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How Can I Grow My Triceps? Ask a PT

We’ve reached our 35th Ask a PT article. Not exactly a milestone like 50 or 100, but still — that’s a lot of training questions answered! Last week, we talked about running and whether it’s good or bad for you. The conclusion? Running benefits almost everyone, but it isn’t always essential. This week, we’re tackling the question how can I grow my triceps? One of the most common goals in the gym.

How Can I Grow My Triceps?

Question: “I really want bigger triceps, but in the past year they’ve shown the least growth. What can I do to change that?”

Answer: Although this question focuses on triceps, the answer applies to almost any muscle group. When you want a specific area to grow faster than others, you need to prioritise it. If you only do one or two tricep exercises twice per week, progress will be slow. But if you increase that to two or three tricep movements, three to four times per week, you’ll start to see real growth.

Prioritising Triceps in Your Training

Start by adding more tricep-focused exercises to your current routine. You still need to train other muscles, so combining chest and tricep work makes sense.

For example, you could swap your dumbbell bench press for a close-grip barbell bench press. Instead of a chest press, perform dips or assisted dips. Both movements still work the chest and triceps, but dips place more emphasis on the triceps.

Training triceps isn’t only about isolation exercises. Compound lifts are just as important.

Best Compound Exercises for Triceps

Bench press and its variations are great options.
Push-ups are also effective and easy to modify.
Dips are one of the best overall tricep builders.
The overhead press and its variations target the triceps too.

Best Isolation Exercises for Triceps

Skull crushers are a classic tricep movement.
Cable pulldowns are perfect for controlled tension.
Dumbbell extensions help work each arm evenly.
The overhead tricep press allows for a deep stretch.
The tricep resistance machine is excellent for beginners.

Focus on Hypertrophy

If your goal is size, aim for hypertrophy. The ideal rep range is generally between 6 and 20, but most lifters see the best results around 8–15 reps per set. Mix it up from time to time to keep your muscles adapting.

Form Matters More Than Weight

Many people go too heavy and sacrifice form. This limits progress and increases injury risk. Focus on quality over quantity. Use a full range of motion and controlled tempo. Save those imperfect “grind” reps for the last one or two of each set — not the first few.

Quick Recap: How Can I Grow My Triceps?

Increase your overall training volume by adding more sets, reps, and exercises each week.
Keep your form sharp and consistent.
Train hard and don’t skip sessions.
Gradually increase the weight or the number of reps you perform.
Eat enough protein to support muscle growth.
Measure your tricep size before and after to see your progress.

You should start noticing improvements within twelve weeks. Stay consistent, keep pushing, and your results will continue to build over time.

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