7 Best Bodyweight Tricep Exercises You Can Do Anywhere (2025 Guide)

Discover effective tricep Exercises you can do without equipment in 2025. Build stronger, more defined arms with these bodyweight exercises and workout routines.

Did you know that your triceps make up about 60% of your upper arm mass? 

Yet many people struggle to build tricep strength without access to gym equipment. I've spent years perfecting bodyweight arm exercises, and I'm excited to share the most effective equipment-free tricep workouts that actually work! Whether you're traveling, prefer home workouts, or simply want to save money on gym memberships, these bodyweight tricep exercises will help you build impressive arm definition and strength.

Let me break down something fascinating about your arms: your triceps make up about 60% of your upper arm mass. Back when I was first exploring bodyweight fitness, I was like everyone else - obsessed with bicep training. But here's the truth: understanding tricep anatomy is the real key to impressive arms.

Think of your triceps like a three-person farm work crew (that's why they're called triceps!). First, you've got the lateral head - the one you see on the outside of your arm. During my years of bodyweight training, I've learned this is the one that gives you that coveted horseshoe shape in your arm definition exercises.

Then there's the long head, the biggest worker of the bunch, running down the back of your arm. Finally, there's the medial head, which sits deeper - think of it as the foundation.

Want a quick tip from my experience? 

During any bodyweight tricep exercises, you should feel tension primarily in the back of your arm, not your shoulders or chest. If you're feeling it mostly elsewhere, it's time to adjust your form.

Many of these are compound exercises, so naturally, you will feel some fatigue in other areas, like your chest, for example. But the true burn should be in the triceps muscles. If you want to feel the burn in your chest, check out these bodyweight chest exercises. 

One aspect that truly excites me about equipment-free strength training is its ability to promote natural movement patterns. Unlike the machines I tried during my gym phase, bodyweight exercise progression allows your joints to move naturally. This means less strain on your elbows and better long-term muscle development.

Now, let's look at my favorite bodyweight tricep exercises that I've perfected over the years of home workouts!

1. Diamond push-ups

The crown jewel of bodyweight tricep exercises. When I first attempted these, I realized how effective they were! Here's the secret I learned: Start with your hands closer than shoulder-width, but don't jump straight into the diamond position.

Your thumbs and index fingers should form a triangle (hence the name), but the key is keeping your elbows tucked close to your body. I see so many people letting their elbows flare out, which shifts the focus away from the triceps. 

Everyone's body is unique. If these don't feel comfortable to your body the try the next ones I have listed. The goal is to have a great solid range of motion that puts tension on our muscles and not cause pain in joints and ligaments. 

2. Close-grip Push Ups

As mentioned above, for beginners, close-grip pushups might be a better start than a diamond push-up. Place your hands at chest height, closer than shoulder-width apart.

These are very effective and are sometimes a better option if diamond push-ups are uncomfortable in any way. 

Remember to keep your core tight - something I had to learn after dealing with lower back pain from poor form. Make sure the focus here is on your triceps traveling distance as you go up and down. 

3. Dips

Speaking of household equipment, let's talk about bench dips. Check out this awesome video from Athlean-X on Youtube. 

The trick I discovered is positioning - your shoulders should be directly above your hands, not behind them. Start with your feet flat on the floor (I learned this the hard way after trying to get too advanced too quickly). As you lower yourself, keep your body close to the bench.

4. Triangle plank holds 

These might seem simple, but they're sneaky effective for tricep endurance. Position your hands in that diamond push-up formation, but instead of pushing up and down, just hold the top position.

 They are exactly what they say. Start with 20 seconds and work your way up. The key is keeping your shoulders away from your ears - a detail I missed when first starting.

5. Bodyweight Tricep Extensions

Now, for my personal favorite: bodyweight tricep extensions. This is an awesome bodyweight tricep exercise. These are like the ones you'd do with a dumbbell but using just your body weight on a sturdy surface. If you have a bench, solid chair, or even the edge of a couch, you can do these.  

The key is finding the right distance - too close to the wall won't give enough resistance, and too far will make it impossible. I suggest starting on your knees for this. 

Here's a pro tip I wish I'd known earlier: For any of these exercises, time under tension is crucial. I learned this during my resistance band phase. Don't rush through the movements - take about 2 seconds to lower yourself and 1 second to push back up. This simple timing change transformed my tricep development.

6. Archer Push Ups

These have always been one of the coolest push-up variations you can do, in my opinion. You just look cool and strong when you do them. They are great for a little more isolation to help prepare you for the one-arm push-up.

This Video shows good form for this exercise. I alternate each side during reps, but some people like to do their reps all on one side and then the other. It is a personal preference. 

7. One Arm Push Ups

The beautiful thing about these bodyweight tricep exercises is that they build real-world strength. Just like the functional strength, these movements prepare your arms for actual daily activities. Plus, you can do them anywhere.

Remember, proper form trumps everything else. Start with the easier variations and perfect your technique before moving on. Trust me, after 15 years of experimenting with different workout styles, I've found that mastering these basic movements will give you better results than jumping into advanced variations too quickly. Your triceps will thank you for taking the time to build that solid foundation!

Free Routine

Let me walk you through some complete no-equipment tricep workout routines that I've refined over my years of bodyweight training. After all those years experimenting in our spare bedroom on the farm, I've figured out what truly works for building impressive tricep strength without a single piece of equipment.

When I first started my bodyweight fitness journey, I needed a simple routine that wouldn't overwhelm me. Here's a beginner-friendly 15-minute tricep routine:

After a few weeks of consistent practice, you'll be ready for my intermediate 30-minute circuit. I developed this during those years bouncing between bodyweight exercises and resistance bands:

These are meant as a simple guide. But make sure to find what works for you by experimenting and mixing things up. 

How long between workouts?

Let's talk recovery, something I learned the importance of after overdoing it early in my fitness journey. For optimal tricep development, allow 48-72 hours between intense tricep sessions. However, this doesn't mean complete rest! I like to incorporate active recovery with light stretching and mobility work.

As for weekly scheduling, here's what works best based on my 15 years of experience: For beginners, two dedicated tricep sessions per week is perfect (Monday and Thursday, for example). Intermediate trainers can handle three sessions (Monday, Wednesday, Friday).

Advanced? You might split your training into push/pull days, hitting triceps twice a week with different intensity levels. Remember that consistency beats occasional marathon sessions – a lesson I learned the hard way!

The beauty of these bodyweight tricep workout structures is their flexibility. Just like I had to adapt my workouts, you can adjust these routines to fit your life. Can't do a full 30-minute session? Break it into two 15-minute chunks. The key is consistent training over time, not perfection in every workout. Trust me, after trying everything from gym machines to resistance bands, these simple bodyweight routines have given me the best long-term results that work for me!