Triceps

Heads and regions

Long head
Lateral head
Medial head

What it does

Elbow extension
Shoulder extension (long head)

How to train it

Overhead work is non-negotiable — it is the only way to fully stretch the long head.
Pushdowns and close-grip pressing cover the lateral and medial heads.
Keep the elbows from flaring on extensions; the movement happens at the elbow only.

Common questions

How many sets of triceps a week?

8 to 16 hard sets, spread over 2-3x per week. A hard set is one taken close to failure — warm-ups and easy back-off sets do not count towards it. Below that range you are maintaining rather than building; above it, for most people, the extra sets cost more recovery than they buy.

How often should I train triceps?

2-3x per week. Splitting the week's sets across more than one session means each one is done fresher, and the quality of the last set matters more than the number of them. With 12 movements to choose from there is no need to repeat the same session twice.

Where should a beginner start?

7 of the 12 movements here are rated for a beginner. Start with the compound at the top: it teaches the pattern and loads the muscle hardest.

What else works the triceps

19 other movements in the library train the triceps as a secondary mover rather than as the target. That volume is real and it counts: if a week already contains a lot of these, the direct work needed to reach 8–16 sets is at the lower end of the range, not the upper.

7 more, across the whole library.