Arms · Bodyweight
Triceps Press
How to do the triceps press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set up in a high plank with your hands close together under your chest, fingertips angled in. Lower your chest toward your hands by bending your elbows straight back along your sides, then press up by extending your arms. The narrow hand position keeps the tension on your triceps.
- 1Feel your triceps drive you up as you straighten your arms
- 2Keep your elbows tucked tight to your ribs through the press
- 3Brace your core so your hips stay level with your shoulders
Common mistakes
- Avoid flaring your elbows out to the sides
- Do not let your hips sag or pike up
- Do not shorten the range; lower your chest near your hands
Muscles worked
The triceps press mainly works the triceps, with the mid chest, upper chest, lower chest, upper abs, lower abs, and front delts assisting.
- TricepsPrimary
- Mid ChestSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the triceps press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More triceps exercises
- How to do the bent-over tricep extension
- How to do the crossbody tricep extension
- How to do the cable katana tricep extension
- How to do the cable single arm tricep extension
- How to do the kickback
- How to do the lying tricep extension
Last reviewed June 2026.