Why tricep strength should be your priority
If you want bigger, stronger arms and more powerful presses, a focused tricep workout for strength is one of the smartest investments you can make. Your triceps make up around 70% of your upper arm mass and play a big role in exercises like bench press and push ups by helping you lock out at the top of each rep.
By training your triceps for strength, you can:
- Add size to your arms without endless biceps curls
- Improve lockout power on bench press, overhead press, and dips
- Stabilize your shoulders during heavy pushing movements
Below, you will find a simple, 45 minute tricep workout for strength you can try today, plus clear guidance on sets, reps, and form so you can lift confidently.
Know your triceps and how they work
Before you start, it helps to know what you are actually training. Your triceps have three heads:
- Long head
- Lateral head
- Medial head
Training all three is important for strength and balanced development. Overhead tricep extensions and skull crushers are especially effective for the long head because they work the muscle in a stretched position. Close grip bench presses, dips, and pushdowns hit all three heads with different emphases, which is why they show up in most strength focused programs.
Set your strength training guidelines
To turn a tricep workout into a tricep workout for strength, you need to think beyond just picking exercises. The way you structure sets, reps, and weekly volume matters.
Choose the right rep ranges
For pure strength, guidelines from Gymshark recommend:
- 1 to 5 reps per set
- About 80 to 100% of your one rep max
For muscle growth (hypertrophy) that supports strength:
- 8 to 12 reps per set
- About 60 to 80% of your one rep max
Your weekly training can mix:
- Heavy sets of 5 to 8 reps
- Moderate sets of 8 to 15 reps
- Occasional lighter sets up to 20 or so reps
Research summarized by RP Strength suggests using a range of 5 to 30 reps across your week, with about half your total work in a moderate range that balances stimulus and injury risk.
Plan weekly volume and frequency
For tricep strength and size, Gymshark recommends:
- 12 to 28 sets per week for triceps
- Training at least twice per week
RP Strength also notes that:
- 2 to 4 triceps sessions per week is usually effective
- Most sessions only need 1 to 3 different exercises
- Across the week, 2 to 5 total tricep exercises is enough if you use a mix of compound and isolation movements
This article gives you a starter plan you can run 2 times per week. You can then add or remove sets based on how your body responds.
Follow this simple 45 minute tricep strength workout
You can do this tricep workout for strength once or twice a week. Each session focuses on 3 key movements so you can push hard without dragging things out.
Aim to complete the workout in about 45 minutes, keeping your rest periods under 90 seconds for most sets, unless you are lifting very heavy.
Exercise 1: Close grip bench press
Close grip bench press is the main heavy compound in this session. Narrowing your grip shifts the emphasis toward the triceps while still training your chest and shoulders. Gymshark highlights it as one of the best compound lifts for tricep strength and mass because it loads all three heads and lets you handle more weight than most bodyweight variations.
How to do it
- Lie on a flat bench with your eyes under the bar.
- Grip the bar about shoulder width apart to protect your wrists and elbows.
- Unrack the bar and hold it above your chest with straight arms.
- Lower the bar to the lower part of your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Press the bar back up in a straight line until your elbows are fully locked out.
Sets and reps for strength
- Warm up with 2 lighter sets of 8 to 10 reps.
- Then do 3 to 5 working sets of 3 to 6 reps.
- Rest 90 to 120 seconds between heavy sets if needed.
Form tips
- Keep your wrists straight rather than letting them bend back.
- Plant your feet firmly on the floor to create a stable base.
- Think about driving the bar up by pushing through your triceps, not shrugging your shoulders.
Exercise 2: Weighted or bodyweight dips
Dips are another powerful pushing movement that hit your triceps, chest, and shoulders at once. You can use parallel bars, a sturdy dip station, or assisted dip machine.
According to strength coaches, dips are one of the best tricep exercises for progressive overload because you can gradually add plates, chains, or a weighted vest as you get stronger.
How to do it
- Grip the bars and support yourself at the top with straight arms.
- Brace your core and keep your chest lifted.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body until your upper arms are at least parallel to the floor.
- Push back up by driving through your hands until your elbows are straight again.
Sets and reps for strength
- Start with 3 to 4 sets of 5 to 8 reps.
- Once 8 bodyweight reps feel comfortable, start adding weight gradually.
Form tips
- Keep your elbows close to your sides to emphasize the triceps.
- Avoid letting your shoulders roll forward at the bottom.
- If full bodyweight dips are too hard, use an assisted dip machine or place your feet on a bench.
Exercise 3: Tricep pushdowns
Tricep pushdowns are a reliable isolation movement that let you target the triceps without stressing your shoulders. You can use a cable machine with a rope, straight bar, or V bar attachment. If you do not have cables, a resistance band anchored above head height works too.
Gymshark notes that pushdowns are great for building both strength and a muscle pump, and their versatility makes them ideal as a finisher after heavy compounds.
How to do it
- Stand facing the cable stack or band anchor.
- Grip the handle with both hands.
- Lean slightly forward for a better range of motion.
- Pin your elbows close to your sides and keep them fixed in place.
- Push the handle down until your arms are straight and your triceps are fully contracted.
- Slowly let the handle rise until your elbows are bent and you feel a stretch in the triceps.
Sets and reps for strength and size
You can use pushdowns in different ways depending on your goal:
- For strength emphasis, Reddit users on r/leangains often recommend 3 to 6 heavy reps per set, sometimes as low as 2 to 5 reps.
- For hypertrophy, medium ranges of 8 to 12 reps per set work well.
A practical starting point:
- 3 to 5 sets
- First 2 sets at 6 to 8 reps with heavier weight
- Final 1 to 3 sets at 10 to 12 reps with slightly lighter weight
Form tips
- Do not let your elbows drift forward and backward, keep them by your sides.
- Squeeze your triceps hard at the bottom of each rep.
- Experiment with rope and V bar attachments to find what feels best on your wrists and elbows.
Weekly tricep strength plan you can follow
Here is a sample week that focuses on a simple tricep workout for strength while allowing enough recovery. Adjust as needed based on what else you train.
| Day | Triceps focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Tricep strength workout (close grip bench, dips, pushdowns) |
| Wednesday | Upper body pulling (rows, pull ups) with no direct tricep work |
| Friday | Repeat tricep strength workout or lighter variation |
| Weekend | Rest or light cardio, mobility work |
Make sure you leave 24 to 48 hours between hard tricep sessions. This is especially important if your other upper body days include presses that also hit the triceps. Adequate rest prevents fatigue and helps you continue to progress without nagging pain.
Adjust for your experience level
You can run this tricep workout for strength whether you are a beginner or more advanced. You just need to match the load and volume to your current level.
If you are newer to lifting
- Start at the lower end of the set range. For example, 3 sets instead of 5.
- Use moderate weights that allow you to focus on form first.
- Avoid jumping straight into risky or uncomfortable movements, especially heavy skull crushers, which can be tough on elbows and shoulders if you are still learning technique.
- If you notice significant soreness from new exercises, reduce the weight or swap to a machine or cable variation until your joints feel ready.
For example, if skull crushers bother your elbows, seated tricep pushdown machines and cable pushdowns can be friendlier options while still building strength.
If you are more advanced
- Push toward the higher end of the volume range, up to 20 to 24 weekly sets for triceps if you recover well.
- Use heavier loads for your compound work, especially close grip bench and dips.
- Add one extra isolation exercise on some days, such as overhead dumbbell extensions, to place the long head in a stretched position and drive further growth.
Technique, safety, and common mistakes
Strong triceps come from smart training, not just heavier and heavier weight. A few simple habits will help you stay healthy while getting stronger.
Prioritize good exercise order
Studies and coaching experience suggest you get more out of your session when you:
- Start with compound exercises like close grip bench and dips
- Move to isolations like pushdowns and overhead extensions afterward
- Avoid starting your workout with very high reps on light exercises, which can exhaust your triceps before the heavy lifts even begin
Watch for overuse and poor form
Common tricep mistakes include:
- Letting your shoulders and chest take over during pressing
- Flaring your elbows out wide on close grip bench and dips
- Rushing reps without a full lockout or controlled negative
- Over relying on machines and cables, which can limit your range of motion if you never include free weights
Free weight movements like dumbbell extensions and skull crushers can give you a deeper stretch and greater muscle activation, but they also require careful technique. If any exercise consistently causes sharp joint pain, scale back the load or switch to a variation that feels better.
How to progress your tricep workout over time
To keep building strength, you need progressive overload, which simply means doing a little more over time. You can do this by:
- Adding small amounts of weight to your main lifts when your form stays solid
- Adding an extra rep to each set when you reach the top of your target range
- Adding one more set for a movement once your current volume feels easy and you are recovering well
For example, on close grip bench press:
- Week 1: 3 sets of 5 reps at a given weight
- Week 2: 3 sets of 6 reps at the same weight
- Week 3: Increase the weight slightly and return to 3 sets of 5 reps
Over weeks and months, small jumps like this add up to noticeable strength and size gains.
Put it into action today
You now have a clear tricep workout for strength that you can follow as soon as your next gym session:
- Heavy close grip bench presses for your main strength driver
- Dips to build pressing power and overall upper body mass
- Tricep pushdowns to finish the muscles with focused isolation work
Start with conservative weights, keep your elbows and shoulders happy, and track your sets and reps so you can layer in small improvements over time. With consistent effort and good form, you will feel stronger at the top of every press and see your arms fill out in the process.
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