Tone your triceps with this three-move home workout

Did you know they actually take up to around 60 to 70% of your arm?

woman doing tricep dips
(Image credit: Getty)

The secret to building toned, sculpted arms isn’t just down to having big biceps, but triceps too (they actually make up around 60 to 70% of your total arm!). Knowing this, you’re now probably keen to get working on them and we’ve got a perfect workout to help you do just that, using a pair of dumbbells.

As well as helping to strengthen your arms and give them that overall defined look, training your triceps shouldn't go amiss. They're responsible for extending the elbow joint and straightening your arm, plus the long head of the tricep is attached to your shoulder — so regularly exercising them will support both these areas. You also use your triceps to push, so daily activities — like pushing a lawn mower or pram — will rely upon these muscles.

You have the option of seven exercises for this workout and you’re going to choose three of them. Some require a pair of dumbbells, while others use just your bodyweight. However, I’d pick at least two dumbbell exercises, just for some extra resistance so that your muscles can work harder, which will help build strength and muscle. You’ll do 10 reps for each of your chosen exercises and you’re going to repeat the workout three times. Make sure you have something soft beneath you too, like an exercise/yoga mat, as nearly all these movements are performed on the floor. Here’s your exercises:

  • Dumbbell tricep kickback palm twists
  • Dumbbell tricep kickback with a hold
  • Neutral grip dumbbell floor press
  • Dumbbell crossbody tricep extensions into double skullcrusher
  • Side lying tricep push up
  • Side lying hold tricep push up
  • Forearm tricep push ups

If you really want to push yourself and do a longer workout, why not do all seven exercises? Otherwise, we've got some other tricep home exercises and tips that you can take a look at to help or the best tricep exercises to do with dumbbells, as recommended by a personal trainer.

Bryony Firth-Bernard
Staff Writer, Active

Bryony’s T3’s official ‘gym-bunny’ and Active Staff Writer, covering all things fitness. In her spare time, you will find her in her natural habitat - the gym - where her style of training is a hybrid of bodybuilding and powerlifting. Bryony loves writing about accessible workouts, nutrition and testing innovative fitness products that help you reach your fitness goals and take your training to the next level.