15 Minute Triceps Workout At Home Without Equipment

Everyone has that one area that bugs them and for many women, it’s the back of the arms.

The tricky part? Most moms find it easy to grab a quick resistance band biceps workout, but aren’t sure how to actually train their triceps using simple, effective bodyweight movements (though here are my favorite tricep exercises for women!). That’s where this workout comes in. Though you can't spot train, you can strengthen.

This workout walks you through exactly how to strengthen your arms at home without equipment, using movements that target the triceps through pressing and control. Before you jump in, take a minute to review these strength training tips so you can get the most out of each rep and actually see progress.

What Are The Triceps?

There are three “heads” to the tricep muscle, and you need to target all of them for an effective workout. Hitting all three with triceps exercises is also the best way to get that sculpted, toned look.

• Lateral head: this is the part of the tricep that is more on the side of the arm.
• Long head: This is the classic back of the upper arm muscle that most people associate with triceps.
• Medial: hidden mostly beneath the long head nut, further down toward the elbow.

Though most exercises will hit all of the upper body muscles, the ones used in this workout place an emphasis on the triceps muscles.

Triceps Workout At Home

Here’s a breakdown of the exercises in this at-home triceps workout so you can screenshot it or follow along easily. You don’t need dumbbells, but you do need some space, a table/chair/bench, and a bottle of water (or wine!)

Complete the workout in 3 sections:

1. Perform narrow grip push-ups for as many repetitions as possible without losing your form. Then rest for 45 seconds and repeat that twice.
2. Bows + Dips (3 rounds): Perform them back to back with no rest. only rest after the dips.
3. Final 3 exercises: Perform them back to back, only resting 30 seconds after the L-sit.

Tricep Exercise Progressions (Or Regressions For Beginners)

To make the triceps home workout easier or harder, you can always add resistance or tweaks to the exercises.

Push ups: Add a pause at the bottom if regular push-ups are too easy. If you need to scale back and can't do a regular push-up yet, work on eccentric push ups, this is a crucial step in how to perform push ups as a beginner. You could also start with wall push ups to nail down the form of a close grip press.

Floor bows: These can be done with straight legs to make them harder or on the wall to make them easier.

Dips: Keeping your feet close to your knees makes them easier, while straightening your legs or elevating your feet makes them more challenging.

L-sit: Since the focus is on the triceps muscles, your goal is to fully extend (unbend) the elbows. Keep your feet on the floor if your core isn't ready, and make it harder by elevating your feet or hands onto yoga blocks.

Tips To Perform The Workout

Form is key if you find yourself losing engagement. Stop and reset. This applies to all best arm exercises for batwings. Below is a breakdown of the triceps exercises and how to perform them.

Like any new workout, the first time you go through it is a bit challenging as you get used to the movements. It’s slower-moving, and that’s okay!

Also, keep in mind that you’ll be much sorer the first 1-2 times through the workout as your upper arms adapt to something completely new.

Narrow Push Ups

In push-ups, for the triceps to be dominant, you need to shoot the elbows backward and keep them close to your torso. If you cannot do this in a regular push-up position, either elevate your push-ups or perform eccentric push-ups.

1. Come into a plank with the hands just outside the shoulders and feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep the elbows tucked backward as you bend them and lower down toward the floor.
3. Keeping the elbows tight, press back up and extend the arms fully.

Cue: Keep your elbows tucked close to your ribs as you lower.

Floor Bow (Also known as bodyweight tricep extension)

1. Come into a plank position on your knees with your hands about 5 inches ahead of your face with your arms straight.
2. Bend the elbows until your forearms rest on the floor.
3. Press into your hands and straighten the elbows.

Cue: Lock your upper arm in place, only extend at the elbow.

Tricep Dips

1. Set up your hands on a bench so that your fingers are pointing away from your bum.
2. If you’re a beginner, keep your feet under your knees for support. Otherwise, straighten the legs.
3. Bend the elbows and lower your hips toward the floor.
4. Push through the hands and extend the elbows to bring the hips back up to the starting position.

Cue: Lower straight down and point elbows back.

Push Plank

You're going to feel a lot of chest in this one as well as triceps as they work together for the movement.

1. Set up in plank position with feet shoulder width for support.
2. Maintaining the plank, bring your right forearm down to the floor and then your left. You should now be in a forearm plank.
3. Reverse the movement and place your right hand on the floor.
4. Push up while moving your left hand to the floor so you’re back in a full plank starting position.

Cue: Don't shrug the shoulders. Keep them away from your ears.

Underhand Triceps Kickback

1. Grab a bottle of water or wine (wine is heavier, and you work harder not to drop it!).
2. Set up on all fours with an engaged core.
3. Hold the bottle of water in your right hand.
4. Bend the elbow and raise it up so that it is just above your hips (this is your starting position).
5. Keeping the elbow up, extend the arm so that your hand moves toward your bum.
6. Fully lock out the elbow and engage your tricep. Pause.
7. Bring the hand back down so that the elbow is at a 90-degree position.

Note: you do not need the dumbbell in the image, use a full water bottle!

Cue: Lock your upper arm in place, only extend at the elbow.

List

If you find you cannot lock out on the List, place your hands on yoga blocks. To make the movement easier, bend the knees and keep or hover the feet on the floor. The goal is to hit your triceps, not your core, so it’s okay!

1. Sit on the floor with your legs out straight and your hands outside your hips with the palms down.
2. Extend the arms, press into the floor, and tuck your tailbone under to lift your legs off the floor (knees bent is okay!).
3. Hold the position, focusing on super straight arms.

Cue: As you go up, your shoulders come down on your back, and your elbows extend and squeeze in.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but not seeing progress, it’s usually not the exercises, it’s the lack of structure.

That’s exactly what I fix inside 6 Weeks to Strong with short, progressive workouts that build week by week so you always know what to do next... plus a coach right along with you to help!