Tricep Training Mini Guide: Get More Out of Every Rep
If you want bigger arms, you NEED TO be training smart and that’s what we’ll go over today.
Your triceps make up about two-thirds of your upper arm mass. So if your goal is sleeve-splitting arms or a stronger lockout in your press, you need to be strategic about how you train them. That means understanding how the three heads of the tricep work, how to position your joints for maximal tension, and which tools give you the most bang for your buck.
Let’s break it down:
Anatomy First: Train All Three Heads
Your triceps are made up of three distinct heads:
Long Head – Originates on the scapula, making it the only head that crosses the shoulder joint.
Lateral Head – Gives that horseshoe shape on the outer arm.
Medial Head – Sits deep and is active in nearly all tricep movements.
If you're not hitting all three, you're leaving growth on the table.
Joint Positioning: Overhead vs Below Shoulder
To target the Long Head:
You must put the triceps in a stretched position—this means arms overhead. Exercises like:
Overhead tricep extensions (rope, dumbbell, or EZ bar)
Incline skull crushers
Because the long head crosses the shoulder, it needs shoulder flexion (arms up) to be fully lengthened and recruited (Bojsen-Møller et al., 2005).
To emphasize the Lateral and Medial Heads:
Use movements where the arms are down by your sides or pushed in front of you:
Cable pushdowns (rope or bar)
Close-grip bench press
Dips
Kickbacks (when done correctly)
These heads don’t cross the shoulder joint, so changing shoulder position doesn’t dramatically alter their tension.
Best strategy:
Include both overhead and below-shoulder tricep movements in your program to fully develop all three heads.
Volume, Reps & Frequency for Hypertrophy
If you want to grow your triceps, here’s the game plan:
Weekly sets: 10–14 quality working sets/week
Reps per set: 8–15 is the sweet spot
Frequency: 2–3x/week for most lifters
Why that range?
High mechanical tension + moderate metabolic stress = max hypertrophy (Schoenfeld, 2010).
Training multiple times a week with varied joint angles increases recruitment across all heads.
Pro tip: Pair a stretch-based movement (like overhead extensions) with a lockout-based movement (like rope pushdowns) in your workout.
Training Tools: Pros & Cons
Rope
✅ Allows for external rotation and fuller contraction
✅ Great for finishing movements and higher reps
❌ Less stability under heavy loads
Best for: Rope pushdowns, overhead extensions
Straight Bar / EZ Bar
✅ Stable and loadable
✅ Good for heavy sets
❌ Can be uncomfortable on wrists
Best for: Skull crushers, close-grip bench, pressdowns
Dumbbells
✅ Great for unilateral work and correcting imbalances
✅ Provides deep stretch in overhead positions
❌ Harder to overload and stabilize
Best for: Overhead extensions, kickbacks
Cables
✅ Constant tension through full range of motion
✅ Great for isolation work
❌ Machines may vary in feel
Best for: Almost everything—if you know how to set them up right
Final Word from Dr. Ben
Don’t just train hard - train smart. Understand the function of each tricep head. Mix up joint angles. Choose the right tools for the job. And above all, train them with intent, consistency, and enough volume to create adaptation.
If you’re unsure how to fit all this into your training week, or you’re ready to follow a science-based, periodized program tailored to your body and goals, we’ve got you. Apply for Aspire Fit Coaching and let’s get to work.
References:
Bojsen-Møller, J., Magnusson, S. P., Rasmussen, L. R., Kjaer, M., & Aagaard, P. (2005). Muscle performance during maximal isometric and dynamic contractions is influenced by the length of the muscle-tendon complex. Journal of Applied Physiology, 99(4), 1322–1329.
Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), 2857–2872.
Paoli, A., Bianco, A., & Moro, T. (2017). Resistance training frequency: the key to muscle hypertrophy. European Journal of Translational Myology, 27(2), 6382.
Wakahara, T., Fukutani, A., Kawakami, Y., & Yanai, T. (2013). Nonuniform muscle hypertrophy: its relation to muscle activation in training session. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 45(11), 2158–2165.