Best Lateral Head Tricep Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Arms
Note: If you are viewing exercise videos on a mobile device, please switch to horizontal view for the best experience.
The best lateral head tricep exercises help develop the prominent outer section at the back of your upper arm. When the lateral head is well developed, it contributes to the horseshoe shape associated with strong, muscular triceps and makes the arms look thicker from the side.
You cannot completely isolate the lateral head from the other two triceps heads. Every resisted elbow-extension exercise involves the triceps as a whole. However, exercise selection, arm position, grip and loading can influence how the work is distributed.
A productive lateral head tricep workout should combine heavier pressing with controlled isolation exercises. This allows you to build overall triceps mass while giving the outer head enough direct work to develop.
What Is the Lateral Head of the Triceps?
According to this NCBI overview of triceps anatomy, the triceps brachii is composed of three distinct heads:
- The lateral head, on the outside of the upper arm
- The long head, which runs along the back and inside of the arm
- The medial head, which sits beneath the other two heads
All three straighten the arm at the elbow. The long head also crosses the shoulder joint, whereas the lateral and medial heads originate on the upper-arm bone.
The lateral head is particularly visible from the side and rear, especially when the arm is straight. Developing it can make the upper arm appear thicker even when you are not flexing.
Rather than searching for an exercise that magically switches off the other heads, focus on movements that let you extend the elbow forcefully, maintain a stable upper arm and progressively increase the resistance.
The Best Lateral Head Tricep Exercises
1. Cable Tricep Pushdowns
Cable pushdowns are one of the most practical lateral head tricep exercises because they keep tension on the muscle throughout the movement. They are also relatively easy to control and progress.
Attach a straight bar to a high cable. Stand upright with your elbows close to your sides and your forearms roughly parallel to the floor. Push the bar down by straightening your elbows, pause briefly at the bottom and return under control.
Avoid allowing your elbows to drift forwards or using your bodyweight to force the bar down. If you need to lean heavily over the cable, the resistance is probably too high.
A straight or angled bar usually allows more weight than a rope, making it a useful choice for progressively overloading the triceps.
Suggested range: 3–4 sets of 8–15 repetitions.
2. Close-Grip Bench Press
The close-grip bench press allows you to train the triceps with considerably more resistance than most isolation exercises. Research indicates that reducing bench-press grip width increases the contribution made by the elbow extensors, including the lateral head of the triceps.
Your hands do not need to touch. A shoulder-width or slightly narrower grip is usually sufficient and may be more comfortable for the wrists.
Lower the bar towards the lower chest while keeping your elbows reasonably close to your body. Press upwards by driving through the triceps, without allowing your shoulders to roll forwards.
This is primarily a compound strength and mass-building exercise, so it works well near the beginning of an upper-body or arm workout.
Suggested range: 3–4 sets of 5–10 repetitions.
Research into bench-press biomechanics and grip width found that a narrower grip increased elbow demands and lateral-head triceps activity, supporting the close-grip bench press as a useful compound triceps exercise.
3. Diamond Push-Ups
Diamond push-ups provide a useful bodyweight alternative when you do not have access to cables or free weights.
Place your hands beneath your chest with the thumbs and index fingers close together. Keep your body straight and lower yourself until your chest approaches your hands. Push back up while concentrating on extending the elbows.
A very narrow hand position can be uncomfortable for some people. If you feel excessive pressure in your wrists or elbows, move your hands slightly farther apart while keeping them inside shoulder width.
If conventional diamond push-ups are too difficult, perform them with your hands on a bench. More experienced trainees can elevate their feet or add a weighted vest.
Suggested range: 3 sets, stopping one or two controlled repetitions before technical failure.
4. EZ-Bar Skull Crushers
Skull crushers train the triceps through a large elbow movement and can add considerable mass when performed correctly.
Lie on a bench and hold an EZ bar above your chest. Keep your upper arms stable as you bend the elbows and lower the bar towards the top of your head. Extend the elbows to return to the starting position.
An EZ bar is generally more comfortable for the wrists than a straight bar. The exercise should also be performed with a manageable weight rather than turned into a pullover or pressing movement.
Some people find that lowering the bar slightly behind the head gives them a better range of motion. This variation may place greater emphasis on the long head, but the lateral head still contributes to elbow extension.
Suggested range: 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
5. Parallel-Bar Dips
Dips are another compound exercise capable of loading the triceps heavily. Keeping your torso relatively upright tends to make the movement more triceps-dominant, while a pronounced forward lean increases chest involvement.
Lower yourself only as far as your shoulders and elbows can comfortably tolerate. Press back up until the arms are straight, but do not forcefully snap the elbows into lockout.
Beginners can use an assisted-dip machine or resistance band. Once bodyweight dips become easy, resistance can be increased with a dipping belt.
Suggested range: 3 sets of 6–12 repetitions.
6. Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks
Kickbacks are sometimes dismissed because they cannot be loaded as heavily as presses or pushdowns. Nevertheless, they can provide effective isolation work when performed with control.
Support yourself on a bench and position your upper arm alongside your torso. Extend the elbow until the arm is straight, pause and slowly lower the dumbbell.
The upper arm should remain relatively still. Swinging the weight or repeatedly dropping the elbow removes tension from the triceps. A lighter dumbbell and slower movement will usually produce better results.
Cable kickbacks are another good option because the cable maintains resistance through more of the movement.
Suggested range: 2–3 sets of 12–20 repetitions.
7. Reverse-Grip Cable Pushdowns
A reverse-grip pushdown is performed with the palms facing upwards. This grip usually requires less weight, but it can help some trainees maintain a strict elbow position and controlled contraction.
Use a straight or EZ-style cable attachment. Keep the wrists neutral, press the attachment down and avoid allowing the elbows to move away from your sides.
Grip changes do not allow you to isolate one triceps head completely. Think of the reverse-grip pushdown as a useful variation rather than a fundamentally different exercise.
Suggested range: 2–3 sets of 10–15 repetitions.
How Lateral Head Tricep Exercises Support Muscle Growth
The most effective lateral head tricep exercises are movements you can perform consistently, progressively and without joint discomfort. Heavy presses allow you to increase overall resistance, while pushdowns and kickbacks provide more controlled triceps work. Combining both types of exercise is generally more useful than relying exclusively on isolation movements.
Research suggests that triceps growth is not necessarily uniform across the entire muscle. A systematic review of resistance-training exercise selection found that multi-joint and single-joint exercises may affect different regions of the triceps differently. This supports using a mixture of presses and extensions rather than searching for one perfect exercise.
Which Exercise Is Best for the Outer Triceps?
If you can choose only one isolation movement, the cable pushdown is probably the most practical option. It is stable, easy to learn and simple to progress without needing a spotter.
For overall growth, however, a combination is likely to work better:
- A heavy compound movement, such as the close-grip bench press or dips
- A cable pushdown for controlled lateral head tricep work
- An extension or kickback variation to train the muscle through a different angle
The lateral head may receive considerable stimulation from multi-joint pressing, while single-joint exercises help ensure that the triceps remain the limiting muscle. A systematic review found that triceps growth can vary between its different regions and that combining multi-joint and single-joint exercises is sensible rather than relying exclusively on one type of movement.
Example Lateral Head Tricep Workout
This short routine can be performed after chest training or as part of a dedicated arm session:
Close-grip bench press: 3 sets of 6–8 repetitions
Straight-bar cable pushdowns: 3 sets of 10–12 repetitions
Dumbbell or cable kickbacks: 2 sets of 12–15 repetitions
Use loads that allow you to complete each repetition without swinging, shortening the movement or losing control of your elbows. When you can reach the top of the repetition range across every set, increase the resistance slightly.
If your existing programme already contains bench presses, overhead presses and dips, you may not need large amounts of additional triceps work. Begin with a moderate volume and increase it only when you are recovering well.
Common Mistakes When Training the Lateral Head
Using Too Much Weight
Heavy resistance is valuable when you can control it. If your shoulders, back and bodyweight are driving every repetition, the exercise is no longer providing focused triceps work.
Allowing the Elbows to Flare Excessively
Some natural elbow movement is not disastrous, particularly during heavy compound lifts. On pushdowns and kickbacks, however, excessive movement usually means the load is too heavy.
Chasing Grip Changes
An overhand, neutral or underhand grip may change how an exercise feels, but no grip completely isolates the outer triceps. Progression and good technique matter more than constantly changing attachments.
Training Through Elbow Pain
Muscle fatigue and joint pain are not the same thing. Reduce the load, adjust the exercise or stop if you feel sharp or persistent elbow pain. An alternative such as a rope pushdown may be more comfortable than skull crushers for some trainees.
Doing Only Isolation Exercises
Pushdowns and kickbacks are useful, but heavier presses provide another important growth stimulus. A balanced programme normally includes both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you isolate the lateral head of the triceps?
Not completely. All three triceps heads contribute to resisted elbow extension. You can use exercise selection to give the lateral head meaningful work, but claims that a particular grip isolates it entirely should be treated cautiously.
Do rope pushdowns work the lateral head?
Yes. Rope pushdowns train all three heads of the triceps, including the lateral head. A straight-bar attachment may allow some people to use more weight, whereas the rope permits the hands to separate naturally near the bottom. Use whichever attachment lets you train hard without wrist or elbow discomfort.
Do skull crushers work the outer triceps?
The lateral head contributes during skull crushers, although the large stretch created by some versions can make them particularly useful for the long head. They remain a valuable overall triceps exercise when combined with presses or pushdowns.
How often should you train the lateral head?
For many trainees, direct triceps training once or twice a week is sufficient, especially because the triceps also work during chest and shoulder pressing. Recovery, total weekly volume and training experience are more important than using a fixed frequency.
Can you train the lateral head at home?
Diamond push-ups, close-grip push-ups, bench dips and resistance-band pushdowns can all be performed at home. Dumbbell kickbacks are another option if you have a light dumbbell.
Build the Whole Triceps, Not Just One Head
The lateral head helps create the visible outer curve of the upper arm, but the best results come from developing the complete triceps. Combine compound presses with controlled extensions, train through a comfortable range of motion and gradually increase the challenge.
You can also explore our interactive muscle map or see these related guides: