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9+ Effective Tricep Workouts For Women To Get Lean, Sculpted Arms

- Writen by: - Reviewed by April Edwards, MSc, PT Fact checked

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Strengthening the triceps is vital in defining the arms and improving upper body development. They are prime movers in many tricep workouts and daily activities involving lifting, pulling, and carrying. They also contribute to an aesthetically pleasing upper body, which is a main goal for many women who lift.

This article provides the best tricep workouts for women to help improve tricep strength and develop toned and sculpted arms. Read on for guidance on performing each exercise, including tips to maximize muscle engagement.

Best Tricep Workouts For Women

All Tricep Workouts For Women

The following exercises isolate and strengthen your triceps for a unique and targeted stimulus. You can program them as listed or in the order of your preference.

A-Z

Analysis

Discussion

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Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

Equipment:

Barbell

Flat Bench Without Rack

Muscle Worked:

Arm

  1. Begin by setting up your barbell. Place it on a curling rack, and then attach weight plates and collars.
  2. Set up your flat bench in front of the curling rack... Read more

Dumbbell Bent-Over Row

Equipment:

Dumbbells

Muscle Worked:

Back

  1. Begin with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing together. 
  2. Keep your shoulder blades packed down, push your hips back, and maintain a strong bent-over position. .. Read more

Cable Tricep Pushdown

Equipment:

Straight Bar Attachment

Single Pulley Tower

Muscle Worked:

Arm

  1. Attach a short handle or a rope handle to a cable pulley machine. Adjust the pulley's height so it’s slightly higher than your head.
  2. Stand facing the machine, about two feet away from it, with your feet together. Grab the bar with an overhand grip with your elbows at your sides and directly in front of your hips... Read more

Diamond Push-Up

Equipment:

Bodyweight

Muscle Worked:

Arm

  1. Start in a plank position with your hands placed directly under the center of your chest. 
  2. Position your hands close to each other and form a diamond shape between your index fingers and thumbs... Read more

Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press

Equipment:

Barbell

Flat Bech With Rack

Muscle Worked:

Arm

  1. Place a suitable barbell on the bench press. Add the weight plates and fasten them with barbell collars. 
  2. Sit on the end of the bench and lie back so the barbell is directly over your eye-line. .. Read more

Standing Banded Overhead Tricep Extension

Equipment:

Resistance Band

Muscle Worked:

Arm

  1. Begin by selecting a resistance band with the appropriate tension. 
  2. Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart. Secure the band under your feet with one end in each hand behind your head. Inhale and engage your core. .. Read more

Anatomy Of The Triceps

The triceps brachii are a large muscle group on the posterior side of the upper arm, located between your shoulders and forearms. They consist of three heads — the triceps long head, triceps medial head, and triceps lateral head. 

The triceps primarily function to extend the elbow, making them essential in upper body lifts and functional movements. They support shoulder and elbow stability in most daily tasks involving lifting, carrying, and pushing.

Clavicular Head of Pectoralis Major

Muscles located at the top of your chest, running from your armpit to collar bone. Smaller portion of your chest muscle.

Sternal Head of Pectoralis Major

Large muscles located underneath your clavicle head. Makes up most of your chest area

Abdominal Head of Pectoralis Major

Muscles located at the bottom of your pectoral region, just above your abdominal muscles.

Benefits Of Tricep Exercises For Women

These tricep exercises are beneficial for women as they effectively target the triceps to improve upper arm definition and strength. Read on to learn more about the key benefits below.

Improves Flexibility

Improved tricep strength contributes to improved mobility and flexibility in the elbow joint during forearm extension and flexion movements. This joint is used constantly for everyday activities and functional movements like lifting your child or pulling a door open.

By programming these tricep workouts into your routine, you will strengthen your tricep muscles, improving elbow flexibility and mobility. This ultimately will benefit your overall upper body functional strength and stability, reducing the potential for injuries. 

Increases Strength

Increases Strength
Tricep exercises increases muscle strength and improves overall upper-body development. Photo: kormakova1/Freepik

These tricep exercises build muscle strength through targeted resistance and progressive overload. This approach increases muscle strength and improves overall upper-body development.

Strong triceps are essential for various daily activities, such as pushing, lifting, and carrying objects. These exercises will also benefit performance with other lifts, such as the bench press and deadlift.

Tones Muscle

These exercises effectively tone the triceps by isolating all heads of the muscle for balanced engagement. They are great for women who are working towards upper body development for more toned and sculpted arms.

By consistently performing these exercises, you will encourage muscle hypertrophy, which contributes to larger and stronger muscles. This growth leads to improved tone and sculpted definition. 

Training Tips To Keep In Mind

  • Always stretch and warm up the triceps before performing these exercises. 
  • Use proper form, keeping your elbows close to your body or head and your upper arms stationary.
  • Use controlled movements and avoid swinging or using momentum.
  • Select the appropriate weight for your fitness level.
  • Keep your core engaged, and avoid arching or rounding the back.
  • Your grip should be firm to avoid hyperextension but careful not to create excess tension in the wrist.

Conclusion

The triceps are crucial for many functional and exercise applications as well as developing toned and sculpted arms. They maximize strength performance, improve joint mobility and flexibility, and contribute to a muscular, aesthetically pleasing physique.

Using a systematic approach to train the triceps through isolated resistance provides an effective stimulus to benefit your upper body routine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should girls work out triceps?

Defined upper arms are a primary goal for many women who lift weights. These tricep exercises are great for women as they contribute to strong, toned, and sculpted arms.

Will tricep exercises get rid of flabby arms?

Consistently incorporating upper arm exercises will help reduce arm fat and lead to more toned and defined arms. These tricep workouts are excellent options as they isolate the triceps to build strength and definition.

How long does it take to get toned arms for a female?

The time it takes to get toned arms varies depending on genetics, workout frequency, and intensity. However, it generally takes about 1–2 months to see initial adaptations and another 3–4 months for more noticeable muscle growth.

How often should females work their triceps?

The frequency at which you should work your triceps depends on your fitness level, goals, and routine. However, it is essential to allow enough time between workouts to enable muscle repair and avoid injury and burnout.

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.

  1. Tiwana, M.S., Sinkler, M.A. and Bordoni, B. (2023). Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Triceps Muscle. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536996/.
  2. Afonso, J., Ramirez-Campillo, R., João Moscão, Rocha, T., Zacca, R., Martins, A., Milheiro, A.A., Ferreira, J., Sarmento, H. and Filipe Manuel Clemente (2021). Strength Training versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare, [online] 9(4), pp.427–427. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9040427.
  3. Plotkin, D., Coleman, M., Derrick Van Every, Maldonado, J., Oberlin, D., Israetel, M., Feather, J., Alto, A., Vigotsky, A.D. and Schoenfeld, B.J. (2022). Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations. PeerJ, [online] 10, pp.e14142–e14142. doi:https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14142.
  4. de, D., Willardson, J.M., Paz, G.A., de, E. and Miranda, H. (2017). Maximal Strength Performance and Muscle Activation for the Bench Press and Triceps Extension Exercises Adopting Dumbbell, Barbell, and Machine Modalities Over Multiple Sets. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, [online] 31(7), pp.1879–1887. doi:https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000001651.
  5. None Krzysztofik, Wilk, N., None Wojdała and None Gołaś (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, [online] 16(24), pp.4897–4897. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897.

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