The Best Triceps Workout With Dumbbells For Massive Arms

Building massive triceps should be easy, so long as you have the right exercises – this includes using dumbbells. Triceps dumbbell exercises are a sure way to add mass and strength to your triceps due to their unique benefits. In this article, we’re going to go over the 7 best dumbbell exercises you can use to build your arms.

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7 BEST DUMBBELL TRICEPS EXERCISES

Here are 7 of the best tricep exercises using dumbbells that you can do for size, definition, and strength:

1. Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Press
2. JM Dumbbell Bench Press
3. Dumbbell Skull Crushers
4. Dumbbell Tate Presses
5. Overhead Dumbbell Extensions
6. Dumbbell Kickbacks
7. Dumbbell-Loaded Triceps Dips

Below we will take a closer look at each of these tricep exercises with dumbbells to discuss the benefits, targeted muscle head(s), and correct form. 

1. Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Press

Narrow-grip pressing is a great way to pack on mass. This dumbbell variation mimics close grip bench press, predominantly targeting the lateral and medial heads of triceps, but provides increased freedom of movement ingrained into dumbbell exercises.

As it's a compound movement, don't isolate the triceps too much, but focusing on flexing and extending the elbow can help ensure the triceps are the limiting factors at the end of a set.

Although it's a great bang-for-your-buck exercise, compounds can overlap with other training. You don't want a fatigued or sore chest to limit your triceps training.

How to:

1. Set up like a dumbbell bench press, but with palms facing each other.
2. Keeping your elbows tucked to your side, lower the weight to your mid-chest at shoulder width.
3. Press up, keeping the dumbbells parallel to one another.

Related: Best Dumbbell Chest Exercises

2. JM Dumbbell Presses

This hybrid press-extension variation designed by bench press champion JM Blakely targets the triceps and gives the shoulders a rest.

Performing them with dumbbells, as opposed to the traditional barbell, further reduces joint stress and lets you focus on the exercise. 

By incorporating some shoulder flexion and extension, this hybrid hits all heads and is a great exercise to have in the arsenal.

How to:

1. Set up like a flat dumbbell bench press, with a pronated (overhand) grip.
2. Initiate the movement like a dumbbell press, flexing the elbow and extending the shoulder. 
3. After a few inches of movement, change the dumbbell path bringing them towards your neck by further flexing the elbows and flexing the shoulder. Keep the elbows high. 
4. Once the dumbbells read your neck, punch them back to the starting position.

3. Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (aka Skull Crushers)

Also known as skull crushers, lying triceps extension hit all heads of the triceps.

Forcing you to isometrically contract the long head, to prevent the weight from pulling the upper arm into flexion, means this predominantly targets the long head. 

The flexed shoulder position means the long head is exposed to a loaded stretch, great for muscle growth. This helps to ensure the triceps is taken through a full range of motion during training.

How to:

1. Lie down like a flat dumbbell press, but with a considerably lower weight and your head at the top of the bench.
2. Instead of holding the weights above the shoulder, slightly flex the shoulder, holding the weights above the chin. 
3. Lower the weight over the top of your head by flexing the elbow.
4. EITHER: keep the shoulder in a fixed position OR let the shoulder flex with the weight increasing the stretch. 
5. Return to the start by extending the elbow.

4. Dumbbell Tate Press

Another exercise stolen from powerlifting; the Tate Press aims to increase pressing performance by blowing up the triceps. This exercise hits all heads of the triceps, and the incline bench and flared elbows provide some much-needed variety in your triceps training.

How to:

1. Lie on an incline bench at 45 degrees, with an overhand grip and dumbbells shoulder width. 
2. With elbows flared to 45 degrees, lower the weight to the upper chest by flexing the elbows. 
3. Return to the starting position by extending the elbows.

5. Overhead Dumbbell Extension (Single Arm)

This extension variation uses a fully flexed shoulder, targeting the long head by putting it under a considerable stretch under load. Training these one at a time lets you focus on each arm individually, getting the most out of every set and rep.

It can help to use the hand that isn’t working to support the other elbow. 

Like skull crushers, these are primarily focused on the long head it's important to combine this with pressing or other extension exercises.

How to:

1. Sit on a bench, shoulder flexed, holding the dumbbell like a hammer and elbow pointing at around 45 degrees diagonally from the body.
2. Lower the weight by flexing the elbow. 
3. Once you’ve got a good stretch, bring the elbow back to the starting position by contracting the triceps.

Related: Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension Variations

6. Dumbbell Kickbacks

Tricep kickbacks tend to get a lot of hate, with people writing them off as completely useless.

Although they aren’t the most efficient exercise through the full range of motion, they allow you to fully contract the triceps.

Extending and adducting the upper arm provides a unique stimulus to the long head compared to other dumbbell exercises.

How to:

1. Training one arm at a time, hold your upper body parallel to the ground, leaning on a surface for support with your free hand. 
2. Elbow tucked into your side, shoulder extended, and a neutral grip. 
3. Start with the dumbbell directly under the elbow.
4. Extend the elbow, contracting your triceps as hard as you can while maintaining an adducted and extended upper arm. 
5.  Lower the dumbbell back to below the elbow.

7. Dumbbell-Loaded Parallel Bar Dips 

Triceps-dominant dips (torso more upright), are a great way to pack on triceps size while forcing stabilizers and pushing muscles to work hard in support. 

Without a complicated technique, these allow you to walk in, train your triceps and walk out.

While they’re technically a bodyweight movement, loading them with dumbbells are a great way to overload your triceps.

How to:

1. Pop a dumbbell between your legs or dangle one off a weight belt.
2. Use a narrow, neutral grip in line with your body.
3. Shoulder depressed, maintain an upright position as you lower yourself as far as you can safely. 
4. Push yourself back up to the top.

Related: Dips Exercise Guide & Tips

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DUMBBELL TRICEP WORKOUTS

Below are two dumbbell-forward examples of how to train triceps on a push, pull, legs (PPL) split. These are push-day sessions, not “triceps-only” workouts, so the pressing work contributes a big chunk of your weekly triceps volume.

Quick Answer

For dumbbell triceps growth, pair one heavy press (neutral-grip or close-grip dumbbell pressing) with one overhead-style extension (long head bias) and one “shortened-range” movement (like kickbacks or Tate presses). Train triceps 2x per week, use full range of motion for most sets, and push most working sets close to failure with clean form.

Key Takeaways

Session 1 leans on heavy pressing first, then finishes with skull crushers and kickbacks to cover both the lengthened position (skull crushers) and the shortened position (kickbacks). This is a clean “meat and potatoes” setup when you want solid triceps work without turning the whole day into an arm day.

Session 2 puts triceps-friendly pressing earlier (neutral-grip) so your chest and front delts do not become the limiting factor. Overhead extensions bias the long head, then Tate presses give you a nasty pump and let you take the triceps close to failure with less setup.

This microcycle is on the lower end for direct triceps volume. If your triceps are lagging, add 1-2 sets to the final two triceps movements in each session (or add a third weekly “micro-dose” of 2-3 quick sets after an upper day).

TRAINING VARIABLES TO CONSIDER WITH TRICEPS TRAINING

To maximize triceps growth, the “what” matters, but the “how” matters more. These variables decide whether your triceps actually grow or just feel tired.

1. Technique Considerations

Train through a controlled, full range of motion for the majority of your work. This is the best default for long-term progress and joint tolerance.

There is also evidence that partial reps (including lengthened partials) can accelerate growth in some contexts, likely due to sustained tension and intramuscular hypoxia.¹ Use them as a tool, not a crutch: keep full ROM as your foundation, then sprinkle partials into the last 1-2 sets of an exercise if your elbows feel good.

2. Strategic Variation

No single exercise perfectly trains every head and function of the triceps. Rotate variations that challenge the triceps in different positions:

• Lengthened bias: overhead extensions, skull crushers
• Mid-range overload: close-grip or neutral-grip DB pressing, JM-style presses
• Shortened bias: kickbacks, Tate presses

Research suggests combining single-joint and multi-joint work can produce broader triceps growth than relying on one category alone.²

Also worth noting: some research shows shoulder position changes may not dramatically alter triceps activation in dumbbell extension variations the way internet lore claims.³ The practical takeaway stays the same: use multiple angles and keep progressing.

3. Volume

Volume is a major driver of hypertrophy. Many studies show a dose-response relationship, meaning more weekly sets generally equals more muscle growth (up to your recoverable limit).⁴

Simple weekly starting targets:

• 6-10 weekly sets of indirect triceps work (pressing variations)
• 4-8 weekly sets of direct triceps work (extensions, skull crushers, kickbacks)

If your triceps recover well and you want to prioritize them, slowly build to the top end over several weeks.

4. Intensity and Rep Ranges

After volume, intensity is the next big lever. Intensity here means how close you train to failure.

Practical rep ranges: compounds usually live well in 6-12 reps, isolations often shine in 10-20 (and sometimes 20-30). Use ranges that let you keep clean reps and protect the elbows. Five-rep kickbacks are a great way to make your joints angry and your triceps unimpressed.

Rule of thumb: keep most working sets around 0-3 reps in reserve (RIR), then use occasional near-failure sets on safer isolation movements.

5. Rest Times and Tempo

Short rest can work for pump work, but do not let it cap your performance on your primary triceps movements.

• Compounds: 2-3 minutes
• Isolations: 60-90 seconds

Use a controlled eccentric (lowering phase). A simple 2-3 second lower on extensions and skull crushers often improves tension and keeps form honest.

6. Frequency

For hypertrophy, training a muscle twice per week is a strong default for most lifters. It lets you get more quality volume with better recovery and better exercise variation.

If you are specializing (or your triceps are stubborn), some lifters benefit from 3 exposures per week. Keep the third exposure short and easy to recover from (think 2-4 quick sets after an upper day).

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TRAINING TRICEPS WITH DUMBBELLS?

Freedom of Movement

Dumbbells let you adjust wrist and elbow paths naturally. That makes it easier to find pain-free positions, improve mind-muscle connection, and often achieve a bigger range of motion compared to fixed bars or machines.

Unilateral (Single Arm)

Single-arm work helps you spot left-right imbalances and clean them up. It also makes it easier to lock in technique when one side tends to dominate. If you struggle to feel your triceps, unilateral dumbbell work can be a cheat code for a better mind-muscle connection.

Compound and Isolation Options

Dumbbells allow both heavy pressing and targeted isolation. A neutral-grip dumbbell press can mimic the triceps emphasis of close-grip benching, and it is often easier to push close to failure safely when training alone.

ANATOMY AND FUNCTION OF THE TRICEPS

“Triceps” means three heads, and together they make up a huge portion of the upper arm. If you want bigger arms, triceps training is not optional.

All three heads insert at the olecranon of the ulna (your elbow point), but they originate from different places, which is why different arm positions and exercise choices can change what you feel the most.

1. Medial head: the deepest head and a consistent contributor to elbow extension across many tasks. It helps with control and endurance, especially when loads are lighter.
2. Lateral head: a powerful elbow extensor that tends to show up more when resistance is heavy. Visually, it contributes a lot to that “side horseshoe” look.
3. Long head: crosses both the shoulder and elbow, so it helps with elbow extension and contributes to shoulder extension. This is why overhead-style work can feel different than arms-at-sides work.

Bottom line: elbow extension is the triceps’ main job, but shoulder position can influence how the long head contributes. Smart programming uses both.

FAQs about Tricep Workouts with Dumbbells

Here are some common questions clients ask about dumbbell triceps training.

Can I build my triceps using only dumbbells?

Yes. Dumbbells are more than enough to build big triceps. Your keys are variation (pressing + extensions + shortened work), consistent progression, and training close enough to failure to force adaptation.

What weight dumbbells for a triceps workout?

Use a weight that lets you keep clean form through the intended range of motion while still being challenging. If your elbows drift, shoulders take over, or reps turn into flailing, the weight is too heavy for that movement right now.

What are the best dumbbell tricep exercises?

• Dumbbell triceps extensions (lying, seated, or standing)
• Single-arm overhead triceps extensions
• Dumbbell skull crushers
• Dumbbell kickbacks
• Tate presses
• Neutral-grip dumbbell bench presses
• Dumbbell JM-style presses

How do you choose tricep exercises each workout?

You do not need to hit every head and function in every single session. Over the course of your week (or training block), make sure you include:

• A press that loads the triceps hard
• An extension pattern that challenges the long head (often overhead or lengthened)
• A shorter-range movement you can push close to failure safely

A simple setup is a big press plus skull crushers (or French press) on one day, then a neutral-grip press plus overhead extensions or Tate presses on another. If you want extra arm work, sprinkle in biceps and shoulders using these dumbbell arm exercises.

How can I incorporate cables and barbells, too?

Cables provide smooth tension through a large range of motion, which can make it easier to fully shorten the triceps than some dumbbell moves. Barbells allow heavier loading and often transfer well to pressing strength. The rules stay the same: pick movements that cover multiple positions, push quality sets close to failure, and progress over time.

• Best Barbell Triceps Exercises
• Best Cable Arm Exercises
• Best Bodyweight Triceps Exercises

When should I train my triceps?

It depends on your goal. If triceps are a priority, put at least one triceps-focused movement earlier in your push or upper session while you are fresh. If you are training for balanced mass, place direct triceps work after your main pressing and keep it consistent week to week.

Safety note: If you have elbow or shoulder pain, adjust range of motion, load, and exercise selection, and consider getting guidance from a qualified professional.

BEST MUSCLE BUILDING PROGRAM

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Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...

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SUMMARY

The triceps’ main job is elbow extension, but because the long head crosses the shoulder joint, shoulder position and exercise selection can change what you feel the most. Movements that challenge the triceps while the shoulder is flexed (like many overhead extensions) often bias the long head, while more neutral shoulder positions and pressing work heavily involve the lateral and medial heads.

Dumbbells give you the freedom to adjust joint angles, train unilaterally, and combine compound pressing with isolation work. If you want bigger, stronger “horseshoe” triceps, focus on smart variation, enough weekly volume, and clean sets taken close to failure.

Now you have the blueprint. The only thing left is to run it.

References

1. Goto, Masahiro, et al. “Partial Range of Motion Exercise Is Effective for Facilitating Muscle Hypertrophy and Function through Sustained Intramuscular Hypoxia in Young Trained Men.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 33, no. 5, May 2019, pp. 1286–1294, https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000002051.
2. Brandão, Lucas, et al. “Varying the Order of Combinations of Single- and Multi-Joint Exercises Differentially Affects Resistance Training Adaptations.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 34, no. 5, Mar. 2020, p. 1, https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000003550.
3. Alves, Daniel, et al. “Effect of Shoulder Position on Triceps Brachii Heads Activity in Dumbbell Elbow Extension Exercises.” The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, vol. 58, no. 9, July 2018, https://doi.org/10.23736/s0022-4707.17.06849-9.
4. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2017 Jun;35(11):1073-1082. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197. Epub 2016 Jul 19. PMID: 27433992. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27433992/