Tricep Workout for Intermediate Lifters
This session is built for you if you've been training consistently for at least six months and want to put serious size and strength into the back of your arms. You already know how to move — now we'll walk you through a focused tricep routine that challenges all three heads of the muscle across a range of angles and loads. Whether you're chasing stronger pressing numbers or just want arms that fill out your sleeves, this one delivers.
What the research says
A few well-run studies give us useful direction on how to structure a session like this. One 8-week study on resistance-trained men found that resting 3 minutes between sets produced significantly greater gains in maximal strength and a trend toward greater triceps thickness compared to resting just 1 minute — though the thickness difference did not reach statistical significance for the triceps specifically. A separate study testing low-load training to failure found that both short (30 seconds) and long (150 seconds) rest intervals led to significant triceps growth over 8 weeks, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. And a session-format study found that performing exercises as supersets produced greater total training volume than traditional sets, which is worth knowing when you're short on time.
Moderate — the rest interval and volume findings come from controlled studies on trained individuals, but sample sizes are small (14–22 participants) and not all differences reached statistical significance, so treat the takeaways as useful guidance rather than hard rules.
An 8-week study of resistance-trained men found that 3-minute rest intervals between sets produced significantly greater gains in 1-rep max squat and bench press strength compared to 1-minute rest intervals. Triceps brachii thickness showed a trend toward greater increase in the longer-rest group, but this difference did not reach statistical significance.
View study →An 8-week study using low-load training to failure (40% of 1-rep max) found that both a 30-second and a 150-second rest interval group showed significant increases in triceps cross-sectional area (9.8% and 10.6% respectively), with no statistically significant difference between the two groups.
View study →A study comparing resistance training session formats in trained men found that the superset protocol produced significantly greater total training volume (8063 kg) than the traditional set protocol (7357 kg), and that total repetitions were also significantly greater for the superset and circuit protocols versus traditional sets.
View study →The routine
Main
Begin by lying on the bench, getting your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement. However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar. Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart. Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times. Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
Lie on the floor and place your hands on an upright dumbbell. Supporting your weight on your toes and hands, keep your torso rigid and your elbows in with your arms straight. This will be your starting position. Lower your body, allowing the elbows to flex while you inhale. Keep your body straight, not allowing your hips to rise or sag. Press yourself back up to the starting position by extending the elbows. Breathe out as you perform this step. After a pause at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench. Using a close grip (a grip that is slightly less than shoulder width), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked and elbows in. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position. Tip: In order to protect your rotator cuff, it is best if you have a spotter help you lift the barbell off the rack. Now lower the bar down to your lower chest as you breathe in. Keep the elbows in as you perform this movement. Using the triceps to push the bar back up, press it back to the starting position as you exhale. As you breathe in and you keep the upper arms stationary, bring the bar down slowly by moving your forearms in a semicircular motion towards you until you feel the bar slightly touch your forehead. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement. Lift the bar back to the starting position by contracting the triceps and exhaling. Repeat steps 3-6 until the recommended amount of repetitions is performed.
Lay on the floor holding dumbbells in your hands. Your knees can be bent. Begin with the weights fully extended above you. Lower the weights until your upper arm comes in contact with the floor. You can tuck your elbows to emphasize triceps size and strength, or to focus on your chest angle your arms to the side. Pause at the bottom, and then bring the weight together at the top by extending through the elbows.
Adjust the j-hooks so they are at the appropriate height to rack the bar. Begin lying on the floor with your head near the end of a power rack. Keeping your shoulder blades pulled together; pull the bar off of the hooks. Lower the bar towards the bottom of your chest or upper stomach, squeezing the bar and attempting to pull it apart as you do so. Ensure that you tuck your elbows throughout the movement. Lower the bar until your upper arm contacts the ground and pause, preventing any slamming or bouncing of the weight. Press the bar back up as fast as you can, keeping the bar, your wrists, and elbows in line as you do so.
Cooldown
Sit upright on the floor with your partner behind you. Raise one arm straight up, and flex the elbow, attempting to touch your hand to your back. Your parner should hold your elbow and wrist. This will be your starting position. Attempt to extend the arm straight into the air as your partner prevents you from doing actually doing so. After 10-20 seconds, relax the arm and allow your partner to further stretch the tricep by applying gentle pressure to the wrist. Hold for 10-20 seconds, and then switch sides.
Bring right arm across your body and over your left shoulder, holding your elbow with your left hand, until you feel a stretch in your tricep. Then repeat for your other arm.
Set and rep ranges are general starting suggestions based on this guide's level — adjust to your own experience, and progress gradually.
This is educational information, not medical advice — if you have elbow, shoulder, or wrist discomfort, check with a qualified professional before loading up. For the pressing movements, keep your elbows from flaring excessively wide, lower the bar or dumbbells with control rather than dropping into the bottom position, and never sacrifice range of motion just to move more weight.