In this guide to dumbell exercises for triceps, we’ll go through five of the most efficient tricep builders. All you need for these movements is a pair of dumbells and a bench – most can be done without a bench, too.

Dumbell exercises for triceps – the complete list

Overhead tricep extension – single arm

Can be done standing up, or on a bench. Unilateral work is effective at targeting weaknesses and if you feel like one arm is stronger at pushing than the other, or you see an obvious imbalance in muscle size, targeting one arm at a time will be a great way of counterbalancing those weaknesses.

Overhead tricep extension – two arms

Can also be done both sat, and standing up. The double arm variant will allow you to hit more weight.

Tricep kickback

 The standard tricep kickback. If you are prone to tennis elbow, these may prove to be one of the best exercises in your arsenal, depending on your injury. You’ll have to use less weights and really focus on controlling the eccentric as much as possible. You can also do these on an incline bench, by setting yourself up, belly to bench, extending the dumbbells behind you.

Skullcrushers

 This exercise is usually performed with an ez bar, but of course, can also be done with dumbbells. For maximal range of motion, one can let the dumbbells track past the forehead, and slightly behind the head.

Close grip press

The close grip bench press lets you go heavier due to it being more of a compound movement rather than isolation. If you have a dedicated triceps session as part of your training, it would be wiser to start with this, and progress towards isolation movements afterwards.

If you are looking for the best dumbbell exercises for chest, head over to this complete article.