Why is it so hard to build triceps?

Author: Leonard Ortiz  |  Last update: Tuesday, December 23, 2025

When someone asks, “Why aren't my triceps growing?” one of the most common reasons is that the person is leaving triceps exercises for last. It's hard to push your triceps if your arms are already exhausted from tons of bicep curls. To see gains, you need to give your tris your complete attention.

Are triceps the hardest to grow?

Are triceps hard to build? Triceps are not hard to build if you choose the most effective exercises and focus on progressive overload. It is also important to choose exercises that put the long head of the triceps on stretch, and work all portions of the strength curve.

Why do triceps take so long to grow?

Triceps Brachii takes a long time to recover. That's probably due to high Type II muscle fiber count in the muscle plus very high motor unit recruitment ability (>94%). This implies that training too often too much might not be the best choice for those concerned about their Triceps growth.

How can I force my triceps to grow?

A good way to build triceps is to do a super set. One of my favorites is to do dips then overhead extension. It uses the same muscles in it's shortened position then stretched. It's kinda like a drop set in that u go heavy then lighten the load. U can also go close grip bench followed by triceps extension.

Why are my triceps so underdeveloped?

Underdeveloped triceps occur when your triceps lag in strength or size compared with your other muscles. To rectify undeveloped triceps, experiment with exercise selection, train with more intensity, move through a full range of motion, and prioritize exercises that work the long head of your triceps.

The Best & Worst TRICEPS Exercises (Ranked Using Science)

What is the easiest muscle to grow?

Here are three specific examples of muscles considered the easiest to build.
  • Biceps and Triceps. The biceps and triceps are the main muscles in your upper arm, with the triceps being the arm's largest muscle. ...
  • Latissimus Dorsi. ...
  • Quadriceps. ...
  • Calves and Forearms. ...
  • Abdominal Muscles. ...
  • Hamstrings.

Are biceps harder to grow than triceps?

The triceps are a larger muscle group than the biceps, which means they have more potential to grow. The third group is the brachialis, an upper arm muscle that runs under the biceps. It's really only visible when looking at the arms from the side, but will make your arms appear much larger when viewed this way.

Why is it so hard to build my triceps?

Fatigue. When someone asks, “Why aren't my triceps growing?” one of the most common reasons is that the person is leaving triceps exercises for last. It's hard to push your triceps if your arms are already exhausted from tons of bicep curls. To see gains, you need to give your tris your complete attention.

Which muscle grows the fastest?

Muscle Groups That Grow Fast
  • Leg Muscles (Quadriceps and Hamstrings):
  • Back Muscles (Latissimus Dorsi and Trapezius):
  • Chest Muscles (Pectoralis Major):
  • Shoulder Muscles (Deltoids):
  • Arm Muscles (Biceps and Triceps):

What is the fastest way to build triceps?

Close-grip bench press

By taking the bar in a narrower grip than your traditional bench press grip, your elbows are much closer to the body when you bring the bar down. This puts much more load through the triceps, making it one of the best tricep exercises for targeting all three heads.

Do you need to lift heavy for triceps?

Should I lift heavy on triceps? Yes, you should lift heavy on triceps. However, you should only progressively overload. This means you need to get your form on triceps right so that you build strength and tempo.

Is tricep size genetic?

The shape of the triceps, especially your long head (the largest part of the triceps), can vary genetically. Some people naturally have a less full long head. This gives you a harder time getting that pumped up, full, and rounded appearance in the triceps.

What exercise builds the biggest triceps?

Three exercises that hit all 3 heads of the triceps are:
  • Cable Triceps Pushaway for long head.
  • Diamond Cutter Pushup for lateral head.
  • Close Grip Bench Press for medial head – try an underhand grip to see if you feel it more.

Are triceps 75% of your arm?

That's because the triceps — which make up about two-thirds of your overall arm — are primary movers in a multitude of other compound, multi-joint exercises, including the bench press and overhead press.

Why do my triceps take so long to grow?

Lack of progressive overload

Progressive overload is key to muscle growth. If you're not gradually increasing the difficulty of your workouts, your triceps will stop growing. This means you need to add more weight, do more reps, or increase the intensity of your exercises over time.

Do triceps make arms look bigger?

If you want to build bigger arms, don't just focus on the bicep - your triceps actually make up two-thirds of your arm size. That's why it's essential to give them the attention they deserve. Here are my top three exercises for the tricep: 1. Dips 2.

Why can't I grow my traps?

Your traps might not be growing due to a few possible causes – all of which are common if you have little experience in weightlifting. You might not be stressing them enough with the right lifts to see increased muscle mass. That means you might not be using the best exercises for trap growth.

Why am I not getting triceps?

You're Not Training Them Heavy Enough

Typical bodybuilding reps would be around 8-12, or 12-15 reps with short rest periods in between. However, what you need to do is to get comfortable with training more in a 5-8 rep range if you want to grow your triceps and get them huge and dense.

What is the scientifically proven best tricep exercise?

Porcari and his team reported that muscle activity was greatest while subjects performed the triangle push-ups, which made it the gold standard of triceps exercises.

What's the hardest arm muscle to grow?

Many people spend a lot of time training the biceps, with very little results to show. In fact, the biceps are one of the hardest muscles for beginners to build.

Why are my triceps weak?

Weak triceps are typically also tight triceps, and tight triceps can interfere with movement patterns at the shoulder or shoulder blade. The best way to ensure your triceps are strong, limber and happy is to use them in compound movements that integrate multiple shoulder movements.

Why do my biceps never get sore?

You're not challenging yourself enough. If you're consistently not sore, that could indicate that you're not pushing yourself enough. When you exhaust your muscles, you'll see better results. To increase the challenge, increase the amount of weight you lift or the number of reps you perform.

Previous article
Is it bad to wear antiperspirant every day?
Next article
What is the best herb for wrinkles?