Best Dumbbell Triceps Exercises to Improve Arm Spreaders

While machines and dumbbells have their appeal, there's no denying the benefits of training with dumbbells. First, it helps you identify imbalances so you can strengthen your weaknesses. This is true for any part of the body, like dumbbell back exercises, but even more so for unilateral (one-sided) work, like you'll do during dumbbell triceps exercises.

Contrary to what people who spend all their time at the curl station will tell you, the triceps, not the biceps, are primarily responsible for adding volume to your arms. You also don't have to spend five days a week on the bench to achieve the coveted horseshoe shape. A simple triceps exercise with dumbbells like the one below is a simple but effective way to get bigger arms.

Our list of dumbbell triceps exercises targets all triceps heads with moves you're probably already familiar with. Some, like the Tate press, can improve your lockout on the bench press, while the underhand kickoff provides extra grip and forearm training.

Muscles Working in Dumbbell Triceps Exercise

Triceps is a large muscle located on the back of the upper arm, responsible for the horseshoe shape you often see on bodybuilders' arms. Although massive trises are aesthetically pleasing, they also have a functional purpose; They are responsible for straightening your arm and extending the elbow joint. The triceps complex consists of three different heads: lateral, long and medial.

  • Lateral: The lateral head, located on the outside of your arm, is considered the strongest of the three triceps heads. It is responsible for straightening your arm at the elbow and contributes to the muscular appearance of your upper arm.
  • LONG: The long head is the largest of the triceps heads. It helps straighten your arm at the elbow joint and plays an important role in your shoulder's ability to extend.
  • Medial: Below the long head and above the elbow is the middle head. The smallest of the three heads, the medial, is crucial to both the strength and stability of your arm.

Related: The 50 Best Chest Exercises of 2024

Best Triceps Exercise with Dumbbells

Directions

Perform exercise pairs (marked “A” and “B”) in supersets. You'll do one set of A, then one set of B, before resting. Repeat for all sets indicated. Exercises 3 and 5 are performed with traditional straight sets.

1A. Neutral Grip Dumbbell Press

Neutral Grip Dumbbell Press

Beth Bischoff

How To

  1. To start, hold a dumbbell in each hand and sit back on a bench.
  2. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with your palms facing each other.
  3. Press them across your chest and return to the starting position.
  4. This is 1 rep.
  5. Perform 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

1B. False Triceps Extension

False Triceps Extension

James Michelfelder and Therese Somerseth

How To

  1. From the final position of the last repetition of the neutral grip press, allow your arms to drift back until the weights are above your face.

  2. Keeping your upper arms at this angle, bend your elbows and lower the weights behind your head.
  3. Extend your elbows, maintaining the same angle as your upper arms.
  4. This is 1 rep.
  5. Complete 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions, resting 120 seconds between sets.

2A. Tate Press

Tate Press

Beth Bischoff

How To

  1. To start, lie on a bench or surface with dumbbells in each hand, arms extended across your chest and palms facing your feet.

  2. Turn your elbows out and bend them to lower the weights almost to your chest so they form an L shape.
  3. Extend your elbows.
  4. This is 1 rep.
  5. Perform 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

2B. Bottom Recoil

Bottom Recoil

Beth Bischoff

How To

  1. To start, stand holding a dumbbell in each hand and bend your hips back, lowering your torso until it is almost parallel to the floor.
  2. Turn your palms facing forward and rest your upper arms at your sides, extending your elbows until your arms are parallel to your torso.
  3. This is 1 rep.
  4. Complete 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions, resting 120 seconds between sets.

3. Single Arm Overhead Extension

Single Arm Overhead Extension

Beth Bischoff

How To

  1. To start, hold a dumbbell and lift your arm behind your head with your elbow bent.

  2. Extend your elbow with your arm pointing straight up.
  3. Perform 4 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions on each side, resting 120 seconds between each set.

4A. Incline Triceps Extension

Incline Triceps Extension

James Michelfelder

How To

  1. Adjust an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree incline and lie on your back with a dumbbell in each hand to start.
  2. Press the weights above your head and let your arms slide back to an angle and feel a stretch in your triceps.
  3. Bend your elbows and lower the weights behind your head.
  4. Now extend your elbows.
  5. This is 1 rep.
  6. Perform 4 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

4B. Close Grip Bench Press

Close Grip Bench Press

James Michelfelder

How To

  1. To start, sit back on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Press the dumbbells together as hard as you can, as if crushing something between them.
  3. Maintain tension as you lift the weights across your chest before returning them to the starting position.
  4. This is 1 rep.
  5. Complete 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

5. Dumbbell Pullover

Dumbbell Pullover

Beth Bischoff

How To

  1. To start, sit back on a bench holding a dumbbell with both hands across your chest.
  2. Brace your abdominal muscles and pull your ribcage down.
  3. Reach your arms behind your head until you feel a stretch in your lats, and then pull the weight back toward your face.
  4. This is 1 rep.
  5. Perform 4 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.

Can I Build My Triceps With Dumbbells Only?

Yes, dumbbells are versatile tools that can successfully target all three heads of the triceps. Unlike compound movements like the bench press, dumbbell tricep exercises can better target specific parts of the tricep muscle to create a more balanced look. Different movements can also be used to build different heads: skull crushers for the long head, close-grip dumbbell presses for the side head, etc.

Related: The 50 Best Leg Exercises for 2024

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *