The outer triceps is an awesome muscle. It sticks out like a slab of muscle on your outer arm and makes your arm look thick from the front. When your standing side on the outer triceps looks like a half moon sitting there on your arm and screams POWER!

So how to do you work the outer triceps? Well the best know and common outer triceps exercise is the standing triceps press down on the lat machine . . . but everyone does those already and there are not allot of great outer triceps out there, so what else works those little buggers?

First off any barbell or dumbbell movement with palms of hands facing up works the outer triceps more than the long or medial heads. Biggest point though is "LOCK OUT THE ARMS!" So basically keeps the palms up, or reversed and lock out and hold. Those are the most important issues to cover when targeting the outer triceps.

If you have weak wrists and cannot target your outer triceps with the palms up, then with palms down the outer triceps can only be worked specifically in moves where the upper arms never leave the side of the body (like the lat machine press down) and are fully locked out. If the arm rotates or the elbow moves forward then the long triceps is called into contraction and extension and so no outer triceps for you!

Another beauty for the outer triceps is "lying dumbbell extensions." These work the outer head of the triceps and give the shape and thickness needed for total development of the triceps as long as you lock them out and give a little twist at the top so the your palms face your head.

The last exercise that I use to work the outer triceps is "Triceps Bench Dips." This is a good exercise that works all of the triceps, but it emphasizes the outer head a little more. The great thing about this exercise is that you can push it all the way to failure, get a great pump, and your totally safe and don't need a spotter. Be careful not to let your butt drift away from the bench or you will use too much deltoid and take the outer triceps right out of the picture.

Here is an outer triceps workout:

Reverse grip pushdown 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Super set:

Lying dumbbell extensions with a twist and Bench dips

4 sets of 10-12 reps or failure on the dips.

Here's to some wicked outer triceps!

About the Author

Ray Burton is a personal trainer and owner of the exercise fitness site www.buildingbodies.ca He has trained for Golds Gym, World Health Club and the Canadian Military.

Ray Burton

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