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Best barbell exercises for triceps divide by which head they load: overhead work stretches the long head, close-grip pressing targets the lateral and medial heads. This guide covers all six movements, the load band each one sits in, the order to run them in, and the bars and bench a home setup actually needs.
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By Chris Parker
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Start 30-Day Prime Free Trial →See Today’s Amazon DealsHow to Structure Barbell Tricep Training
The triceps have three heads, and only one of them crosses the shoulder joint, which is the fact that organises the best barbell exercises for triceps. That single anatomical fact determines which exercises do what, and the four criteria below explain how the best barbell exercises for triceps should be selected and ordered in a session.
Long Head Versus Lateral and Medial Heads
The long head attaches above the shoulder joint, so it is only fully stretched when your arm is held overhead. Skullcrushers performed lying, and any overhead extension, put that head under load in a lengthened position, which is where most growth stimulus comes from.
The lateral and medial heads do not cross the shoulder at all and respond to elbow extension at any arm angle. Close-grip bench press, floor press and JM press load them heavily while allowing far more weight than isolation work, which is why they anchor most programmes.
Load Bands Across the Six Movements
Close-grip bench press is the heaviest of the six, typically 60-80 percent of your regular bench. Floor press sits slightly lower because the range stops early. JM press is lighter again, often around half your bench, since the elbow position is more demanding.
Isolation work sits far lower. Skullcrushers usually land between 40 and 80 lb (18-36 kg) total including the bar, and overhead extensions lower still. A light EZ bar or a training bar matters here, because a 44 lb Olympic bar is already too heavy for many people to control near the head.
That spread is why one bar rarely covers the whole session. A heavy bar for pressing and a light EZ bar for extensions is the standard home setup, and it costs less than most single pieces of equipment in a gym.
Bar Choice: Straight, EZ and Bar Weight
A straight bar is fine for close-grip pressing but hard on the wrists during skullcrushers, where the fixed pronated grip forces the forearm into a position many people simply cannot hold comfortably under load. An EZ curl bar solves that with angled grip sections.
Bar weight is the other constraint. A standard Olympic bar weighs 44 lb before you add a plate, and an EZ bar typically 15-25 lb (7-11 kg), which is exactly why the lighter bar is what makes the best barbell exercises for triceps accessible at home.
Footprint: Bench, Bar Path and Clear Space
The best barbell exercises for triceps need roughly 8 x 6 ft (2.4 x 1.8 m) of clear area, because the bar travels behind your head on skullcrushers and needs somewhere to go. Overhead extensions standing add ceiling clearance of about 8 ft (2.4 m) at the point where you actually stand.
Floor pressing needs less height but a clear 7 x 5 ft (2.1 x 1.5 m) of floor and something to unrack from, since lifting a loaded bar from the floor into position is awkward alone. Measure the real space, including the arc behind the bench, before ordering.
Top Picks: Gear for the Best Barbell Exercises for Triceps
Six items cover all six of the best barbell exercises for triceps, though only two are needed to start training this week. The table shows the role each fills and the order to buy them in, so you can begin with a bar and a bench rather than assembling everything before your first session.
| Item | Role | Key spec | Buy order |
|---|---|---|---|
| REP Fitness EZ Curl Bar | Skullcrushers, extensions | Around 15-25 lb | First |
| FLYBIRD Adjustable Bench | Press and skullcrusher base | Folds upright | First |
| REP Fitness Gladiator Bar | Close-grip and floor press | 28.5 mm multipurpose | Later |
| Titan Fitness Olympic Bar | Budget straight bar | Published tensile spec | Alternative |
| Gymreapers Wrist Wraps | Wrist support under load | Around 18 in | Cheap add-on |
| BalanceFrom Rubber Mat | Floor press and noise | Roughly 6-8 mm | Apartment |
REP Fitness EZ Curl Bar
The single most useful purchase for tricep work, because the angled grip sections put the wrist in a neutral position during skullcrushers and overhead extensions. At 15-25 lb it also starts light enough that isolation work is possible from your first session.
It is not suitable for close-grip bench pressing, where the angled grip sections force an awkward hand position under heavy load. The shorter length also means it will not sit in most rack J-cups, so you lift it from the floor or a bench every time.
FLYBIRD Adjustable Weight Bench
Skullcrushers, close-grip press and incline extensions all need a bench, and this one folds upright to roughly 28 x 18 in when you are finished. The ladder adjustment reaches the flat and low-incline positions that tricep work actually uses.
The narrow pad gives less shoulder support during heavy close-grip pressing, and the light frame creeps on hard flooring without a mat. Keep the heaviest pressing within a load where the frame stays visibly still under you.
REP Fitness Gladiator Bar
A 28.5 mm multipurpose bar with published specifications, which handles close-grip bench press and floor press properly. The moderate knurl is aggressive enough for grip without tearing hands during the higher rep ranges tricep work usually lives in.
At 44 lb it is too heavy for skullcrushers and overhead extensions for many people, which is why it pairs with rather than replaces an EZ bar. It also needs a rack or bench with uprights to be practical for pressing.
Titan Fitness Olympic Barbell
The budget straight bar that still publishes real tensile figures, which makes it a reasonable first bar for close-grip pressing. The specification is honest and the price leaves budget for the bench and EZ bar that matter more for tricep work.
Machining consistency varies between units and knurl depth is the usual complaint. Finish blemishes on arrival are routine, so plan to oil the bar on delivery if your training space is a garage rather than a heated room.
Gymreapers Wrist Wraps
The cheapest item here and the one that most changes how skullcrushers feel. Wraps stabilise the wrist under a load that wants to bend it backward, which removes the joint discomfort that stops many people loading tricep work properly.
They support the wrist rather than the elbow, so they do nothing for elbow pain, which is the other common complaint with skullcrushers. If the elbow is what hurts, reduce range and load rather than adding support, and see a doctor if it persists.
BalanceFrom Puzzle Exercise Mat
Floor pressing means setting a loaded bar down repeatedly, and a mat protects both the floor and the bar’s knurl while cutting the noise transmitted to a flat below. In an apartment it is what makes barbell tricep work viable at all.
Interlocking foam compresses permanently under a bench foot or a loaded plate and leaves dents over time. That is cosmetic rather than structural, but budget for replacing a tile or two after a couple of years of regular use.
Frequently Asked Questions
These four questions cover the practical side of programming the best barbell exercises for triceps — which six movements to run, how they should be ordered, weekly volume and whether a straight or EZ bar is the better first purchase.
Which six exercises should the programme contain?
Close-grip bench press, floor press, JM press, lying skullcrushers, overhead EZ bar extensions and behind-the-neck presses. That covers heavy elbow extension, stretched long head work and a mid-range option, without any redundancy between movements.
How should I order them in a session?
Heaviest movement first: close-grip or floor press while you are fresh, then skullcrushers, then overhead extensions last when the load is lightest. Reversing that order leaves your triceps too fatigued to press meaningful weight on the compound movement.
How much weekly volume do triceps need?
Ten to twenty hard sets a week suits most people, spread across two separate sessions. Remember that all pressing work loads the triceps, so a programme with heavy bench and overhead press already contributes several of those sets before you add isolation.
Straight bar or EZ bar for the best barbell exercises for triceps?
EZ bar first, because it makes skullcrushers and overhead work comfortable and starts light enough to be usable. A straight bar is the second purchase and covers close-grip pressing, where the fixed grip is not a problem.
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Final Thoughts
The best barbell exercises for triceps split into heavy elbow extension and stretched long head work, and a complete programme needs both. Buy an EZ bar and a bench first, order movements heaviest to lightest, and measure the arc behind your bench before setting up so the bar has somewhere to go.
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