Tricep Anatomy

Three heads. The long head is the largest, running along the back of your upper arm from shoulder to elbow — it creates the overall mass and the hanging definition visible from behind. The lateral head creates the horseshoe shape visible from the side. The medial head provides power. All three require specific exercises for complete development.

Best Exercises

Close-grip bench press is the primary compound exercise. Grip a barbell with hands shoulder-width apart, lower to your lower chest, press straight up while keeping elbows tracking close to your body. Three to four sets of 6 to 10 reps with progressive loading. This is the exercise that allows you to build meaningful tricep strength over time.

Cable pushdowns are the most common and effective isolation exercise. Straight bar or rope attached to a high cable, push down until arms are fully extended while keeping elbows at your sides, squeeze the tricep hard at the bottom. The rope allows you to spread the handles apart at the bottom for a stronger contraction. Three sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Overhead tricep extensions — dumbbell, cable, or EZ bar behind the head — train the long head through a stretched position that pushdown variations cannot reach. The long head is stretched when your arm is raised overhead. Extending from a stretched position produces more hypertrophy in the long head than any other exercise. Three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Skull crushers — lying on a bench with an EZ bar lowering toward your forehead — develop the medial and lateral heads with heavy loading. Control the descent and press back fully. Three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Diamond push-ups develop all three heads simultaneously with bodyweight. Place hands in a diamond shape beneath your chest and perform push-ups to near-failure.

Programming

Train triceps twice per week in push or upper body sessions. One compound — close-grip press or skull crusher — one isolation — pushdowns or overhead extension — three working sets each. Progressive overload on the compound. Eight to twelve weeks of consistent work produces visible arm definition change. Read the Slim Thick Biceps guide alongside this — complete arm development requires both muscles trained with equal intention.

I train clients in person in Houston, Texas and online through XPL. Take the XPL Archetype Quiz or visit xperformancelab.com/plans-pricing to work with me directly.

The standards behind the standards. — Xavier Savage, XPL Xesthetic Performance Labs, Houston, TX