You should really give these a try — see what I did there?
It’s time for some triceps talk: The triceps muscle lies along the back of your upper arms. It makes up two-thirds of your upper arms and has three heads — medial, short (lateral), and long — hence the “tri” in the name.
Your triceps muscle plays a huge role in giving your arms shape, and is, therefore, a point of contention for many of us as we get wiser in years. I won’t get into what they should or shouldn’t look like — all bodies are beautiful, regardless of age — but if you find yourself frequently complaining about newly formed “wings” and are determined to try for change, muscle building/maintaining strength work is one of the greatest weapons against some of the more unpleasant effects of aging. More importantly, these muscles are responsible for crucial movements that get more difficult with time, like extending your elbows (straightening your arms) and stabilizing your shoulders. So, whatever the impetus, your triceps deserve some love.
In this video, I showcase three foundational dumbbell strength exercises for your triceps. As always, choose a weight that challenges you but doesn’t prohibit you from maintaining proper form. Do 3-4 sets of each exercise.
If you’re looking to experience these moves (and more) within arm-focused curated workouts, check out the Kira Stokes Fit App — there are countless body part/muscle group-specific fully guided workouts to help you achieve a strong upper body.
Best Tricep Exercises
Move 1: Triceps Extension (aka Skull Crushers)
- Supine position (on your back), knees bent, feet hip-width apart
- Start with arms extended in alignment with your shoulders, palms facing in
- Bend your elbows to bring weights toward the floor, close to your temples
- Remember, only your forearms should move while performing triceps extensions, and you must straighten your arms completely to fully contract your triceps
- 10-12 reps
Move 2: Close-Grip Dumbbell Press
- Supine position, knees bent, feet hip-width apart
- Start with your arms extended in alignment with your shoulders
- Bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells toward the ground
- Your elbows should be tucked, skimming the sides of your body. Once again, make sure you straighten your arms completely each rep
- 10-12 reps
Move 3: Triceps Kickback
- Start in a hinged position with a neutral spine (flat back), elbows at 90 degrees by your side
- Press the dumbbells back and up as you straighten the arms (completely) and squeeze your triceps, avoid swinging the weight
- 10-12 reps
