7 Highly Effective Triceps Workouts With Barbell
Every workout performed has a specific purpose. You may be looking to build muscle mass, increase strength, lose fat, or keep generally fit and stay healthy.
But if you want to develop brawny upper arms, you need a workout that will specifically target the muscles in that part of the body.
That’s where triceps workouts come into play.
You can use the triceps workouts with a barbell to achieve this goal. And while you can do many triceps workouts with dumbbells, cable pulley, or kettlebells, you shouldn’t restrict yourself to these tools.
For more effective results, consider opting for a barbell.
7 Powerful Triceps Workouts With Barbell
#1 Barbell Skull Crusher
This is one of the best triceps workouts you should not miss if you want to spot a strong and outstanding-looking upper arm that will catch the attention of everyone in the room.
Benefits
The skull crusher workout is best known for building the triceps muscles, especially when performed with a barbell.
You can use cable pulleys or dumbbells for this, but the barbell version is more effective because it allows you to load more weight and isolate the triceps muscles.
The position for this exercise is a convenient one, so it is a lot easier to do.
How to do the Skull Crusher
- Place your back on a flat bench with your feet on the floor and let your hands support the barbell.
- Lie down in a position fit for bench-pressing with your back and hands in place.
- Let your elbows pull backward as they point down.
- Remove the barbell from the rack and bring it down over your forehead or at the back of your head.
- Stretch your arms upward, extending your elbow to feel the effect on your triceps’ muscle.
- Repeat the process continuously for the number of times expected.
Pro Tip: The triceps can be isolated in the execution of this workout if you load more weight on the bar.
#2 Barbell Close Grip Bench Press
This triceps workout is carried out with a much heavier barbell in order to achieve the desired result. It is almost like the Barbell Bench Press but the closer grip is what makes it different.
Benefits
This workout will add mass to your triceps and also improve the extension of your elbow.
How to do the Barbell Close Grip Bench Press
- Place your back on a flat bench with your feet on the floor like the position for a bench press.
- Carefully remove the barbell from the rack and hold it with a shoulder-width grip.
- Bring the bar to the top of your chest and let your elbows be close to your sides, making sure there is no space between your body and the elbows.
- Stretch your arms up until your elbows extend completely.
- Bring the bar down to your chest once again and repeat the process continuously for the number of times expected.
Pro Tip: Use your feet to get a good grip on the floor.
#3 Barbell Floor Press
The Barbell Floor Press is a more strenuous type of barbell workout as it requires extra strength to execute. You do not need to use a bench to perform this type of triceps workout with barbell.
Benefits
The Barbell Floor Press is one of the workouts with more emphasis on improving your triceps strength.
It also reduces the strain on your shoulder while performing the workout due to a lesser range of motion.
How to do the Barbell Floor Press
- Lie down on the floor with your back on the ground and your face toward the ceiling.
- Hold the barbell on the top of your chest just as you would if you were to perform a bench press.
- Stretch your arms upward and completely extend your elbows.
- Pause for about two seconds and bring the bar down gently.
- Repeat the same process continuously for the desired number of times.
Pro Tip: Due to a lower motion range, you can lift heavier weight for a more effective result.
#4 Barbell Bent Over Kickback
The Bent-Over Kickback with the barbell is considered one of the easier workouts to execute. The isolation of the triceps in the main activity makes it less stressful on the shoulder during the workout.
But don’t take this the wrong way.
The Barbell Bent-Over Kickback might be a tad easier to perform but it is very effective. Many advanced bodybuilders like Larry Scott use this move to achieve impressive results.
Benefits
This exercise improves mobility in the elbows and shoulders. That’s mostly due to the position you are holding the weight during the workout.
Beginners can do this move because it is easy to execute. Also, it offers a complete range of motion.
How to do the Bent Over Kickback
- Stand on your feet with a bar behind you on the floor just a little close to your heel.
- Bend down with your face and chest facing the floor as your hips are directed backward.
- Using a shoulder-width grip, hold the barbell behind you with your palms facing away from you.
- Lift the bar and stretch your arms upward until it extends completely behind you.
- Hold on for about two seconds and bring the bar downward.
- Repeat the process continuously for the expected number of times.
Modification
The Barbell Bent-Over Kickback can also be executed differently by standing upright.
Here’s how:
- Stand on your feet with a bar behind you on the floor just a little close to your heel.
- Using a shoulder-width grip, hold the barbell behind you with your palms facing away from you.
- Lift the bar from behind you to a position slightly beneath your glute.
- Bend your shoulder a bit forward.
- Lift the bar and stretch your arms completely upwards.
- Lower the bar down after a second or two.
- Repeat the process continuously for the desired number of times.
Considering the barbell is behind you, remember to use weights that are comfortable for you when performing this move.
#5 Barbell Close Grip Landmine Press
This is one of the triceps workouts where you hold only one side of the bar to perform it while the other side is fixed to a landmine holder or secured at a corner on the floor to stop it from moving.
Benefits
In addition to activating the muscles in your triceps, the landmine reduces the strain you may have on your shoulders while performing other barbell workouts.
Although this move is primarily a chest exercise, the head of the triceps is activated as you completely extend your arm during the workout.
How to do the Barbell Close Grip Landmine Press
- Get a bar and place one side of the bar at an angle on the floor to limit its movement.
- Fix the required number of weights at the other side of the bar.
- Hold the side of the bar where you have fixed the weight directly in front of you at your shoulder level.
- Push the bar upwards extending your elbows completely.
- Bring it down slowly to the level of your chest.
- Repeat the same process continuously for the required number of times.
Modification
The Barbell Close Grip Landmine Press can be modified to a Side-to-Side Landmine Press. The benefits are the same but it works the chest and triceps muscles from a slightly different angle.
Here’s how to perform this modification:
- Get a bar and place one side of the bar at an angle on the floor to limit its movement.
- Fix the required number of weights at the other side of the bar.
- Hold the side of the bar where you have fixed the weight directly in front of you at your shoulder level.
- Push the bar upwards extending your elbows completely.
- Bring it down gently to your right shoulder.
- Push the bar up from your right shoulder extending it completely again.
- Bring it down gently to your left shoulder.
- Repeat the process continuously from one shoulder to another for the required number of times.
#6 Barbell JM Press
The JM Press was developed by JM Blakley (an elite-level Bench Press specialist) over 20 years ago. And while it is more than two decades old, it is still highly effective.
This type of barbell workout is similar to the barbell skull crusher and the close grip bench press. But the JM Press has a little tweak so you can expect it to have a better effect on the triceps.
Benefits
Even when it’s quite difficult to execute, the barbell JM press helps you build your triceps’ mass faster. To get the most out of the workout, you need to load heavy.
How to do the JM Press
- Place your back on a flat bench with your feet on the floor and let your hands support the barbell.
- Lie down in a position fit for bench-pressing with your back and hands in place.
- Carefully, remove the barbell from the rack and hold it using a shoulder-width grip.
- Bring the bar down just you would in a Close Grip Bench Press but when you get it to your chest, move the bar backward toward your face and then back to your chest again.
- Stretch the bar up extending your elbow completely.
- Bring it down again and repeat the same process continuously for the required number of times.
#7 Bodyweight Skull Crusher
This triceps workout is a great exercise that targets your triceps directly.
And even though it is a variation of the regular skull crusher, the exercise works the muscles differently.
Your body needs to attain stability as you lower it towards a non-moving barbell, using your triceps majorly to achieve this.
Here’s an important thing to keep in mind.
This Bodyweight Skull Crusher is not a move suitable for beginners. So, if you are just starting out, consider doing something else and work your way up to this advanced exercise.
Thankfully, there are plenty of other triceps workouts you can do as a beginner.
Benefits
This advanced skull crusher variation helps strengthen the triceps muscles for a stronger upper arm.
The workout adds an extra degree of difficulty. When performed correctly, the Bodyweight Skull Crusher increases the body’s stability, which leads to improved core strength.
How to do the Bodyweight Skull Crusher
- Set the barbell at belly height and stand at arm’s length away.
- With an overhand grip at shoulder width, let the elbows bend as you let your torso fall forward towards the bar so that your triceps feel the stretch.
- Keep your elbows close to the sides of your head.
- To make it a bit more challenging, step your feet backward and open your hip. If you are uncomfortable with this, step your feet forward and allow for more hip flexion to minimize the difficulty a little bit.
This is a way of increasing or decreasing the amount of your bodyweight that your upper body supports.
- Keep your head under the bar, flex your elbows, and extend them to push your body back into its original position.
Conclusion
If you commit yourself to perform these triceps workouts with barbells using the correct form and right technique, you are definitely going to see impressive results.
Remember to load correct and equal weights on both sides of the bar.
Also, note that lifting the barbell off the rack can be risky, so it is usually a good idea to get help from a spotter when necessary.
The benefits of building stronger triceps muscles go beyond mere aesthetics. It can make you lift more weight and even help in your daily activities like pushing a lawnmower or lifting heavy items.
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