Want to master triceps training at home? Home gym setups lend themselves effortlessly to a plethora of arm-developing exercises. But with so many available, which ones should you put in your programme?
If you want to look impressive in a T-shirt, you’re going to need big triceps. Sure, biceps that pop when you flex are eye-catching. But developed triceps look good even when you’re not flexing. No other muscle fills out t-shirt sleeves in quite the same way!
And while aesthetics isn’t really my own personal motivation for lifting weights, looking muscular is certainly is a very nice by-product. Fortunately, when it comes to triceps training, you are spoiled for choice in even the most basic home gym setup.
So what are the best exercises if you’re looking to build big triceps in a home gym? It’s time to find out.
Let’s start at the bottom with the DYEL tier of triceps exercises and work our way up to the highest (S) horseshoe tier. I figure it will be more fun that way!
DYEL Tier
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension
And we begin with the overhead dumbbell tricep extension. Ironically, this is actually a really good exercise – just not for home gym owners. And that’s because unless you own a rack of dumbbells, you will need to do this with either an adjustable dumbbell or plates on loadable dumbbell handles.
Most adjustable dumbbells have plastic parts or removable plates. Loadable dumbbell handles are held in place with collars. While it’s unlikely that either will fail mid-set, it’s certainly a possibility. And if they do fail while the dumbbell is over your head, that’s not going to end well. No matter how much you trust your adjustable dumbbells or collars, this exercise just isn’t worth the risk.
Dumbbell Triceps Kickback
Everybody loves to take a pop at this exercise, and while I will join the pile-on, I do so with a large serving of humble pie. Before I knew any better, I not only did kickbacks myself, but also advised others to do so – particularly female acquaintances who wanted to “tone” their lower arms.
While I still think kickbacks may have some limited value as a gentle introduction for rank novices, there’s just too much swinging about going on – and so little time under tension. It is also fairly easy to perform these with relatively heavy weight… without really doing much at all for your triceps.
Meh Tier
Diamond Pushups and the Close Grip Bench Press
Both of these are easy to do in a home gym – particularly the former, as you don’t even need a home gym to perform it! And I am lumping them together because I feel they suffer from the same problem: They are neither fish nor foul.
What am I on about? Well, while they both bias the triceps, they are still variations of compound pushing movements, ie the pushup and the bench. The thing is, depending on your tricep strength level, your triceps may not be your limiting factor in these lifts.
I also find that particularly in the home gym and home fitness communities, people tend to bias pushing movements over pulling movements. Everybody cares about how much they can bench, and nobody is ever going to ask:
“How much you lat pulldown, bro?”
In more minimalist or calisthenics-heavy worlds, people tend to spam pushups and other pushup variations like ring pushups or weighted archer pushups.
As such, it’s likely that the last thing you need to throw into your programme is another pushup or bench variation that kinda targets your triceps. They’re both good exercises, but you can do much better if tricep growth is your primary goal.
OK Tier
Tricep (Bench) Dips
You could argue that this exercise should be higher on the list due to its easy accessibility. You don’t need a bench to do it – a heavy piece of furniture may be just as good. And this was the first exercise that I did that I really saw results on, so it does have value.
I still like this exercise a lot, but I haven’t done it for years – for a key reason. Once you have gone beyond the point where you can crank out a lot of bodyweight reps, it’s very awkward to load. I’ve seen people do this with weight plates on their laps or weighted vests.
But in my experience, the weight sits wrong if it’s on your back or in front of you, precariously balancing on your thighs. I’d stick with the bodyweight version until you outgrow it and then swap it out for something else.
Even if you are triceps training at home with a very basic setup, you can do a lot better.
Overhead Cable Extension
I like the overhead cable extension a lot, and my gym buddy appears to have bought a Mirafit wall-mounted cable setup with the main aim of being able to do it. That’s fine if you have the space for a cable station in your home gym. But most don’t. Instead, you may be trying to do this on a DIY cable setup, which means the weight will be swinging around behind you… while you have your back turned to it. Scary stuff.
Excellent Tier
EZ Bar Skullcrushers and the JM press
These are both amazing exercises, but each have a fatal flaw that I feel is particularity pertinent to home gym owners.
The skullcrusher is another fine exercise that incorporates plenty of weighted stretch on the long head of the tricep. The problem is, unless you have a rackable EZ bar, you will need to haul it off the floor each time and lower yourself onto the bench. Then, another safety concern, you are literally lowering it down to your skull each time you do a rep. Sure, your grip may be good. But if that bar drops out of your hands onto your head, you are going to wish you were in a crowded gym so someone can call for help.
The JM press may be marginally better.
Unlike the close grip bench, it doesn’t involve your pecs so much. But the only reason I am not including this in the S tier is perhaps personal. I find that I instinctively want to do this lift with a thumbless grip, and that the standard overhand grip feels uncomfortable for me. Even with safety pins on a squat rack, this could get a bit scary in summer when palms get sweaty. If that’s not a problem you experience, this may be your pick of the list.
The Good Ole’ Cable Pushdown
If you own weight plates and have any kind of overhead anchor point, such as a ceiling beam, a squat rack or a well-fitted pullup bar, you may consider a DIY cable setup. While these can be used for other things, they really come into their own for triceps pushdowns.
Most of the cheaper sets you can buy come with a rope, fabric handles or a cheap straight bar, all of which are good. But if you want to take this to the next level, you could invest in a v-shaped, knurled cable attachment that lets you better target the underside of your arms.
These sets used to go on sale for under £10, although nowadays they seem to have shot up in price. Regardless, they are probably still worth it, and you can DIY your own version from scratch if you have the inclination – and spam triceps pulldowns to your heart’s content.
Horseshoe Tier
Single-arm Cable Pushdown
While the v-shaped bar is good, you can go a step further if you do away with the dual handle and do this exercise unilaterally. That might be more time-consuming, but it allows you to get a better range of motion, helpful if you’re having trouble working the longer of the muscle’s three heads. It may take twice as long, but this variation is at least twice as good as its two-handed cousin.
Reclining Tricep Bar Extension
This exercise requires quite a bit in terms of equipment, but boy it is worth it. The tricep bar doesn’t have a lot of uses outside direct tricep work (besides maybe hammer curls), but I’d expect most home gym owners to have the rest of the setup: weight plates, collars and a bench.
Being able to do a skullcrusher-like exercise with your hands in a neutral grip – I feel – really helps you target your triceps more, and seems to put less strain on your tendons.
It also feels a lot safer – the bar passes over your head, but doesn’t come down towards it. If you fail this lift, it most likely won’t be when the bar is over your head – it will be when it’s safely behind your body.
If you have an adjustable bench, you can also make this more challenging on the triceps by doing this in a decline position. Either way, if you like tricep building, you are going to love this lift.
Get Ahead (or Three!) with Better Triceps Training at Home!
And that’s your lot. What do you think? Have I missed your favourite tricep lift? Have I been too harsh on an exercise you love?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you think are the best home gym triceps lifts. Get in touch with your thoughts or leave a comment!
