Why bodyweight tricep exercises work
If you want stronger, more defined arms without touching a dumbbell, bodyweight tricep exercises are your best starting point. Your triceps sit on the back of your upper arms and actually make up about 60 to 70 percent of your upper arm muscle mass. When you train them consistently, your whole arm looks leaner and more sculpted.
Bodyweight moves are especially effective for tricep workouts because:
- You can do them almost anywhere, using benches, chairs or just the floor
- Pressing movements like pushups and dips have been shown to activate the triceps more than many isolation exercises
- You can easily adjust difficulty by changing angles, tempo and range of motion
You also work your chest, shoulders and core at the same time, which gives you more results in less time.
Know your triceps before you train
You do not need an anatomy degree to train well, but understanding the basics helps you choose better exercises.
Your triceps brachii has three heads:
- Long head
- Lateral head
- Medial head
Together they:
- Extend your elbow to straighten your arm
- Help stabilize your shoulder
- Support daily actions like pushing open doors, lifting grocery bags or moving a computer mouse
The best bodyweight tricep exercises hit all three heads through a full range of motion and keep your elbows bending and straightening under control.
How to get the most from your workouts
Before you jump into specific exercises, keep a few training guidelines in mind. They can make the difference between random effort and steady progress.
Choose a realistic schedule
For most people, a simple plan works well:
- Train triceps 2 to 3 times per week
- Use 3 to 4 different exercises per session
- Do 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps for each move
If you are more advanced or following recommendations like those from strength coach Noam Tamir, C.S.C.S., you can select 4 to 5 exercises and aim for 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps to fully fatigue the muscles.
Use smart progression
You can make bodyweight tricep exercises harder or easier without adding weights by changing:
- Angle: elevate your hands or knees to make moves easier, elevate your feet or torso to make them harder
- Assistance: use bands or a partner to help you with dips as you build strength
- Tempo: slow your lowering phase to 3 seconds, pause for 1 second at the bottom, then take about 3 seconds to press back up, which increases time under tension and muscle fatigue
Aiming for about 40 to 70 seconds of tension per set is a solid target for muscle growth.
Protect your joints
Good form protects your elbows and shoulders while keeping the focus on your triceps:
- Keep elbows tucked close to your body rather than flaring out wide
- Maintain a straight line from head to heels during pushup variations
- Move through a comfortable range of motion without bouncing or dropping quickly
- Stop if you feel sharp pain, especially in your shoulders
If you are unsure about form, working with a coach or instructor can help you build confidence and avoid bad habits.
Essential bodyweight tricep exercises
Below you will find key exercises you can mix and match into your own tricep workouts. Start with easier versions and build from there.
Bench or chair tricep dips
Bench tricep dips are a classic bodyweight exercise that targets all three heads of your triceps.
How to do bench dips
- Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench or chair with your hands on the edge next to your hips, fingers pointing forward.
- Walk your feet out and slide your hips off the bench so your arms support your weight.
- Keep your chest lifted and shoulders pulled slightly back.
- Bend your elbows to lower your body straight down, keeping elbows pointing behind you, until you feel a stretch in the back of your arms.
- Press through your palms to straighten your arms and return to the start.
Make it easier
- Bend your knees and keep your feet closer to your body.
- Reduce the range of motion and lower yourself just partway until you build strength.
Make it harder
- Elevate your feet on another bench or chair.
- Slow down the lowering phase to 3 seconds and pause briefly at the bottom.
Throughout the movement, think about pushing the bench away from you rather than shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears.
Parallel bar or full bodyweight dips
Once you have mastered bench dips, parallel bar dips are a powerful next step. Some studies show triceps activation can be nearly twice that of the chest during dips, which makes them one of the best exercises for triceps development.
How to do parallel bar dips
- Grip parallel bars with arms straight and shoulders down away from your ears.
- Cross your ankles behind you and keep your torso slightly leaned forward.
- Inhale as you bend your elbows and lower your body, keeping elbows tucked close and forearms vertical.
- Descend until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor or to a comfortable depth for your shoulders.
- Exhale as you press back up, extending your elbows fully at the top.
Easier variations
- Use an assisted dip machine if you have access to a gym.
- Loop a resistance band around the bars and under your knees or feet for support.
- Try jumping dips, where you lightly jump to help you up, then control the slow lowering phase.
Advanced variations
- Add external load using a dip belt or by holding a dumbbell between your feet.
- Move to ring dips or straight bar dips, which require more stability and control.
Parallel bar dips place more load on your shoulders, so focus on keeping your chest open and avoid letting your shoulders roll forward.
Diamond pushups
Diamond pushups are one of the strongest bodyweight tricep exercises you can do. The American Council on Exercise has ranked them as one of the most effective moves for activating all three heads of the triceps. They are also commonly used as a warm up exercise in the Army, which says a lot about their usefulness and intensity.
A 2016 study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that narrow hand placement pushups, like diamond pushups, increase muscle activation in the triceps compared with wider hand placements.
How to do diamond pushups
- Start in a plank position with your hands under your chest.
- Bring your hands together so your thumbs and index fingers touch, forming a diamond shape.
- Brace your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward your hands, keeping elbows close to your sides.
- Gently touch your chest to your hands or come close, then press back up to the start.
Make it easier
- Drop your knees to the floor while keeping your hands in the same diamond position.
- Place your hands on an elevated surface like a bench, table or wall so you push less of your bodyweight.
Make it harder
- Elevate your feet on a bench or step.
- Slow the lowering phase and add a 1 second pause at the bottom.
Diamond pushups target your triceps, chest and core at once, making them a great choice when you have limited time.
Close grip pushups
Close grip pushups are a small tweak to regular pushups that shifts more of the work to your triceps.
How to do close grip pushups
- Start in a standard pushup position with hands directly under your shoulders.
- Move your hands slightly closer together so they sit just inside shoulder width.
- Keep your elbows tucked close to your ribcage as you lower your body.
- Stop when your chest hovers just above the floor, then press back up.
This version stresses your triceps more than a wide stance and builds strength that carries over to many daily pushing tasks.
Easier variations
- Do them on your knees while keeping your hands in a close position.
- Use a sturdy table or countertop for an incline pushup version.
Advanced options
- Add a slow 3 second lowering phase and a brief pause at the bottom.
- Elevate your feet to increase the load on your arms and shoulders.
Bodyweight tricep extensions
Bodyweight tricep extensions look a bit like a moving plank and are excellent for hitting all three tricep heads while also engaging your core and shoulders.
How to do bodyweight tricep extensions
- Stand facing a sturdy surface like a bench, box or wall.
- Place your hands on the surface with arms straight, about shoulder width apart.
- Walk your feet back until your body is in a straight line from head to heels at an angle.
- Bend your elbows and lower your head and chest toward your hands, keeping elbows pointing forward and close together.
- Push through your hands and extend your elbows to return to the start.
Adjust the difficulty
- Easier: Bring your feet closer to the surface or bend your knees.
- Harder: Use a lower surface so your body is closer to horizontal or elevate your feet.
Because you move only your arms and keep your body stable, this exercise is effective for building elbow and shoulder stability along with muscle size.
Pike pushups for the long head
Pike pushups are often thought of as a shoulder exercise, but the arm angle places your triceps, especially the long head, in a strong working position.
How to do pike pushups
- Start in a downward dog position with hips high and hands shoulder width apart.
- Walk your feet in until your hips are stacked over your shoulders as much as feels comfortable.
- Bend your elbows to lower the top of your head toward the floor between your hands.
- Press back up to the starting position.
Make them easier or harder
- Easier: Keep your feet farther away so your hips are not as high.
- Harder: Elevate your feet on a step or bench and increase the time spent lowering.
Pike pushups require balance and mobility, so move slowly and focus on control.
Sample bodyweight tricep workout you can follow
You can build a simple, effective session using the exercises above. Here is a beginner friendly option and a more advanced one.
Beginner routine
Do this 2 to 3 times per week with at least one rest day in between.
- Bench or chair dips
- 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
- Bend knees and keep feet close to make it manageable
- Knee diamond pushups
- 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
- Hands in a diamond, knees on the floor
- Incline bodyweight tricep extensions
- 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Use a wall or high counter
Rest 45 to 60 seconds between sets. Focus on smooth, controlled movement over speed.
Intermediate to advanced routine
Once you can complete the beginner routine comfortably, try this version.
- Parallel bar or assisted dips
- 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Use bands or a machine if needed, add weight if they feel easy
- Diamond pushups
- 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps
- Elevate feet or slow tempo to increase difficulty
- Close grip pushups
- 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps
- Bodyweight tricep extensions on a low bench
- 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps with a 3 second lowering phase
Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and aim to approach fatigue by the final few reps of each set.
Tips to keep progressing
A few simple habits will help your bodyweight tricep exercises stay effective as you get stronger.
- Track your reps and sets so you know when you are ready to add more volume or tougher variations.
- Change exercises or angles every 4 to 6 weeks to keep your body challenged.
- Combine tricep training with other upper body work like chest, back and biceps to create a balanced routine.
- Prioritize recovery, including sleep and rest days, so your muscles have time to repair and grow.
Bringing it all together
You do not need a gym membership or heavy weights to build impressive arm definition. By focusing on bodyweight tricep exercises like dips, diamond pushups, close grip pushups, pike pushups and tricep extensions, you can target all three heads of the triceps and see real changes in strength and shape.
Start with one or two of the beginner moves today, pay attention to form and tempo, and build up slowly. Over time, those small, consistent sessions add up to stronger, more defined arms that make every push, lift and carry feel easier.
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