Best Tricep Dumbbell Exercises For Mass

Rhomboid | Hip-thurst | Squat-Plug | Chest-Workout | Sit-Ups

Want huge triceps? Then you need to try tricep dumbbell exercises. The triceps make up a big two-thirds of the upper arm, so building them up is key for getting impressive arm size and strength. Dumbbells have an advantage – you can move your arms freely through a wider range of motion compared to barbells. This extra movement hits the triceps from multiple angles and activates more muscle for better growth.

Whether you want bigger biceps and triceps, increased power for presses, or just to change up your usual routine, tricep dumbbell exercises deserve a regular spot. They are all-round, effective, and require minimal equipment so you can do them almost anywhere. There are lots of options – from the isolated peak contraction of the skull crusher to the stretched overload of the kickback, the constant tension of the overhead extension to the combined push of the diamond push-up.

In this complete guide, we’ll find out the top dumbbell exercises to build extreme mass and strength in your triceps. Get ready to hit the horseshoe muscle from every direction with our custom tricep workouts.

Why Is There A Need for a Tricep Dumbbell Exercises?

Dumbbells let you fix muscle imbalances that bars and machines miss. Dumbbells make each arm work alone equally. This builds balance and strength. Barbells let your stronger arm take over and do more work. This creates a muscle imbalance over time. Dumbbells make both arms work the same hard amount. This keeps size and strength even in both arms. Using dumbbells for triceps prevents one getting bigger than the other. Most lifters have some difference between their arms that dumbbells can fix.

Dumbbells give you more motion range than bars or machines. You can go deeper into an elbow bend without the bar hitting your chest. More range makes your muscles work harder to straighten your arms.

The full motion range with dumbbells builds more muscle and keeps joint healthy. Bars and machines lock you into one path. Dumbbells let you find angles that feel best and avoid pain. Some lifters get joint pain from the fixed path of bars and machines. Dumbbells allow changing the angle to prevent irritation. For example, close grip bench press with a bar can bother some people’s wrists, shoulders or elbows. Dumbbells let them use angles that feel better for their body. If machines hurt certain joints, dumbbells let you customize the motion range and angles to avoid pain.

Triceps Muscles And Their Functioning :

The triceps muscle has three heads located on the back of the arm comprising about two-thirds of upper arm mass. All three heads insert at the olecranon, the bony projection of the elbow.

The medial head lies deepest, originating on the rear of the humerus bone. It crosses only the elbow joint, working mainly in elbow extension without resistance. This head can contract independently.

The lateral head arises from a ridge on the humerus. Like the medial head, it acts solely in elbow extension, engaging when resistance is present to provide strength and size to the triceps.

The long head is biarticular, originating at the scapula and crossing the shoulder joint. It aids elbow extension like the other heads. Crossing two joints allows additional roles. It helps adduct the arm and extend the shoulder with the lats and pecs. It also stabilizes the shoulder joint by securing the humerus head. The long head gives the triceps fullness from the rear.

In summary, the three heads of the triceps converge at the elbow but have distinct origins and functions. The medial head provides unresisted elbow extension. The lateral head helps elbow extension against resistance. The long head works in elbow extension, adduction, extension and stabilization of the shoulder joint. Together they form an impressive and versatile muscle.

5 BEST DUMBBELL TRICEPS EXERCISES

1. Lying One Arm Pronated Tricep Extension

The Tricep Extension is an excellent exercise for building strength and definition in the back of the upper arms. This dumbbell tricep exercise directly targets and trains the triceps, the muscle that straightens the elbow joint. It gives you the ability to intensively train the triceps in isolation.

The Steps:

1. Grab a dumbbell in one hand using an overhand grip and lie down on a flat bench.
2. Extend your arm straight up towards the ceiling, positioning your upper arm at a 90-degree angle to the floor. Keep your elbow locked in tight to your body.
3. Slowly lower the weight back behind your head until you feel a good stretch in the back of your arm.
4. Pause for a just a second at the bottom.
5. Powerfully exhale and use your triceps to push the dumbbell back up to the starting position directly over your shoulder.
6. Repeat for as many reps as desired on one arm.
7. Switch arms and perform the same number of reps on the opposite side.

Key Points:

• Upper arm must remain stationary, do not swing or use momentum.
• Avoid tightening your wrist, keep your wrist in a neutral position to avoid strain.
• Move in a slow, controlled manner focusing on strict form to really work the triceps.

2. Dumbbell Standing Kickback

The Dumbbell Standing kickback exercise targets the triceps through isolated elbow extension. With the upper arm fixed, the movement works entirely at the elbow joint, removing momentum and forcing the triceps to contract maximally. This makes an ideal finisher to pump the triceps for shaping and definition.

The Steps:

1. Place your feet equal to the gap of shoulder with a slight bend in the knees. Brace your core.
2. Take a dumbbell in one hand using an overhand grip. Slightly bring your body forward at the hips while keeping your spine neutral.
3. Let your upper arm hang stationary next to your side. Bend at the elbow dropping the weight down until your forearm is parallel to the bench.
4. Pause and squeeze that stretch in the back of the arm.
5. Powerfully exhale as you contract the triceps to drive the weight back until your arm is straight and in-line with your body.
6. Knock out your target rep count for one arm before swapping sides.

Key Points:

• Keep that upper arm locked in and motionless – no swinging at all.
• Neutral wrist position avoids cranking on the joints.
• Stay braced through the core and lean forward for ideal mechanics.
• Move with strict control in both directions to maximally stress the triceps.

3. Dumbbell One Arm Tricep Extension on bench

The One-Arm Seated Triceps Press is a laser-focused exercise that blasts the back of the upper arms. It places all the emphasis on the triceps – the large muscle that straightens the elbow joint. This isolated movement allows you to apply maximum overload and tension to the triceps without any other muscles stealing tension.

The Steps:

1. Place yourself firmly on a bench or chair with feet flat and your core tight.
2. Grab a dumbbell with one hand using an overhand/pronated grip. Raise the weight straight up over your shoulder with your upper arm perpendicular to the floor.
3. Keeping your upper arm unmoved and pinned to your side, bend at the elbow to drop the dumbbell behind your head until you feel a deep stretch in the back of the arm.
4. Pause and squeeze that stretched position for a moment.
5. Forcefully exhale as you contract the triceps to drive the weight back up to the top, locking out your arm completely.
6. Repeat for as many reps as desired on one arm before switching sides.

Key Points:

• Maintain an upright, braced posture through your core and back.
• Upper arm must remain dead still – no swinging or using momentum at all.
• Keep that wrist neutral and avoid cranking on the joint.
• Move with full control up and down to maximally load the triceps.
• Get a full stretch at the bottom and lock it out at the top.

4. Dumbbell Standing Triceps Extension

The Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension targets triceps brachii muscle groups, the muscles at the back of the upper arm that straighten the elbow joint. It builds strength and chisels definition in the triceps. This move really puts those muscles under tension.

How-To:

1. Stand up straight gripping a dumbbell in both hands with an overhand hold. Pin your upper arms slightly outwards and don’t let it drift.
2. Keeping that upper arm bolted in place, bend the elbows to lower the weight behind your head.
3. Continue descending until you feel a powerful stretch in the triceps then pause for a moment.
4. Maintaining tension, reverse back up to standing by forcibly straightening the elbows using just the triceps.
5. Perform until the Knockout reps.

Tips:

• Stay tall through the spine, not breaking posture. Brace the core.
• No swinging the upper arm – keep it pinned slightly to your sides at all times.
• Use a fluid yet controlled speed in both directions hitting a deep stretch.
• Strict isolation and form is key to fry the triceps through their full range of motion.
• No momentum – make those triceps do all the work.

5. Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension

The Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extension isolates the muscles at the back of the upper arm responsible for straightening the elbows. Executed properly, it builds rock-solid strength and definition in the triceps when they are forced to extend the elbow under resistance in a horizontal body position.

The Steps:

1. Lie back on a bench grasping 2 dumbbells in both hands with an overhand grip.
2. Kick the dumbbells straight upwards over your chest, locking the elbow out completely.
3. Without moving the upper arm, bend at the elbow to lower the weight in an arc behind your head.
4. Descend until you feel a powerful stretch in the triceps then reverse direction back up top.
5. Keep strict form and elbow-hinge only to lift the weight, squeezing the triceps.
6. Perform reps to the end of muscle strength.

Key Points:

• Brace through the core to avoid excessive arching as you lower the load.
• Upper arm stays stable – no cheating by dipping the shoulder.
• Smooth, controlled speed targeting the triceps through a full range of motion.
• Maximum contraction and stretch on every rep.
• No momentum – make the triceps do the hard work.

Final Thoughts

I have explain 5 best tricep dumbbell exercises that will help you to achieve muscular triceps with the help of only dumbbells. Must try these tricep workouts such as tricep pushdown, overhead tricep extension, tricep kickbacks, lying tricep extension, more and it can be perform anywhere, no reason if you are outside you just need a pair of dumbbells. Also, I have explains tricep anatomy.

For Bodyweight exercises checkout – 7 Best Bodyweight Exercises For Triceps