anatomy/triceps·Muscle
Triceps
Musculus triceps brachii
The three-headed muscle at the back of the upper arm. It straightens the elbow and makes up the larger part of the upper arm.
// Structure & location
The triceps has three heads. The long head arises from the shoulder blade just below the socket and therefore crosses two joints. The lateral and medial heads come from the back of the humerus. All three insert via a strong tendon on the point of the elbow.
// Function
The triceps is the main extensor of the elbow, for example when pushing something away or punching forward. The long head also pulls the arm back and towards the body.
// For training & sport
- Pressing exercises like dips, close-grip bench press and push-ups train it heavily.
- Cable pushdowns isolate it, with the arm at the side.
- Overhead extensions put the long head in a stretched position, because the arm is above the head.
// Good to know
If you want bigger arms, don't forget the triceps: it is larger than the biceps. A small helper, the anconeus, assists it at the elbow.
// Sources
last reviewed: 2026-11-14
// More from the atlas: Muscles
Pectoralis majorDeltoidBicepsForearm musclesRectus abdominisObliquesSerratus anteriorHip flexorsQuadricepsAdductorsTibialis anteriorTrapeziusLatissimus dorsiErector spinaeGluteus maximusHamstringsCalves