7 Best Tricep Exercises with Dumbbells for Men

Tricep exercises are as important as bicep exercises when it comes to building strong and muscular arms. One of the major upper arm muscles, the triceps brachii is located in the rear of the arm. It has two primary functions - retraction and extension of the elbow joint - and assistance with shoulder joint stability.

Well developed triceps offer many benefits, such as the ability to lift heavier, increased shoulder stability, decreased chances of injury and more aesthetic arms in terms of bicep:tricep ratio.

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Tricep Exercises with Dumbbells

Check out these seven best tricep isolation exercises you can do with dumbbells for bigger, stronger arms.

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1) Single Arm Tricep Kickbacks

Single arm tricep kickback is a classic unilateral tricep isolation exercise, which allows you to focus on one arm at a time, giving your triceps a greater workout.

Here's how you can perform this tricep exercise:

• This workout requires you to kneel on a bench while supporting your upper body with the arm and knee that are not working.
• Your body should be in a tabletop position (flat back).
• Begin by holding a dumbbell in one hand and positioning your upper arm in line with your back.
• Extend the elbow till the arm is fully extended while contracting the triceps.
• Return slowly to a rough 90-degree elbow bend before beginning the next repetition.

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2) Bent Over Tricep Kickbacks

Bent over tricep kickbacks can strengthen and tone your triceps. It's a good exercise to begin your tricep workout routine wit bent over tricep kickbacks.

Here's how you can perform this tricep exercise:

• Start with a dumbbell in each hand and hip-width distance between your feet.
• Hinge forward at the hips till your torso is nearly parallel to the ground.
• Bend your elbows, and align your upper arms with your torso.
• Extend the elbows till both arms are straight, and slowly return to the starting position.

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3) Incline Kickbacks

Inclined kickbacks afford the long head of the triceps the opportunity to be subjected to maximal tension, as opposed to the medial and lateral heads. The long head of your triceps is the most prominent portion of the muscle, particularly from an aesthetic standpoint.

Here's how you can perform this tricep exercise:

• On a 45-degree incline bench, support your body while lying on your back.
• As with all previous kickback variations, you should begin with your elbow bent and your upper arm in line with your body.
• After extending at the elbow, the upper and lower arm should be parallel to the torso.

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4) Close Grip Dumbbell Push Ups

A close grip dumbbell push-up is a compound exercise that largely targets your chest and triceps. It also improves your grip and gives you a good muscle contraction.

Here's how you can perform this tricep exercise:

• With one hand on each dumbbell, assume the plank posture on a flat surface.
• In a 'narrow grip' posture, your hands should face each other, and the dumbbells should be squarely beneath your shoulders.
• From this position, bend your elbows, and drop your body towards the ground.
• Your elbows should brush against your sides rather than flare outward.
• If the full version of this exercise is beyond your current strength level, you can perform a reduced version on your knees rather than your toes.

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5) Dumbbell Skull Crushers

Dumbbell skull crushers work out every part of your triceps. The exercise can help you build both strength and muscle.

Here's how you can perform this tricep exercise:

• Lie flat on a bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand and placing your feet on the floor.
• You should begin with your arms extended upwards from your shoulders in a straight line.
• From this position, bend only at the elbow, and lower the dumbbells to the sides of your head.
• Push the dumbbells back up till your arms hit full extension/elbow lockout once they reach your ears (or thereabouts).

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6) Tate Press

This strange-looking exercise is for advanced lifters. Perform this exercise to develop and build your triceps.

Here's how you can perform this tricep exercise:

• As you would for a dumbbell bench press, lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand and your arms extended fully above your chest.
• From this position, you will bend your elbows, and move the dumbbells inwards and downwards towards your chest.
• The dumbbells should lightly touch but not rest on your chest before you raise them till your arms are completely extended once more.
• Before moving on to the next repetition, give your triceps a firm squeeze at the top when they are fully clenched.

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7) Seated Dumbbell Tricep Extensions

Seated dumbbell tricep extensions can flex and stretch all three of your tricep heads. It's a good exercise to end your triceps routine.

Here's how you can do this tricep exercise:

• Start seated on a bench while holding a single dumbbell in each hand.
• Raise your arms (and the dumbbell) above your head. Bend your elbows 90 degrees, and lower the weight behind your head.
• Hold this position for a moment, and push back up to the starting position.
• You may drop the dumbbell below the 90-degree bend if you so want to. The more the dumbbell is lowered, the more the triceps are stretched. That can enhance your ability to grow muscle mass with this activity.

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Takeaway

The seven aforementioned tricep exercises can help you shape up and strengthen your arms nicely.