triceps with barbell
54 exercises for triceps you can do with barbell.
The triceps make up roughly two-thirds of your arm's total muscle mass, making them critical not only for arm size but also for performance in virtually every pressing movement. With a barbell, you gain a tool that allows progressive overload in a way dumbbells and machines rarely match.
This page features 54 exercises—from classics like Close-Grip Bench Press and Standing Military Press to hybrids like JM Press and Olympic movements such as Push Press and Clean and Jerk. That gives you a wide selection whether you train powerlifting, weightlifting, or general hypertrophy.
You're not meant to do all 54. Pick two or three exercises that fit your program, learn them properly, and build volume progressively. That delivers far better results than switching exercises every week.
Foundation Presses—The Basis for Triceps Strength
Close-Grip Bench Press is the starting point for most. The grip sits at shoulder width or slightly narrower, shifting work from the chest toward the triceps. It's one of the strongest movement patterns for arm lockout under load and works well for heavy sets.
Standing Military Press and Push Press build triceps along a different vector—standing and overhead—and demand that the entire shoulder complex stabilize. Push Press allows a slight leg drive from the start and lets you handle heavier weights, creating strong stimulus for the triceps in the top half of the lift.
For those wanting to vary pressing angles without changing equipment, there's Reverse-Band Close-Grip Bench Press and Floor Press—both limit the range of motion in different ways and load the triceps in specific phases of the movement.
Isolation and Hybrid Exercises
Lying Triceps Press (Short-Grip, Behind-the-Head) and Triceps Extension with EZ Bar on an Incline Bench are the most direct exercises on the list. They isolate the long and lateral heads of the triceps and provide a clear stretch at the bottom—hard to replicate in pure pressing movements.
JM Press is a hybrid between skull crusher and close-grip bench press, invented by powerlifter JM Blakley. The bar is lowered toward the neck with bent elbows, roughly combining both movements. Many find it produces a different loading curve than pure pressing work and include it happily in a strength program.
Standing Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension is an option for those wanting to train triceps with arms overhead—a position where the long head is fully stretched and contributes maximally. The technique demands you keep your elbows stable and avoid flaring them outward during the lift.
Chains, Boards, and Bands—Varying the Loading Curve
Bench Press with Chains and Floor Press with Chains change resistance throughout the movement—heavier at the top, easier at the bottom. This suits lockout-strength work and is a proven method in both powerlifting and athletic training.
Board Press and Pin Press limit the bottom portion of the range and let you train specific phases of the pressing movement with heavier loads. The method is common in powerlifting to improve the sticking point in bench press.
Reverse-Band Bench Press (Close-Grip) works oppositely—resistance increases the higher you press, loading the triceps hard at lockout. All three methods are variations rather than replacements for foundation lifts and suit best when you already have a stable program to supplement.
Olympic Movements and Pullover Variations
Some of the 54 exercises fall outside traditional triceps training: Clean and Jerk, Power Snatch, Split Jerk, and Snatch are Olympic lifts where the triceps assist in the drive phase but aren't the primary target. They build explosive strength and coordination and can earn their place in a well-rounded program—though they demand proper technical training.
Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover and Barbell Pullover on Incline Bench (Wide-Grip) are movements that engage the triceps alongside chest and back. They work as complementary exercises rather than primary focus tools and fit well as a finisher after a heavy triceps session.