The 5 Best Triceps Stretches to Try After Your Next Arm Workout

The day after an intense arm workout with serious triceps exercises can be painful. As the soreness sets in, you might feel it even when you’re just closing the refrigerator door or getting up out of a chair. To relieve those achy triceps, one of the best things you can do is to spend some time on triceps stretches.  

Yet the triceps is one of those muscles we don’t typically think about stretching until it’s sore. So you might not be sure what the best triceps stretches are. Don’t worry—we’ve got you. This comprehensive guide to triceps stretches will explain exactly what the triceps do, why stretching them out can help, and the best ways to target the backs of your arms.

Why It’s Important to Stretch the Triceps 

Doing triceps stretches can help to keep the muscle and nearby tissues healthy, according to Peloton instructor Marcel Maurer. “Stretching the triceps prevents muscle shortening and relieves tension on ligaments, tendons, and fascia,” he says. 

McKenzie Bane, a physical therapist with MedStar Health in Maryland, adds that if you’re someone who performs activities that require more mobility in the area—say, if you regularly throw a ball overhead—you’ll want to keep the muscle long by doing triceps stretches so that you can really move through your full range of motion. 

The Triceps Muscles, Explained

The triceps, officially known by anatomy experts as the triceps brachii, is the large muscle on the back of our upper arms. “It’s a three-headed muscle, hence the name triceps,” says Bane. One of those heads starts at our shoulder blade, and the other two connect directly to your upper arm bone—one on the inside, one on the outside. They all merge together to end at the elbow, inserting into the ulna (aka the long bone in your forearm).

The triceps muscle really has one main job. “Its primary function is extending the elbow, which you do with any kind of pushing motion, whether it's horizontal or overhead,” Bane says. This pushing motion is something we need for exercises like, well, push-ups, but also during many day-to-day activities like opening a door or getting dressed. This pushing/extending motion is the opposite of what the biceps on the front side of our upper arm does, which is flex the elbow.

Because the longest head of the triceps attaches to our shoulder blade, the triceps also plays a role in extending the arm back behind us. That’s why you might feel it during certain back exercises like dumbbell rows. 

The Benefits of Doing Triceps Stretches

When the backs of our arms are sore and achy, doing some triceps stretches can definitely help relieve the tension that can come from overuse or overexertion, according to Marcel. 

“Any time you rapidly increase your volume or activity with triceps exercises, you can get what's called delayed onset muscle soreness, or the acronym is DOMS,” says Bane. When that happens, he says that doing a stretch can help to “give some temporary relief to sore triceps, help get a little bit of blood flow in that area, relax it a little more, and ease the nervous system.” He adds that soft tissue mobilization, like with a foam roller or massage gun, can also help make the triceps feel better if you’re sore from working out. 

Stretching can also be a useful way to increase the muscle’s flexibility, if that’s something you’re after. “If you are doing an activity that demands end ranges of motion—meaning the limits of how much a joint can move—and you have to work and operate in those positions, then stretching the triceps would be advantageous to make that position easier to get into and for you to perform better,” says Bane. One example he gives is if you’re a soccer player who has to bring your elbows up and over your ears to throw in a ball. Another is if you’re a weightlifter who does overhead dumbbell presses. “You might notice you can get deeper into the range with less discomfort and less compensation,” he explains. 

That said, Bane adds that he has a bit of a “hot take” on triceps stretches. “I think for most people, if you do not stretch your triceps regularly, that's probably fine,” he says. “I don't want people to think that if they're not stretching their triceps, they're more at risk for injury.” Triceps stretches are mostly important if you’re someone who specifically needs more flexibility in the muscle, or you are looking to calm down some soreness after a tough workout.  

The 5 Best Triceps Stretches 

So, how do you stretch out your triceps? Most triceps stretches are variations on a consistent theme of bringing a bent elbow overhead. Exactly which stretch you choose depends on what’s most comfortable for you, and whether you’re doing it before or after your workout. Here, Marcel and Bane offer five smart options you can try:  

Overhead Triceps Stretch

This is the most classic version of a triceps stretch—one that you’ve probably been doing since middle school gym class. 

1. Stand in a neutral position. 

2. Raise your left arm and extend it straight above your head. 

3. Bend your left elbow until your hand is behind your head between your shoulder blades. 

4. Use your right hand to gently pull the elbow across your back so that your left hand pushes further down. 

5. Hold this for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Elbow Bend

If your triceps are tight enough, Bane says that even this simple movement will give it a stretch. 

1. While standing or sitting, let your arm hang long. 

2. Bend at the elbow to bring your hand up to your shoulder. 

3. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side. 

Dynamic Overhead Triceps Stretch

If you want to warm up the backs of your arms before a workout, try this dynamic version of the classic overhead triceps stretch.

1. From a neutral standing position, raise your left arm and extend it straight above your head. 

2. Bend your left elbow until your hand is behind your head between your shoulder blades. 

3. Use your right hand to gently pull the elbow across so that your left hand pushes further down. 

4. Rather than holding, let it go, then immediately repeat on the other side. Quickly alternate between both sides. 

Leaning Triceps Stretch

If the standard overhead triceps stretch doesn’t feel comfortable on your body, you can try this variation which accomplishes the same goal with a slightly different strategy. “It's just your body moving on your arm versus your arm moving on your body,” explains Bane. You can do it on a bench, table, or countertop—anything that’s stable enough to support your body’s weight. 

1. Stand or kneel far enough away from the table or bench that you have enough room to lean forward and have your elbows touch the surface.

2. Place your elbows on the table or bench, and bring your upper body down until it’s about parallel with the floor. 

3. Bend at the elbows so your hands reach toward your shoulders. 

4. Let your head hang between your upper arms, looking at the floor, and press your chest toward the ground. 

5. Hold for 30 seconds, then come out of the position, rest, and repeat as needed

Towel Triceps Stretch

One other way people sometimes get to this muscle is by using the assistance of a prop like a towel.

1. Stand in a neutral position, holding a small towel (like a dish towel or hand towel) in your left hand. 

2. Raise your left arm and extend it straight above your head. 

3. Bend your left elbow until your hand is behind your head between your shoulder blades, letting the towel hang down your back 

4. Use your right hand to grab the towel behind you, and gently pull it down until you feel a stretch. 

5. Hold this for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Fortunately, Bane says that all variations of this stretch are fairly foolproof. “It’s kind of hard to mess up,” he says. “As long as you’re bending the elbow and lifting it over your head, you’ll be in a good spot.”

How to Incorporate Triceps Stretches Into Your Routine

Who can benefit most from doing triceps stretches? “Athletes who do strength training, throwing sports, or yoga should stretch the affected muscles after arm training,” says Marcel. He also says triceps stretches are especially important for people who already suffer from arm pain, like tennis or golfer's arm.

If you stretch before your workout, Marcel suggests choosing a dynamic version to help warm up the arm muscles. Save the longer holds until after you’re finished exercising. “Typically static stretches before activity don't really prime your body and your nervous system for the actual activity,” Bane explains. “It actually kind of calms it when you want to get blood flow and movement.”

And if you forget to stretch your triceps, Bane says you shouldn’t stress too much over it. Unless you need to work on that shoulder mobility for a particular activity you like to do, your triceps muscles will tell you when they want a little stretch: They’ll be achy and sore, and stretching them will give you that sweet release.