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All muscles

Triceps

Three-headed elbow extensor on the back of the upper arm. Most of the upper-arm mass.

Exercises

Ranked by directness on triceps.

  • Triceps

Also involves this muscle

Lifts that pull this muscle in as a supporter.

Low1/10

Chest

Push-up

Chest and triceps. If lower back fires, brace harder.

Middle (sternal)
3v
Low1/10

Chest

Machine Chest Press

Pure chest, with the stability cost removed.

Middle (sternal)
2v
Low1/10

Front delts

Machine Shoulder Press

Pure shoulder work with no balance cost.

Front delts
2v
Low3/10

Chest

Flat Dumbbell Press

Even pec stretch at the bottom, hard squeeze across the sternum at the top.

Middle (sternal)
3v
Low3/10

Chest

Landmine Chest Press

Upper-chest + front-delt blend, with the shoulder happy because the angle is naturally diagonal.

Upper (clavicular)
2v
Low3/10

Front delts

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Front of shoulder loaded the whole time, with a bit of side delt at lockout.

Front delts
2v
Low3/10

Front delts

Landmine Shoulder Press

Front delt work without overhead joint stress.

Front delts
2v
Low3/10

Lats

Dumbbell Pullover

An unmistakable stretch through the lats and serratus at the bottom.

Upper latsLower lats
2v
Medium4/10

Chest

Incline Dumbbell Press

Stretch on the upper chest at the bottom; squeeze across the collarbone area at the top.

Upper (clavicular)
2v
Medium4/10

Chest

Decline Bench Press

Heavy compression on the lower chest; triceps lockout much shorter.

Lower (costal)
2v
Medium4/10

Chest

Floor Press

Brutal lockout work; chest taps out before the triceps do.

Middle (sternal)
2v
Medium4/10

Front delts

Arnold Press

Front delt at the bottom, side delt as you rotate, hard squeeze overhead.

Front delts
2v
Medium4/10

Front delts

Pike Push-up

Front and side delts doing the work; tight contraction overhead.

Front delts
2v
Medium5/10

Chest

Dip

Lower chest at the bottom; triceps at lockout.

Lower (costal)
2v
Medium5/10

Chest

Incline Barbell Press

Stretch and squeeze concentrated above the nipple line.

Upper (clavicular)
2v
Medium6/10

Chest

Barbell Bench Press

Stretch through the middle chest at the bottom; press should feel like spreading the floor with your back.

Middle (sternal)
3v
Medium6/10

Front delts

Overhead Press

Front shoulder pumps; abs and glutes firing as the body's stabilizer.

Front delts
3v
Medium6/10

Chest

Archer Push-up

Most of your bodyweight on one pec; closest thing to a one-arm push-up without the joint risk.

Middle (sternal)
2v
High10/10

Lats

Muscle-up

Pulling phase like a tight chin-up, transition like a folded-up triceps press.

Upper latsLower lats
2v