzo, PT Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach
