Best Dumbbell Tricep Exercises for Stronger Arms

The triceps are one of the most important muscles to train for stronger and muscular arms. However, they are sometimes overlooked in favor of more visible muscle groups such as the chest and the biceps. Remember, it doesn’t matter how much you train your biceps, until you build tricep strength, you’ll be unable to achieve aesthetically pleasing arms.

Read on to learn the best dumbbell tricep exercises to get those muscles pumping.

Must Read: Arm Workouts for Women

Top 18 Dumbbell Tricep Exercises

1. Neutral Grip Bench Press

Neutral grip bench press with dumbbells changes your grip to focus on the arms. It effectively targets the muscle, building its strength.

Here’s how to do it:

• Lie on a bench and grab one dumbbell in each hand.
• Your arms should be straight above and palms facing each other.
• Lower your arms to the mid-chest while keeping your elbows fixed to your sides.
• Now, press the weights back to the starting position.

2. Dumbbell Skull Crushers

Dumbbell skull crushers are commonly performed with a barbell. However, the exercise is equally effective for the triceps when done with a pair of dumbbells.

Follow these steps to perform dumbbell skull crushers:

• Lie on the bench holding one dumbbell in each hand.
• Press the weights over your head and tip the elbows slightly toward your face.
• Lower the dumbbells down by bending your elbows.
• Then straighten the arms by squeezing the triceps. The elbow should stay tipped back.

3. Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extension

Dumbbell overhead tricep extension is similar to performing tricep extensions with your elbows at your sides. The exercise isolates the triceps, building its strength.

Perform dumbbell overhead tricep extension by following the steps below:

• Grab one dumbbell and raise it over your head.
• Now, bend at the elbows and lower the weight behind your back.
• Push the dumbbell up to the starting position by contracting the triceps.

4. Single Dumbbell Crush Extension

Single dumbbell crush extension is a variation of the skull crushers that have been explained above. In this, you use one dumbbell and change your grip to target the triceps.

Here’s how to perform the exercise:

• Lie on a bench and hold one dumbbell vertically with both hands.
• Use an overhand grip and position the weight directly above your chest.
• Extend your arms fully and then lower the weight slowly behind your head.
• Keep lowering the weight till you feel a stretch in your triceps.
• Pause for a moment and then lift the dumbbell back to the starting position.

Read Also: Best Dumbbell Back Exercises

5. Dumbbell Seated Triceps Overhead Press

The dumbbell seated tricep overhead press is one of those exercises in which your triceps are engaged throughout the movement. Thus, this exercise effectively builds muscle strength.

Perform a dumbbell seated triceps overhead press with the steps below:

• Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in your hand.
• Using your thumbs and index fingers, make a diamond position. Place the handle of the weight in this diamond you’ve made.
• Bring your dumbbell to an overhead position.
• Bend your elbows and lower the weight to the back of your shoulders.
• Keep your arms positioned close to your ears.
• Press the weight back to the starting position.

6. Dumbbell Kickbacks

Dumbbell kickbacks target the triceps by focusing on them solely. You can use one dumbbell or two to perform the exercise.

Use these steps to perform dumbbell kickbacks:

• Grab a dumbbell and hinge forward at your hips.
• Holding the weight in an overhand grip, keep your elbows bent at about 90 degrees.
• Extend your elbows to push the weight behind you.
• Squeeze your triceps when the hand is fully extended and return to the beginning position.

7. JM Press

JM press is a lesser-known triceps exercise. It targets both the trices as well as your chest. So, it’s good for building strength in both muscle groups.

Here’s how to perform it:

• Lie down on the bench with one dumbbell in each hand.
• Squeeze your body and press the weight over your chest. Tip your elbows slightly toward your face.
• Drop the elbows so they are closer to your ribcage.
• Tap the dumbbell’s head to your chest.
• Squeeze up through your triceps to return to the beginning position of elbows being slightly tipped toward your face.

8.  Incline Skull Crusher

The incline skull crusher, as you might have guessed, is a variation of the dumbbell skull crusher. This variation brings more tension to the long head of the triceps.

Follow these steps to perform an incline skull crusher:

• Lie down on an incline bench set to 25 or 45 degrees.
• Grab a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms toward the ceiling.
• Keep your upper arms stationary and bend your elbows. Lower the weights toward the side of your head.
• Push the dumbbells back up by contracting your triceps.

Read Also: Best Bicep Exercises

9.  Decline Skull Crusher

The decline angle in this exercise adds an extra challenge.  It puts more emphasis on the lower triceps head and is great for making this part stronger.

Here’s how to perform a decline skull crusher:

• Lie down on a decline bench set to 25 or 45 degrees.
• Grab a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms toward the ceiling.
• Keep your upper arms stationary and bend your elbows. Lower the weights toward the side of your head.
• Push the dumbbells back up by contracting your triceps.

10. Narrow Grip Dumbbell Press

A narrow-grip dumbbell press keeps the tension in your triceps throughout the movement. Performed in a supinated position, it engages all three heads of the triceps.

Follow these steps to perform a narrow-grip dumbbell press:

• Grab a dumbbell in each hand.
• With palms facing inward toward each other, recline back on a bench to a lying or supine position.
• Press the weights away from your torso and straighten your arms up toward the ceiling.
• Lower the weights to the beginning position.

11. Dumbbell Floor Press

The dumbbell floor press engages multiple muscle groups, such as the triceps, chest, and shoulders. It’s a great compound exercise that should be a part of a well-rounded workout routine.

Here’s how to do it:

• Lie down on a sturdy surface.
• Position your arms in a way so that your elbows are bent and your forearms perpendicular to the ground.
• With the weights held directly above your shoulders, press the dumbbells upward. Extend your elbows till they are fully extended.
• Pause for a moment at the top and slowly lower the weights to the starting position.

12. Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension

Dumbbell one-arm triceps extension isolates the long head of the muscle. It’s a great exercise to specifically target and build strength in this part of your triceps.

Perform a dumbbell one-arm triceps extension with the steps below:

• Sit at the edge of a flat bench and grab one dumbbell in your hand.
• Straighten the arm with the dumbbell above your shoulder.
• Bend your elbow behind your head.
• Keeping your back flat, extend and straighten out your arm as much as possible.
• Pause slightly and then bring the weight back to its initial position.

Must Read: Best Dumbbell Quad Exercises

13. Incline Dumbbell French Press

Incline dumbbell French press isolates the long head of your triceps. It also creates tension in your shoulders because of the incline angle of the bench.

Here’s how to perform the exercise:

• Lie down on an incline bench adjusted between 30 and 45-degree angles with one dumbbell in each hand.
• Raise the weights above your head, keeping your elbows stable.
• Lower the dumbbells behind your head. Pause for a second and then contract your triceps to extend your arms back up again.

14. Dumbbell Tate Press

The dumbbell state press isolates the triceps, effectively targeting them. Not only does it improve your arm definition, but it also builds your strength to perform on the bench with heavier weights.

Follow these steps to perform a dumbbell state press:

• Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie down on a bench.
• Position your arms overhead and turn your hands so the handles of the weight are perpendicular to your body.
• Bend your elbows outward and lower the weight toward your inner chest.
• Touch the dumbbell to your chest and contract your triceps to straighten your arms and move the dumbbells to the initial position.

15. Plank Triceps Kickbacks

Plank triceps kickbacks engage both your triceps and your core. The exercise also stabilizes your shoulders and works them as well.

Here’s how to do it:

• Get into a plank position with dumbbells in a neutral grip.
• Pull one of the weights up toward your chest.
• Keeping your upper arm stationary, straighten your elbow and extend the weight toward your feet.
• Lower the dumbbell to the starting position. Switch arms or perform a specific number of sets with a single arm first.

16. Push-Up on One Dumbbell

Push-up on one dumbbell significantly increases the difficulty of a regular push-up. It adds instability, which engages more muscles in your chest, shoulders, and core along with the triceps.

Follow these steps to do push-ups on a single dumbbell:

• With your hands slightly wider than hip-width apart, get into a push-up position.
• Grip the sides of the dumbbells firmly.
• Keep your body straight in the push-up position and lower your chest to the floor.
• Bring your chest as close to the dumbbell as possible without touching it.
• Push yourself back into the initial position.

17. Dumbbell Devil

The dumbbell devil engages your rhomboids and rotates the shoulder. It is a highly effective triceps exercise that also engages other parts of the arms.

Here’s how to do it:

• Luie face down with your legs parallel to the floor.
• Grab one dumbbell in each hand.
• Bring the shoulders off the mat by activating your rhomboids and the rotator cuffs.
• Move the dumbbells in an arc-like motion down to the level of your hips.
• Ensure to keep your core engaged throughout the movement.

Read Also: Top Workout Plan for Women

18. Dumbbell Weighted Diamond Pushup

Dumbbell-weighted diamond pushup targets and strengthens your triceps muscles. It also engages your chest and shoulders but to a lesser extent.

Follow the steps below to perform this exercise:

• Position yourself on the floor and squeeze a dumbbell between your legs.
• Get into the pushup position and turn your hands in slightly. Your fingers should outline the top part of the diamond.
• Bend your elbows to lower yourself toward the floor.
• Keep your arms close to your body as you do so.
• Push back up to the starting position.

Summing up

If you want to have strong and thick triceps, incorporating dumbbell triceps exercises can be highly effective. These versatile pieces of equipment give a unique freedom of movement and add more muscle to this part of your arm. Use any combination of the exercises above to improve the functionality and appearance of your triceps.