Why high rep tricep workouts work
If you want fuller arms and stronger presses, a smart high rep tricep workout can help you get there. High reps create constant tension and a deep muscle burn that supports triceps hypertrophy and endurance, especially when you mix them with moderate and heavier sets for balance.
Coaches at Gymshark and Rep Fitness recommend working in the 8 to 12 rep range at about 60 to 80% of your one rep max for muscle growth, then using higher repetition sets near failure as finishers for extra burn and blood flow. A guide from RP Strength also highlights that light loading in the 20 to 30 rep range is especially useful for triceps hypertrophy and metabolite buildup during pushdowns and similar isolation moves.
In other words, you are not just chasing a pump. You are using high reps on purpose, to add volume, sharpen your form, and safely push your triceps close to failure.
Understand your triceps first
Before you jump into any high rep tricep workout, it helps to know what you are training.
Your triceps have three heads that all work together:
-
Long head
Runs along the back of your upper arm on the inside. It helps with elbow extension and assists your shoulder in moving your arm backward. -
Lateral head
Sits on the outside and gives that visible “horseshoe” shape when flexed. -
Medial head
Lies deeper and closer to your elbow. It works hard during most pressing movements, even when you do not feel it directly.
Changing elbow position and arm angle shifts emphasis between these heads. Many people accidentally hammer the lateral head through endless pushdowns while neglecting the long and medial heads. A good high rep tricep workout includes exercises that hit all three.
Common mistakes with high rep tricep work
High reps do not automatically mean better results. How you structure your workout matters.
Starting with light isolation work
If you begin your session with only light, isolated movements and high reps, you can fatigue your triceps too early. That makes your heavier lifts weaker and may lead to triceps pain.
Try this instead:
- Start with a compound tricep-focused move (for example close grip pushups or dips) when you are fresh.
- Save lighter isolation high rep sets for later in the workout as finishers.
Relying only on machines and cables
Cables and machines are great for high rep control, but if you depend on them too much you miss out on stability and range of motion from free weights and bodyweight work. That can slow overall triceps development compared to mixing:
- Free weights
- Bodyweight moves
- Cables and bands
Ignoring form when you are tired
As reps climb, it gets tempting to cheat.
Two form rules matter most:
- Lock your elbows in place beside your body on pushdowns and extensions. If your elbows drift forward and back, your shoulders take over.
- Control the eccentric on every rep. Lower the weight slowly instead of letting it drop. This increases time under tension on all three heads and protects your joints.
Poor form in high rep sets not only reduces stimulation of the medial head, it also increases the chance of elbow or shoulder irritation.
Overtraining your triceps
Your triceps help every time you press, especially during chest and shoulder days. If you add high rep tricep workouts too often without recovery, you may see:
- Constant fatigue
- Stalled progress despite high effort
- Achy elbows or sore tendons
A 2025 beginner guide from Muscle & Fitness suggests:
- Training triceps once or twice per week for beginners
- Avoiding tricep sessions the day after heavy chest work
- Keeping rest between high rep sets in the 15 to 30 second range when you use lighter loads
Give yourself at least 24 hours between direct triceps sessions and pay attention to how your pressing strength feels over the week.
How to structure an effective high rep tricep workout
You can build a simple, reliable framework and plug in exercises you enjoy.
Step 1: Pick your main rep ranges
Research and expert guides suggest that the best tricep growth happens when you use a mix of:
- Heavy: 5 to 10 reps
- Moderate: 8 to 12 or 10 to 20 reps at 60 to 80% of your one rep max
- Light / high rep: 20 to 30 reps, especially on pushdowns and isolation moves
RP Strength recommends that up to half of your weekly tricep volume can be in the moderate 10 to 20 rep range, with the rest split between heavier and higher rep work. Your high rep sets then act as either:
- The main focus of a lighter day
- Finishers after your heavier sets
Step 2: Order your exercises wisely
A tricep session built around high reps might look like this:
- Compound press variation
Moderate reps, heavier load - Secondary compound or heavier extension
8 to 12 reps - High rep isolation
15 to 20 or even 20 to 30 reps - Optional finisher
A light high rep set or circuit to near failure
Starting with the greatest resistance lets you use more weight and keeps your form sharp, then you “burn out” with high rep work when fatigue is safer.
Step 3: Respect rest and recovery
For beginners, Muscle & Fitness recommends:
- 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps
- 15 to 30 seconds of rest between sets
- A challenging but controlled load, so you keep good form throughout
For more experienced lifters, you might:
- Rest about 60 seconds between moderate sets of 6 to 12 reps
- Use shorter rests under 30 seconds for lighter pushdowns or banded moves to increase density and metabolic stress
On a weekly level, most people do well with:
- Triceps trained 1 to 2 times per week if you are new
- Up to 2 sessions per week with varied rep ranges if you are more advanced and recover well
Beginner high rep tricep workout (gym or home)
You can run this routine 1 or 2 times a week. Leave at least one day between sessions and avoid doing it right after a heavy chest day.
Aim to move with control and stop each set when you are 1 to 2 reps shy of failure.
1. Close grip pushup
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 12 to 15
- Rest: 45 to 60 seconds
How to do it:
- Place your hands just inside shoulder width, with elbows close to your sides
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels
- Lower until your chest is close to the floor, then press back up
This bodyweight move works your chest and shoulders too, but the narrow hand placement puts more load on your triceps.
2. Bench dip
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 8 to 12
- Rest: 60 seconds
How to do it:
- Sit on a bench or sturdy chair and place your hands beside your hips
- Walk your feet forward and slide your hips off the edge
- Bend your elbows to lower your body, then push back up until your arms are almost straight
If your shoulders feel strained, reduce depth and keep your elbows closer to your body.
3. Dumbbell overhead tricep extension
- Sets: 3 to 4
- Reps: 10 to 12
- Rest: 45 to 60 seconds
How to do it:
- Sit or stand tall and hold a dumbbell with both hands above your head
- Keep your elbows pointing forward and close to your ears
- Lower the weight behind your head, feeling a stretch in the long head of your triceps
- Extend your arms back up without locking your elbows harshly
Rep Fitness recommends 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps for overhead extensions to target the long head with a deep stretch.
4. Cable or band pushdown (high rep finisher)
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 15 to 20
- Rest: 20 to 30 seconds
How to do it:
- Attach a rope or straight bar to a high cable, or fix a band overhead
- Stand tall, elbows at your sides, and grip the handle firmly
- Push down until your arms are straight, then return slowly to the starting position
A 2024 RP Strength triceps guide suggests that 20 to 30 reps on pushdowns are ideal in the light loading category. Short rests and strict form keep tension high and joint stress relatively low.
Intermediate high rep tricep workout (gym focused)
If you already lift regularly and handle compound presses comfortably, you can try this routine once or twice per week.
1. Close grip bench press
- Sets: 3 to 4
- Reps: 8 to 10
- Rest: 60 to 90 seconds
How to do it:
- Lie on a flat bench and grip the bar at or just inside shoulder width
- Keep your elbows close to your body as you lower the bar to your lower chest
- Press up, focusing on driving through your triceps
This move sets the tone for the session with a heavier compound lift in the moderate rep range.
2. Skull crusher
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 8 to 12
- Rest: 60 seconds
How to do it:
- Lie on a bench with a barbell or EZ bar above your chest
- Bend your elbows and lower the bar toward your forehead or slightly behind your head
- Extend your arms back up without letting your elbows drift forward
Skull crushers challenge the long and medial heads. Control the eccentric part of the movement, since this is where your joints are most vulnerable.
3. Rope pushdown
- Sets: 3 to 4
- Reps: 10 to 15
- Rest: 30 to 45 seconds
How to do it:
- Grip the rope with your palms facing each other
- Push down and slightly apart at the bottom, squeezing your triceps
- Return under control, stopping when your forearms are just above parallel to the floor
This exercise is a staple in tricep routines and can be adjusted easily with grip and stance to change emphasis across the heads.
4. Single arm band overhead extension
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 20
- Rest: 20 to 30 seconds per arm
How to do it:
- Step on one end of a band and hold the other end overhead with one hand
- Keep your elbow pointing up
- Bend and straighten your elbow, focusing on a strong squeeze at the top
Muscle & Fitness outlines this as an effective high rep finisher, with 3 sets of 20 reps to add volume and isolate each triceps individually.
High rep “pump” workout inspired by Flex Lewis
If you are more advanced and want a serious challenge, six time Mr Olympia 212 champion Flex Lewis popularized a 500 rep triceps routine built almost entirely around cables and bands.
Here is a simplified version you can try occasionally, not every week, and only if your joints feel healthy.
The 500 rep cable circuit
Flex Lewis performs:
- Rope pushdowns
- V bar pushdowns
- Banded pushdowns
- Reverse grip pressdowns
- Overhead rope extensions
He does 20 reps of each exercise back to back, with minimal rest, then repeats the circuit 3 or 4 times. That adds up to 500 reps in one brutal sequence.
Key points from his approach:
- Use light to moderate weight so that the focus stays on tension, not maximum load
- Keep elbows close to your body
- Maintain continuous tension and use brief rest pauses if you reach failure mid set
This type of high volume routine is designed for a massive pump and fascia expansion. It is not necessary for progress, but it shows how far high rep training can be pushed when form and intent are dialed in.
How to use high reps at home
You do not need a gym to build stronger triceps with high reps. Bodyweight and bands are enough to start.
Here is a simple at home session:
- Diamond pushup
- 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps
- Hands close together under your chest, forming a diamond shape with your fingers
- Bench or chair dips
- 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Bend your elbows to comfortable depth, stop if your shoulders complain
- Band pushdowns (over a door or bar)
- 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps
- Focus on a slow return and strong squeeze
- Single arm band overhead extension
- 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps per arm
- Keep your elbow pointing up and move only your forearm
As you get stronger, you can:
- Move your feet farther away on dips
- Slow your tempo
- Add extra reps or reduce rest time for more challenge
Programming tips for long term progress
High rep tricep workouts work best when you treat them as part of a larger plan, not as random burnouts.
Use progressive overload
Your triceps will adapt if you repeat the same load and reps forever. To keep growing, change one variable at a time:
- Add 1 or 2 reps to one set each week
- Increase weight slightly once you can perform the top end of a rep range with control
- Cut rest times by 5 to 10 seconds for some high rep sets
- Add an extra set on one exercise when everything feels easy
Guides from Gymshark, RP Strength, and others all emphasize progressive overload as a cornerstone of hypertrophy.
Rotate angles and grips
Vary your exercises over time so you do not overemphasize one head:
- Use overhead moves regularly to challenge the long head
- Include neutral or reverse grip pushdowns occasionally to shift stress toward the medial head
- Keep lateral head work like rope or V bar pushdowns, but do not let them dominate every session
Even small grip changes can make a high rep tricep workout feel new and stimulate growth in slightly different regions.
Watch your elbows and shoulders
High rep work creates a lot of total movement. Pay attention to:
- Persistent elbow pain that does not fade after a warmup
- Sharp discomfort during skull crushers or deep dips
- Aches that get worse as you add volume
If this happens, reduce how often you train triceps, drop the most stressful exercises, focus on slow controlled pushdowns and banded work, and consider lowering weight while keeping some high rep sets for blood flow.
Putting it all together
An effective high rep tricep workout:
- Targets all three heads with a mix of angles
- Starts with heavier or moderate compound work, then uses high rep isolation sets for extra volume
- Uses strict form, especially at the elbows, with slow controlled eccentrics
- Respects recovery so your chest and shoulder training does not suffer
- Progresses over time through more reps, slightly heavier loads, or shorter rests
You do not need marathon sessions or endless exercises. Pick one of the routines above, run it consistently for a few weeks, and pay attention to how your arms feel and perform. You can always adjust the rep ranges and exercise selection as you go, but the core principles of smart high rep training will stay the same.
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