Compound Sets & Complete Failure Workouts for the Triceps

If your goal is to build muscle or increase strength quickly, employing advanced resistance training techniques can help you succeed. Utilizing compound sets and performing sets to failure are two ways you can really target the triceps muscles and get the growth you're looking for. Working the triceps under these conditions can also help you break through plateaus if your progress has stagnated.

  1. Understanding the Basics

    • Combine triceps press downs with another triceps challenge to make a compound set.

      A compound set is two or more exercises performed back-to-back that target the same muscle group. The goal is to perform the exercises in sequence with no rest, stopping only for the amount of time it takes to move to the next piece of equipment. For the triceps muscle, create compound sets using any of these exercises: pushups, then body dips; overhead triceps extensions, then rope press downs; dumbbell kickbacks, then lying triceps extensions (also called a French press). For each exercise, aim for eight to 12 repetitions, so that the total repetitions for each superset is 16 to 24.

    Sets to Failure

    • Use light or heavy weights when working to failure.

      Lifting a weight to muscle failure, where one more repetition is not possible, is an advanced training technique for building muscle strength and size. You achieve muscle failure by either lifting a light weight for a high number of repetitions or by lifting a heavy weight for a few repetitions. Using lighter weights improves muscle endurance and lowers the likelihood of injury. Lifting a heavy weight for just a few repetitions is more appropriate if you want to build muscular strength quickly. Work with a spotter when lifting a heavy weight to failure, especially when performing triceps exercises, as the weight is positioned over your head or face and dropping it could cause significant injury.

    Size vs. Strength

    • Use heavier weights when lifting to failure if strength is your goal.

      If your goal is to quickly build triceps strength, then lift heavy weights for few repetitions; in the range of three to six repetitions per set for four or more sets. Triceps exercises that are well suited to this protocol include press-downs and dumbbell kickbacks. While not every set needs to be to failure, if you don't reach failure on the last one or two sets, increase the weight used a bit. If you're more concerned with increasing the size and definition of your triceps, then incorporate compound sets into your weekly routine. With this approach, you work two or three triceps exercises in a row, using a weight that allows six to 12 repetitions for each exercise.

    Points to Remember

    • Avoid injury by using proper form and selecting the correct weight.

      When performing compound sets or working to failure, using proper form is key, both for avoiding injury and for properly targeting the triceps muscles. The triceps muscles are relatively small when compared with other muscle groups of the body. In addition, most people don't perform daily activities that work the triceps very much. As a result, the muscle group is susceptible to injury, especially near the elbow. Avoid injury by using the proper weight, and only increase the weight by about 10 percent once the current weight is no longer challenging.