The Best Tricep Exercise Countdown

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Best Tricep Exercises

Build Big Arms or Sculpt Lean Triceps by Incorporating these Tricep Exercises in your Arm Workouts and other Workout Routines

Welcome to our Best Tricep Exercises page! 

We’ve pressed our way through nearly 50 tricep exercises on our Tricep Exercises Main Page to bring you this handpicked list of the top five arm exercises to build bigger arms or sculpt leaner triceps. 


Did you know that the tricep muscles are two times larger than the bicep muscles? You can do Bicep Curls all day, but if you want bigger arms make sure you’re putting more of an emphasis on your triceps. For more arm muscle building tips check out our “Building Big Arms” How to Article. 

And without further ado, on to the best exercises! We’ll count down starting with number five and ending with the Best Tricep Exercise. 

The Best Tricep Exercise Countdown

5. Skull Crushers

(AKA French Press, AKA Lying Triceps Extensions): There are dozens of Triceps Extension variations, but Skull Crushers are the best. With Skull Crushers, you can put a fairly heavy amount of weight on a barbell or EZ Curl bar and isolate the triceps more effectively than with most other isolation tricep exercises. 

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  • Need more Info? For a more complete description with pictures, exercise instructions, and tips please view our Skull Crushers Exercise Instruction Guide.
  • Variations: Also view the Triceps Extension page and other variations on our Tricep Exercises main page. 


4. Tricep Pushups

Tricep Pushups or Diamond Pushups are a great exercise that works your triceps as well as your pecs and deltoids. Pressing off of the ground explosively and clapping at the top of the exercise or adding resistance with a weight plate on your back help you build power and increase your bench press. 

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  • Tips: Make sure to keep your elbows in close to your torso throughout the exercise.
  • Need more Info? For a more complete description with pictures, exercise instructions, and tips please view our Tricep Pushups Exercise Instruction Guide.


3. JM Press

Th JM Press is somewhat of a cross between Skull Crushers and the Close Grip Bench Press and is a must for increasing your bench press and sculpting or building big arms as it allows you to pack on a ton of weight and hits your triceps with a different motion than most other Tricep Exercises.

  • How to Perform this Tricep Exercise: As you lower the weight, your elbows should travel forward so they are forward of the wrists at bottom of the exercise and slightly below your chest. Return to the starting position by pushing the bar in a vertical path.
  • Need more Info? For a more complete description with pictures, exercise instructions, and tips please view our JM Press Exercise Instruction Guide.


2. Tricep Dips

Tricep Dips are one of the classic Compound Exercises that primarily targets your triceps. Not only that, Tricep Dips also hit your deltoids, lats, and upper back and are a complete upper body blaster. 

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During this exercise you’ll be pressing at least your body weight, which is much more beneficial than the Triceps Extension or Tricep Kickback, which only utilize a light dumbbell.

  • Tips: Hold a dumbbell between your feet or a weight plate on a dipping belt for additional resistance. 
  • Need more Info? For a more complete description with pictures, exercise instructions, and tips please view our Tricep Dips Exercise Instruction Guide.
  • Variations: See Bench Tricep Dips and Machine Tricep Dips.


1. Close Grip Bench Press

Here it is, the King of All Tricep Exercises, the Close Grip Bench Press. The Close Grip Bench Press allows you to use much more weight than any other tricep exercise, aside from maybe #2, Tricep Dips. Doing so will put maximum stress on the triceps and secondarily work your chest and deltoids. Also like Tricep Dips, this Tricep Exercise is also a compound exercise that targets not only your triceps but also your chest and deltoids. 

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  • Tips: Set up like normal bench press grip the bar with a narrow (about 6 inches apart) grip. During the exercise make sure to keep your elbows in close to your sides.
  • Need more Info? For a more complete description with pictures, exercise instructions, and tips please view our Close Grip Bench Press Exercise Instruction Guide.
  • Variations: Also view the Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press and the JM Press.



Well there you have it! Each of the absolute best tricep exercises to add to your tricep workouts and other weight training routines.

Now that you’ve seen the best tricep exercises, check out our other “Best Exercises” pages, our most popular tricep exercises, and other related pages below.

Other “Best Exercises” pages:

  • Best Back Exercises
  • Best Bicep Exercises
  • Best Chest Exercises
  • Best Shoulder Exercises
  • Best Leg Exercises
  • 6 Best Ab Exercises

Most Popular Tricep Exercises:

Check out some of our other popular Arm Exercises and Variations:

  • Close Grip Bench Press
  • Skull Crushers
  • Tricep Pushdown
  • Tricep Kickback
  • Triceps Extension
  • Tricep Dips

If you enjoyed our Best Tricep Exercise page, check out these other pages of interest:

  • All Weight Training Exercises   
  • Tricep Workouts and Bicep Workouts
  • Tricep Exercises Main Page
  • Arm Exercises Main Page and Arm Workouts

You’ve seen the Best Tricep Exercise List. Now check out the Workout Routines. Start at our Home Page.

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