Triceps
The triceps is the three-headed muscle at the back of the upper arm and the only large force that straightens the elbow. It is the muscle that has the last word at the end of every pushing movement.
| Location | The back of the upper arm; three heads running from the shoulder blade and the upper arm bone to behind the elbow |
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| Function | Straightening the elbow (extension); the long head contributes to shoulder movements |
| Role in daily life | Pushing, hand support when getting up from the floor, and the final push phase of lifting something up |
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| Common misconception | The biceps comes to mind first when arm thickness is mentioned; in fact the greater part of the arm's volume is triceps, and when it is trained regularly through pushing movements, arm strength develops in a balanced way. |
The owner of the back of the arm
The three heads — long, lateral and medial — come together in a single tendon behind the elbow. Because the long head begins at the shoulder blade it takes part in shoulder movements too, which means the triceps is stretched and worked more in overhead positions. Most of the volume of the upper arm comes from the triceps, not the biceps.
The finisher of pushes
In a push-up the chest muscle starts the main push, and the triceps completes the final straightening of the elbow. The same division of labour applies in every press: for most people who struggle in the lock-out phase of a push, the triceps is the limiting link. Supporting yourself with a hand as you get up from the floor, and pushing something away from you, are everyday tasks of this muscle too.
Is a separate exercise needed?
At beginner and foundational levels, pushing movements usually provide enough stimulus for the triceps: the Push-Up, the Dumbbell Bench Press and the Shoulder Press work it in every set. Isolated arm exercises are a detail that can be added once the basic patterns are settled.
Related terms: Biceps, Pectoralis Major, Deltoid, Push-Up