10 Best Medial Head Tricep Exercises

If you want bigger, stronger, more defined arms, you cannot just chase biceps peaks. Around two-thirds of your upper arm size comes from your triceps, and one area that often gets overlooked is the medial head.

You know that dense, finished look near the bottom of the upper arm and the classic triceps horseshoe shape? That comes from building all three heads of the triceps well:

• Long head
• Lateral head
• Medial head

In this guide, we will break down what the medial head actually does, how much you can really emphasize it, the best exercises to do that, and how to work medial-friendly training into a smart triceps program.

Table of Contents:

• Triceps Anatomy & Function
• Why Each Triceps Head Matters
• The Medial Head: Location, Role & Aesthetics
• Can You Isolate the Medial Head?
• How To Emphasize the Medial Head
• 10 Best Medial Head Triceps Exercises
• Medial-Head-Focused Triceps Workouts
• Reference Table: Medial vs Lateral vs Long Head
• FAQs
• Key Takeaways

TRICEP ANATOMY & FUNCTION

The triceps brachii sits on the back of your upper arm and is mainly responsible for elbow extension, which means straightening your arm. It also helps stabilize the elbow during pressing and pushing movements.

It has three heads:

• Long head
  • The largest of the three
  • Runs along the inner-back portion of the upper arm
  • Originates on the scapula, so it crosses the shoulder joint
  • Plays a big role in overall triceps size and overhead arm work
• Lateral head
  • The outer portion of your upper arm
  • Contributes heavily to the visible “pop” of the triceps from the side
  • Very active in hard pressing and pushdown variations
• Medial head
  • The smaller, deeper head that sits under the long and lateral heads
  • Most visible near the lower back of the arm above the elbow
  • Helps with elbow extension on basically every triceps movement
  • Important for elbow stability and lockout strength

All three heads converge into one common tendon that inserts on the ulna near the elbow. That is why every triceps exercise trains all three heads to some extent.

WHY YOU NEED ALL THREE TRICEPS HEADS

When all three heads are developed well, you get:

• The horseshoe look on the back of the arm
• Stronger lockout on bench presses, overhead presses, and push-ups
• Better elbow stability under load
• More complete upper arm development

If you are newer to lifting, just doing solid triceps basics like pushdowns, dips, close-grip presses, and overhead extensions will build all three heads well enough.

As you get more advanced, though, a few things usually happen:

• One head starts to lag behind the others visually
• Overall arm growth slows down
• Lockout strength or elbow comfort becomes more limiting

That is when head-specific emphasis starts to matter. Not isolation, just better exercise selection and better technique.

Today, that means building around the medial head.

THE MEDIAL HEAD OF THE TRICEPS

What and Where Is the Medial Head?

The medial head sits:

• On the back of the upper arm
• Underneath the long and lateral heads
• Closer to the lower portion of the triceps, near the elbow

You do not see it as clearly as the long or lateral head, but it helps fill out the lower half of the arm and contributes to that dense, complete triceps look.

What Does the Medial Head Do?

The medial head:

• Helps extend the elbow in every triceps movement
• Contributes to elbow stability under load
• Supports pressing lockout and control

Bottom line: the medial head is not the biggest head, but you do not get strong, healthy, impressive triceps without it.

CAN YOU ISOLATE THE MEDIAL HEAD OF THE TRICEPS?

Short answer: no.

You cannot completely isolate any one triceps head because all three work together to extend the elbow.

What you can do is choose grips, elbow positions, and exercise types that bias the medial head a bit more.

Think of it this way:

• Isolation means only one head works. That is not how the triceps works.
• Emphasis means one head gets a bit more of the stress. That is possible.

That distinction matters, because it keeps your training realistic and useful.

HOW TO EMPHASIZE THE MEDIAL HEAD TRICEP

There are four main levers you can pull if you want more medial-head-friendly triceps work.

1) Use a Reverse Grip When It Feels Good

• Reverse grip pushdowns
• Reverse grip presses
• Reverse grip floor presses

Underhand grips often shift a little more work toward the medial head and also feel better on the elbows for a lot of lifters.

2) Keep Your Elbows Tucked

• Elbows close to your sides
• No flaring all over the place

This keeps tension on the back of the arm and makes the movement feel cleaner and more triceps-dominant.

3) Lock Out Hard

The medial head contributes a lot during the final portion of elbow extension. That means sloppy half-reps are not doing you any favors here.

Use a full range of motion and actually finish the rep.

4) Use Moderate to Higher Reps for Direct Work

You still want some heavier triceps work overall, but many medial-friendly movements work really well in the 10 to 25 rep range, especially when performed with control and taken close to failure.

10 BEST EXERCISES FOR THE MEDIAL TRICEP HEAD

These are not “medial head only” exercises. They are simply the best exercises to emphasize the medial head while still training your triceps as a whole.

1. Reverse Grip Cable Pushdown

This is one of the best direct medial-head-friendly moves because it keeps your elbows tucked and uses an underhand grip, which many lifters feel more in the lower triceps.

How to do it:

1. Attach a straight bar or EZ bar to a high pulley.
2. Grab it with palms facing up at about shoulder width.
3. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides.
4. Press down until your arms are straight.
5. Lower slowly and repeat.

Best rep range: 12-20 reps

2. Dumbbell or Barbell Reverse Grip Press

This is a heavier compound option that still gives the triceps a strong role, especially near lockout. The reverse grip tends to feel friendlier on the shoulders for many people too.

How to do it:

1. Lie on a flat bench with dumbbells or a barbell.
2. Use an underhand grip.
3. Lower under control to chest level.
4. Press back up while keeping your elbows under control.

Best rep range: 6-12 reps, or 10-15 if you want a stronger medial-head bias

3. Reverse Grip Floor Press

The floor press shortens the range of motion and emphasizes the lockout portion, where the triceps do a ton of work. Adding a reverse grip makes it even more medial-friendly.

How to do it:

1. Lie on the floor under the barbell or with dumbbells.
2. Use an underhand grip.
3. Lower until your upper arms contact the floor.
4. Pause briefly.
5. Press back up and fully extend.

Best rep range: 8-15 reps

4. Palm-Out Bench Dip

This variation changes hand position to make the dip feel more triceps-heavy. That said, if bench dips bother your shoulders, skip this one and substitute a close-grip push-up instead.

How to do it:

1. Sit on a bench with your hands beside your thighs.
2. Turn the hands so the fingers point more outward.
3. Slide off the bench and lower yourself by bending the elbows.
4. Press back up to full extension.

Best rep range: 12-20 reps

5. Dumbbell Tate Press

The Tate press is a great triceps builder overall and does a nice job keeping tension on the medial head when performed slowly and under control.

How to do it:

1. Lie on a flat bench with dumbbells above your shoulders.
2. Bend the elbows and lower the dumbbells toward the lower chest.
3. Keep tension on the triceps.
4. Press back to the start.

Best rep range: 10-15 reps

6. Reverse Grip JM Press

The JM press is a serious triceps strength builder. The reverse grip shifts the feel a bit and can make it more medial-head-friendly for experienced lifters.

How to do it:

1. Lie back on a bench and use a shoulder-width reverse grip.
2. Unrack the bar and tuck your elbows.
3. Lower the bar toward your upper chest or throat area under control.
4. Extend hard back to the start.

Best rep range: 8-12 reps

7. Cable Concentration Extension (Reverse Grip)

This one lets you slow everything down and really focus on tension. It is not flashy, but it is a very good medial-friendly finisher.

How to do it:

1. Attach a single handle to a high cable.
2. Kneel down and brace the back of your upper arm against your inner thigh.
3. Use an underhand grip if comfortable.
4. Extend the elbow fully, squeeze, then return slowly.

Best rep range: 12-20 reps

8. Cable Rope Pushdown (Neutral Grip)

The rope pushdown is often thought of as a lateral-head move, but it is great for overall triceps development and still gives the medial head plenty of work, especially with good lockouts and higher reps.

How to do it:

1. Attach the rope to a high pulley.
2. Grab with a neutral grip.
3. Tuck the elbows and press down.
4. Spread the rope slightly at the bottom.
5. Return slowly.

Best rep range: 12-25 reps

9. Cable Rope Overhead Extension

This one is still mostly a long-head-biased move because your arms are overhead, but the medial head works hard too when you use controlled reps and fully extend the elbow.

How to do it:

1. Attach a rope to a low pulley.
2. Face away from the stack and bring the rope behind your head.
3. Keep the elbows pointed forward.
4. Extend until your arms are straight overhead.
5. Return under control.

Best rep range: 10-20 reps

Related: Best Cable Arm Exercises

10. Diamond Push-Up

The diamond push-up is one of the best bodyweight triceps exercises, period. It is excellent for overall triceps development and gives the medial head a lot of work through the lockout portion.

How to do it:

1. Set up in a push-up position.
2. Place your hands close together under your chest so your thumbs and index fingers form a diamond shape.
3. Keep your elbows at about 30 to 45 degrees from the body.
4. Lower under control.
5. Press back up without flaring the elbows.

Best rep range: 1-3 reps shy of failure each set

MEDIAL HEAD TRICEP WORKOUTS

These are not medial-head-only workouts. They are balanced triceps sessions with a little extra medial-head bias.

Workout 1

1. Reverse Grip Bench Press – 4 sets of 6-10 reps
2. Cable Rope Overhead Extensions – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
3. Reverse Grip Cable Pushdowns – 3 sets of 12-20 reps
4. Cable Rope Pushdowns – 2 sets of 15-25 reps
5. Diamond Push-Ups – 2 sets to near failure

Workout 2

1. Reverse Grip JM Press – 4 sets of 6-10 reps
2. Dumbbell Tate Press – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
3. Reverse Grip Floor Press – 3 sets of 8-12 reps
4. Cable Concentration Extensions (Reverse Grip) – 3 sets of 12-20 reps
5. Diamond Push-Ups – 2 sets to near failure

Simple programming tip: do one heavier compound movement, one overhead movement, one reverse-grip move, and one high-rep finisher. That gives you complete triceps development without overcomplicating things.

REFERENCE TABLE FOR THE THREE TRICEPS HEADS

FAQs

Here are the most common questions about medial head triceps training.

Can the medial triceps head actually grow?

Yes. It does not have the same visual growth potential as the long or lateral head, but it absolutely can get thicker and stronger. More importantly, it helps create fuller overall triceps development and stronger lockouts.

What is the best rep range for the medial head?

For direct medial-friendly work, 10 to 25 reps is a very practical range. Heavier work still matters for total triceps development, but many reverse-grip and pushdown-type movements feel best in moderate to higher rep ranges.

How much of my triceps training should focus on the medial head?

A good starting point is to make about 20 to 30 percent of your direct triceps work medial-friendly. That usually means 1 to 2 exercises per week with reverse grips, tucked elbows, and hard lockouts.

How many triceps sets per week should I do?

• Beginners: 8-10 total weekly sets
• Intermediate: 10-16 total weekly sets
• Advanced: 14-20+ total weekly sets, depending on recovery and how much pressing you do

Remember to count compound pressing work too, especially close-grip benching and heavy push-ups.

How do you target the long head of the triceps?

The long head is emphasized most when your arms are overhead, because it crosses the shoulder joint. Overhead extensions and skull crusher variations are some of the best options.

Related: Best Long Head Tricep Exercises

How do you target the lateral head of the triceps?

The lateral head tends to respond well to overhand or neutral-grip pushdowns, dips, and harder pressing work. It is the head that often gives the arm its outer “pop.”

Related: Best Lateral Head Tricep Exercises

Which single triceps exercise is best overall?

If we had to pick one for long-term size and strength, it would be the close-grip bench press.

It lets you:

• Load the triceps heavy
• Progress for years
• Train all three heads hard
• Build size and strength at the same time

Still, for complete development, pair it with overhead work and at least one medial-friendly direct move.

KEY TAKEAWAYS OF MEDIAL HEAD TRICEP EXERCISES

• You cannot isolate the medial head, but you can emphasize it.
• Reverse grips, tucked elbows, and full lockouts are your main tools.
• Moderate to high reps work very well for direct medial-friendly exercises.
• Strong medial triceps support elbow health, better lockouts, and fuller arms.
• The best results come from building all three heads, not obsessing over one.

Work these medial-head-friendly movements into your triceps sessions, stay consistent, and over time you will build stronger, denser, more complete arms.

More Triceps Exercise Guides:

• Best Dumbbell Tricep Exercises
• Best Barbell Tricep Exercises
• Bodyweight Tricep Exercises
• Stretches for Triceps

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