Looking for more effective tricep exercises for your workout? These dumbbell exercises are great for working out all of your tricep heads. You may have seen people doing them at the gym, but often with the wrong form. Read on to learn how to properly do these tricep exercises at home or at the gym.
Dumbbell Tricep Exercises at Home and the Gym
1. Seated Overhead Triceps Extension
This one of the most common tricep exercises you’ll find people doing at the gym. However, more often than not, their form is incorrect, which may lead to injury.
Their elbows are flared out, moving them in different positions as they lift, which presses against their elbow joints. They bring the dumbbells all the way down and up causing them to lose tension in their triceps.
How to:
- Hold one head of the dumbbell behind your head with both of your hands.
- Start with your elbows bent at 90 degrees and tucked at the side of your head.
- Bring the dumbbell up, keeping your elbows still tucked beside your head without locking them. Then slowly bring it back down to just below 90 degrees to not lose the tension.
- Do 4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Tip: Focus on keeping your elbows tucked in as much as possible. Also, keep in mind to squeeze out your triceps without locking out your elbows when you extend.
2. Seated Dumbbell Kickback
A seated dumbbell kickback exercise is a great tricep exercise. However, if done wrong, you cannot get the full workout you’re going for which will make it ineffective.
How to:
- Hold the dumbbell in one hand and sit on down on a bench.
- Lean forward while keeping your back straight until your shoulders are just above your knees.
- Drive your elbows up as high as you can and leave them in that position.
- Extend your arm out towards your back until your arm is straight.
- Then bring back the dumbbell until your elbows are bent. Do not curl it too much because you will already be working the biceps creating unwanted momentum as you swing backward.
- Do 4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Tip: Do not use heavy weights. Use a weight you can control to avoid creating momentum. The momentum will take away the tension from your triceps.
3. Dumbbell Crossbody Extensions
This exercise is a great workout for the outer head of your tricep because of the internal rotation of your shoulder.
How to:
- Lay down on a bench and hold the dumbbell above your chest with your arm extend slightly to the inner side of your body.
- Bring your elbow across your chest until your elbow is bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Then bring it back up while keeping your elbow in the same position.
- Do 4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Tip: Avoid locking out at the top when you’re doing the full arm extension. This will let the tricep head relax. Instead, focus on bringing your elbows across your body to keep your triceps engaged.
4. Lying Dumbbell Skullcrushers
A skull crusher exercise usually requires a bar, but you can also do this exercise with a pair of dumbbells.
How to:
- Lie down on a bench with a pair of dumbbells in your hands.
- Raise the dumbbells until your arms are extended over your head, but not directly above it. Bring your elbows further back to create a better angle to keep your triceps engaged.
- Then bring the dumbbells down just below your head keeping your elbows in the same spot.
- Bring it back up and start again.
- Do 4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Tip: Avoid resting at the bottom of the movement and stop just below 90 degrees. Be sure to keep your elbows in the same spot throughout the whole exercise.
For a demonstration, watch this video from our youtube channel V Shred:
Simple mistakes like elbow placement can ruin your triceps workout routine. Always keep your triceps engaged without letting it rest with every movement. Do these tricep exercises properly to keep the tension on your muscles and build your triceps.
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Have you tried other tricep exercises for your bodybuilding workout? Share them in the comments section below!