How Many Times a Week Should I Train Triceps Reddit

Why Training Triceps Once a Week Is a Waste of Time

If you're asking 'how many times a week should I train triceps reddit', the direct answer is 2-3 times per week, because the popular 'bro split' that has you blasting arms once a week is the single biggest reason they aren't growing. You're probably frustrated. You dedicate an entire session to arms, doing skull crushers, pushdowns, and kickbacks until you can barely bend your elbows, yet your triceps look the same month after month and your bench press is stuck. You feel the burn, you get the pump, but you don't get the growth. The problem isn't your effort; it's your timing. Your muscles don't grow for a full week after you train them. They grow for about 48 hours. When you train triceps only on Monday, they get the signal to grow on Monday and Tuesday, but then they do nothing from Wednesday to Sunday. You're wasting five days of potential growth every single week. By splitting your tricep work into 2 or 3 smaller sessions, you create multiple growth signals throughout the week, leading to more consistent muscle building. It feels counterintuitive-doing less work per session to get more results-but it's how muscle growth actually works.

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The 48-Hour Growth Window You're Missing

Your muscles grow through a process called Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS). After a good workout, MPS is elevated for about 24-48 hours. This is your 'growth window'. The mistake everyone makes is trying to cram a week's worth of training into one of these windows. The goal isn't to annihilate the muscle; it's to stimulate it just enough to kick off MPS. For triceps, the optimal amount of work is between 10-14 high-quality sets per week. When you do all 14 sets on one day, the first 6-8 sets provide a great stimulus. The last 6-8 sets, however, are what we call 'junk volume'. You're already fatigued, your form breaks down, and you're creating more muscle damage than your body can effectively repair. You get all the soreness with none of the benefits. The smarter way is to distribute those 10-14 sets across the week. For example, 6 sets on Tuesday and 6 sets on Friday. This approach provides two separate growth signals. Instead of one 48-hour growth window, you get two. You're keeping your triceps in a near-constant state of growth and recovery, which is the key to breaking through a plateau. You now have the formula: 10-14 total sets, spread across 2-3 sessions per week. But here's the real question: how many quality sets of triceps did you *actually* do last week? Not just 'I did some pushdowns.' The exact number, weight, and reps. If you can't answer that, you're not following a plan. You're just hoping.

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Your New Tricep Schedule: The Exact 2-Day vs. 3-Day Plan

Stop guessing and start implementing a structured plan. Here are two effective protocols based on your current training split. The key is consistency and progressive overload-adding a little weight or one more rep over time. Pick one of these and stick with it for at least 8 weeks. Don't mix and match.

The 2-Day 'Push Day' Protocol (For Upper/Lower or PPL Splits)

This is perfect if you already have dedicated upper body or push days. You simply plug these exercises into the end of those workouts.

Push Day 1 (e.g., Monday - Strength Focus)

• Close-Grip Bench Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps. This is your main strength builder. Focus on controlling the weight down and exploding up. Use a grip just inside shoulder-width.
• Overhead Dumbbell Extension: 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This targets the long head of the tricep, which adds the most visible mass. Focus on a deep stretch at the bottom.
• Total Direct Sets: 6

Push Day 2 (e.g., Thursday - Hypertrophy Focus)

• Dips (Weighted or Bodyweight): 3 sets of 8-12 reps. If you can't do bodyweight dips, use an assisted machine or do bench dips.
• Rope Pushdowns: 3 sets of 15-20 reps. This is a finishing move. Use a lighter weight, focus on squeezing the triceps hard at the bottom, and fully extending your arms.
• Total Direct Sets: 6

Weekly Total: 12 direct, high-quality sets.

The 3-Day 'Full Body' Protocol (For Beginners or Time-Crunched Lifters)

This is ideal if you're running a 3-day full-body routine. You'll add 2 tricep exercises to the end of each workout. The volume per day is low, which allows for rapid recovery and frequent stimulation.

Workout A (e.g., Monday)

• Diamond Push-ups: 3 sets to failure (or as many reps as possible). These are brutal and effective.
• Single-Arm Overhead Extension: 2 sets of 12-15 reps per arm. Using one arm at a time helps fix strength imbalances.
• Total Direct Sets: 5

Workout B (e.g., Wednesday)

• Bench Dips: 3 sets of 15-20 reps. Place your hands on a bench or chair. Elevate your feet to make it harder.
• Cable Pushdowns (Straight Bar): 2 sets of 10-15 reps. Focus on a controlled negative.
• Total Direct Sets: 5

Workout C (e.g., Friday)

• Skull Crushers (EZ Bar or Dumbbells): 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Don't let your elbows flare out.
• Tricep Kickbacks: 2 sets of 15-20 reps. Use a very light weight. This exercise is all about the peak contraction, not moving heavy weight.
• Total Direct Sets: 5

Weekly Total: 15 direct sets, spread perfectly across the week.

What Your Triceps Will Look and Feel Like in 60 Days

Switching from a one-day blast to a 2-3 day frequency approach will feel different. Here is the realistic timeline of what you should expect so you know it's working.

Week 1-2: The 'This Feels Too Easy' Phase

You'll finish your tricep work feeling like you could do more. You won't have the same deep, lasting soreness you're used to. This is a good sign. It means you've stimulated the muscle, not annihilated it, and your body can actually focus on recovery and growth. Your elbow joints will likely feel better, too.

Month 1 (Weeks 3-4): The Performance Jump

This is where you'll first notice the results, but not in the mirror. Your lockout on bench press and overhead press will feel significantly stronger and more stable. The weight you use for your tricep exercises, like close-grip bench, will start to climb. You are building the foundation for size by getting verifiably stronger.

Month 2 (Weeks 5-8): The Visual Payoff

Now the visual changes begin. The 'horseshoe' shape of your triceps will become more pronounced, especially when your arm is flexed. You'll notice more separation between your shoulder and tricep. Your t-shirt sleeves will start to feel a bit tighter. This is the result of consistent, tracked progress over two months.

What if I'm not seeing progress after 8 weeks?

If you have been 100% consistent with your 2-3 weekly sessions and have been tracking your lifts, but the numbers aren't moving, do not change the frequency. Instead, swap 1-2 of your chosen exercises for different ones. For example, if you've stalled on Skull Crushers, swap them for a JM Press for the next 8-week block. The principle remains the same; only the exercise selection changes to provide a new stimulus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Total Weekly Sets for Triceps

For most people, 10-14 direct sets per week is the sweet spot for growth. If you are a beginner, starting with 8-10 sets is plenty. Advanced lifters who are very good at recovering might push this to 16 sets, but going beyond that often leads to diminishing returns and elbow pain.

Best Tricep Exercises for Growth

A complete tricep program should include three types of movements: a compound press (like Close-Grip Bench Press or Dips), an overhead movement (like Overhead Dumbbell Extensions), and a pushdown variation (like Rope Pushdowns). This ensures you hit all three heads of the tricep for balanced development.

Training Triceps with Chest vs. On Their Own

For 99% of people, training triceps after your main chest and shoulder presses on the same day is the most efficient and effective method. Your triceps are already warmed up and engaged from the compound lifts. A separate 'arm day' is unnecessary and takes up a valuable training day that could be used for another growth stimulus.

Training Triceps at Home with No Equipment

Yes, and the frequency principle is even more critical. Focus on variations of push-ups and dips. A great home routine would be Diamond Push-ups on Day 1, Bench Dips (using a chair) on Day 2, and Close-Grip Push-ups (with feet elevated) on Day 3. Aim for 3-4 sets to failure for each.

Signs of Overtraining Your Triceps

The most common sign is persistent elbow pain that doesn't go away. Other signs include stalling or going backward in strength on your bench press and overhead press, or feeling a deep, nagging soreness that lasts for more than 2-3 days. This means you need to reduce your total weekly sets or take a deload week.