Unlocking Tricep Thickness: The Best Tricep Workouts for Serious Mass

If your goal is to build powerful, sleeve-stretching arms, it’s time to shift your focus to a muscle group that often gets second billing to the biceps: the triceps. Comprising nearly two-thirds of your upper arm, the triceps are key to achieving real arm size and strength. This guide breaks down the best tricep exercises for mass, backed by decades of training insight and first-hand experience in the gym.

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Why Triceps Matter More Than You Think

The triceps brachii consists of three heads: the long head, lateral head, and medial head. To grow thick, dense triceps, all three must be targeted. Too many lifters rely on basic pushdowns and wonder why their arms plateau. True growth comes from intelligent programming—combining compound lifts, isolation, and progressive overload.

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The 6 Best Tricep Workouts for Mass

1. Close-Grip Bench Press

This compound powerhouse recruits all three tricep heads while letting you move serious weight. Keep your grip shoulder-width apart and elbows tucked in. It’s a must-have for building overall tricep density.

Tip: Pause at the bottom to eliminate momentum and force your triceps to fire harder on the way up.

2. Weighted Dips (Chest-Up, Elbows In)

Dips aren’t just an old-school finisher—they’re a mass builder when loaded heavy and performed with control. Keeping your torso more upright puts the emphasis squarely on the triceps.

Avoid flaring your elbows. Keep them tucked to protect your shoulders and maximize tricep engagement.

3. Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extension (Single or Both Hands)

The long head of the triceps gets fully stretched when your arms are overhead. That makes this movement essential for complete development. Use moderate weight and full range of motion.

4. EZ Bar Skull Crushers

Few exercises isolate the triceps like skull crushers. The slight angle of the EZ bar is easier on the wrists and elbows, allowing heavier loads with less joint stress.

Keep your upper arms locked and only move your forearms. Control the negative for greater time under tension.

5. Cable Rope Overhead Extensions

This version maintains constant tension through the movement and is great for higher-rep hypertrophy work. Focus on a deep stretch and a hard contraction at the top.

6. Cable Pushdowns (Rope or Straight Bar)

Classic and effective, especially when used at the end of a workout to flush the muscle. Go for strict form—no swinging or cheating. High reps here can pump blood into the triceps for a solid finisher.

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My Experience: When My Arms Finally Grew

I plateaued for nearly a year, constantly hitting curls and pressdowns with minimal progress. It wasn’t until I started programming weighted dips and skull crushers seriously—tracking my sets, slowing my reps, and pushing progressive overload—that my arms finally grew. Training triceps with the same intention as legs or chest made all the difference. That shift in mindset transformed not just how my arms looked, but how they performed under the bar.

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Tricep Mass-Building Tips to Remember

• Train Triceps Twice Weekly: Once with heavy compounds, once with focused isolation and volume.

• Don’t Chase the Pump Alone: Load matters. Progressively add weight, reps, or sets over time.

• Form First: Swinging the rope or ego-lifting on dips won’t help—strict control beats sloppy reps.

• Recovery Is Critical: Triceps assist in pressing movements. Give them time to recover or they’ll underperform on chest/shoulder day.

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Final Thoughts

The best tricep workout for mass isn’t about gimmicks or endless reps—it’s about smart, targeted training that balances intensity, form, and consistency. Add these proven tricep exercises into your weekly routine, eat for growth, and stay the course. Your arms will speak for themselves.