8 Highly Effective Triceps Exercises For Bigger Arms

Check out 8 highly effective triceps exercises for bigger arms.

When it comes to bigger arms, many people assume wrongly that you should do endless curls for your biceps. Although the biceps do get all the glory, the triceps are the muscle group you should be focusing on.

The triceps takes up 60% of the arm size which makes them incredibly important if your goal is arm size. To know the most effective triceps exercises, you should take a look at what Max Posternak has to say.

Max Posternak is the founder of Gravity Transformation, a website focused on giving tips and training guidance for people looking to improve their fitness and lose weight. His YouTube channel has over 5 million subscribers.

Check out Posternak’s 8 highly effective triceps exercises for bigger arms.

8 Highly Effective Triceps Exercises For Bigger Arms

1. Close-Grip Bench Press

This exercise is the one that will let you hit your triceps with the heaviest load possible. That is because it is a compound movement that also involves your chest and shoulders, but it still gives enough attention to your triceps, making it a must-do movement for bigger arms.

2. Dumbbell Skull Crusher

The dumbbell skull crusher is in Posternak’s list of 8 highly effective triceps exercises for bigger arms because, in his opinion, it is the best isolation movement for your triceps.

You can experiment a little with the bench inclination for this exercise to hit your triceps at different angles.

3. Dips

Highly Effective Triceps Exercises For Bigger Arms

If the skull crusher is one of the best isolation exercises for triceps growth, then the dips is the best compound movement for them. Avoid doing them on a bench – use a dip machine or parallel bars to keep your shoulders in a natural position and keep you away from unwanted injuries.

4. Hex Press

Since we are going for the triceps on this exercise which is typically done for the chest, do not squeeze the dumbbells together. Also, aim to lower the dumbbells to your chest, not to your upper abs.

5. Cable Rope Tricep Extension

A classic tricep exercise using the rope attachment and the cable machine. To get a full contraction on this exercise, lean slightly forward with elbows bent at about 45-60 degrees at the start of the exercise.

6. French Curl (Overhead Tricep Extension)

This exercise can be done with an EZ bar or a dumbbell, seated or standing. Doing it seated will require less stabilisation of your core and allows you to lift heavier weights. You can also do this exercise on a rope cable machine by extending your arms out in front of you instead of up and down against gravity with a dumbbell or bar.

7. Single-Arm Reverse Grip Cable Tricep Extension

Attach a horseshoe handle to the cable machine and grab it with a supinated grip (palms facing you). Straighten up your arm and lock out your elbow for one rep. Repeat with the other arm. This is great to check imbalances and compare the strength of one side versus the other.

8. Dumbbell Kickback

Normally, this is not a great tricep exercise, but it is on Posternak’s 8 highly effective triceps exercises for bigger arms because he does a variation of it that makes up for it.

Don’t do this traditional way of kickback if you want to focus more on your triceps.

Perform the exercise on your elbow, instead of utilising your straight arm and hand to provide support for your body. Everything else is the same, one knee and the elbow on the same side on the bench, and the other foot on the ground to support.

By changing the inclination of your body when performing this exercise, you put a lot more tension on your triceps throughout the entire movement.

And that was Posternak’s 8 highly effective triceps exercises for bigger arms. Click on the video below to see each exercise performed correctly and more explanation on each of them.