How to Build Triceps Muscle Mass (Avoid these Mistakes)

The triceps make about two third of the muscle in your upper arm, so how can you build triceps muscle mass?

You shouldn’t only focus on building the biceps muscle when training arms. Sure, a strong pair of biceps is impressive, but even more impressive is a set of well-rounded arms.

In order to best grow the triceps you need to pay close attention to how you’re performing your triceps exercises. Jeremy Ethier breaks down the best ways to build triceps muscle mass.

How to Build Triceps Muscle Mass: Avoid these Mistakes

Letting other muscles take over

It’s easy for other muscles to take over and steal tension from the triceps during popular triceps exercises like the pushdown. These muscles are generally the lats, shoulders, and forearms.

Make sure you keep your elbows locked and pinned to your sides during exercises like the pushdown. Additionally, keep your wrists in a neutral position relative to your forearms and stick your chest up and out while retracting your shoulder blades.

Read more: Triceps Exercises Ranked Worst to Best

Failing to maximise tension on the triceps

Make sure you maximise the tension you place on the triceps during your exercises.

For example, bringing the arms directly overhead during skull crushers will give your triceps a break at the top of the movement, thus not maximising tension on the triceps.

Read more: Build Huge Triceps with These Vital Dumbbell Exercises

Source: Photos courtesy of CrossFit Inc

Performing too much isolation work

Isolation exercises for the triceps are great for development, but heavy compound pressing exercises will provide greater results.

“This is because you’ll be able to overload [the triceps] more effectively and lift much heavier loads,” says Ethier. Therefore, incorporate and prioritise the close grip bench press, the barbell overhead press and weighted dips in your training.

Read more: Dumbbell Clean and Press: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, Workouts and More

Conclusion

“These little training tips may not seem like much but trust me, they really are what’s going to make all the difference in the long run and enable you to progress that much faster,” says Ethier.