Chest and Triceps Workout
A good triceps and chest workout pairs two muscle groups that already work as a team. Every time you press a bar, push the floor away or lock out a dip, your chest drives the movement and your triceps finish it. Training them on the same day lets you load the big presses while you’re fresh, then use the triceps work to wrap up the session without stealing recovery from another day. This guide gives you the exercises that matter, a full routine card with sets, reps and rest, a home version, and simple rules for progressing week to week.
Why chest and triceps belong on the same day
Chest and triceps are both “push” muscles. Your pecs move your upper arm across and in front of your body, and your triceps straighten your elbow. Almost every chest press asks both to work at once, so pairing them is efficient: by the time you reach your isolation exercises, your triceps are already warm and partly fatigued, which means you need less volume and lighter weights to finish them off.
It also keeps your week tidy. If you follow a push, pull, legs plan or an upper and lower split, a chest and triceps day slots in cleanly. Not sure which structure suits you? Our workout split guide walks through 3, 4, 5 and 6-day options, and the 4 day workout split templates show where a push day fits.
How often to train them
For most people, hitting chest and triceps once or twice a week is plenty. The CDC’s adult activity guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days a week, so one push day plus one full body or upper day covers the minimum with room to spare. Leave at least 48 hours between hard sessions for the same muscles.
The best chest exercises for this workout
You don’t need ten chest moves. You need one heavy press, one angled press, and one fly-style movement that stretches the pecs. An ACE-sponsored study found that the barbell bench press, the pec deck machine and bent-forward cable crossovers were the most effective of the common chest exercises it tested, which makes them a sensible core.
1. Barbell bench press
This is your main lift. Set your shoulder blades back and down, keep your feet planted, and lower the bar to your mid-chest with your elbows at roughly 45 degrees from your body. Press up and slightly back over your shoulders. Use a spotter or safety arms when you work close to your limit.
2. Incline dumbbell press
A 30 to 45-degree incline shifts more work to the upper chest. Dumbbells also let each arm move freely, which many lifters find easier on the shoulders. Lower the weights until you feel a stretch across your chest, then press them up and slightly together. For more upper chest options, see our upper chest workout.
3. Pec deck or cable crossover
Finish your chest work with a fly. On the pec deck, keep a soft bend in your elbows and squeeze your hands together in front of your chest. On cables, lean slightly forward, step one foot ahead for balance, and bring the handles together in a hugging arc. Control the stretch on the way back rather than letting the weight yank your arms open.
The best triceps exercises to pair with chest
Your triceps have three heads, and the long head crosses the shoulder. That’s why it helps to use one pressing move, one pushdown, and one exercise where your arms are overhead. In an ACE study on triceps exercises, triangle push-ups (also called diamond push-ups) produced the most triceps muscle activity.
4. Dips
Dips train chest and triceps together. Stay more upright to bias the triceps, or lean forward slightly to bring in more chest. Lower until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, and skip deep dips if they bother your shoulders. If bodyweight dips are too hard, use an assisted dip machine or bench dips.
5. Cable triceps pushdown
Pin your elbows to your sides and push the rope or bar down until your arms are straight. Spread the rope slightly at the bottom. Keep your torso still so your triceps do the work, not your back.
6. Overhead triceps extension
Hold one dumbbell with both hands or use a cable rope, raise it overhead, and lower it behind your head by bending only at the elbows. This stretches the long head of the triceps. Keep your ribs down so your lower back doesn’t arch.
7. Diamond push-ups
Place your hands close together under your chest with your thumbs and index fingers forming a triangle. Lower with your elbows tucked, then press back up. They make a strong finisher at the end of the session, or a main move in the home version below. Drop to your knees if you can’t keep good form.
Your chest and triceps workout routine card
Here’s a complete session that takes about 60 minutes. Warm up first with 5 minutes of light cardio, a few sets of arm circles and band pull-aparts, and two lighter sets of bench press before your working sets.
- Barbell bench press: 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps, rest 2 to 3 minutes
- Incline dumbbell press: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, rest 90 seconds
- Pec deck or cable crossover: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps, rest 60 seconds
- Dips (or assisted dips): 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, rest 90 seconds
- Cable triceps pushdown: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, rest 60 seconds
- Overhead triceps extension: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, rest 60 seconds
- Diamond push-ups: 2 sets to 1 or 2 reps short of failure, rest 60 seconds
Want to follow this with timers instead of a notes app? Find a reel or video of a chest and triceps workout on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or Facebook, tap Share and pick Fitsaver (or paste the video link). Fitsaver turns the video into a step-by-step routine, and you can then edit the exercises, sets, reps and rest to match the plan above, start the workout with rest timers, and log your weights as you go.
Chest and triceps workout at home
No gym today? You can still train both muscles hard with a pair of dumbbells, a sturdy chair, or nothing at all.
- Push-ups: 4 sets of 10 to 20 reps, rest 60 seconds
- Feet-elevated push-ups (feet on a chair): 3 sets of 8 to 15 reps, rest 60 seconds
- Floor dumbbell press: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, rest 60 seconds
- Chair or bench dips: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps, rest 60 seconds
- Dumbbell overhead triceps extension: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, rest 60 seconds
- Diamond push-ups: 2 sets to near failure, rest 60 seconds
If push-ups are easy, slow the lowering phase to three seconds, add a pause at the bottom, or wear a backpack with books in it.
How to progress your triceps and chest workout
Progress comes from doing a little more over time. Pick one of these levers each week and keep the rest steady:
- Add reps first. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add weight next session.
- Add weight in small jumps. 2.5 to 5 pounds on presses, the smallest step available on cables and dumbbells.
- Add a set. Once a month, add one set to a lagging exercise, then pull back if recovery suffers.
- Track it. Write down every set or log it in an app so you know exactly what to beat next time.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Flaring your elbows straight out on presses, which loads the shoulders instead of the chest.
- Bouncing the bar off your chest or cutting the range of motion short.
- Doing so much chest volume that your triceps work turns sloppy.
- Training through sharp joint pain. Swap the exercise and check with a qualified professional if pain persists.
Frequently asked questions
Should I train chest or triceps first?
Chest first. The big presses need fresh triceps to move heavy weight safely, so save direct triceps work for the end of the session.
How many exercises should a chest and triceps workout have?
Five to seven is enough for most people: two or three chest moves and two or three triceps moves. Quality sets matter more than exercise count.
Can I do a chest and triceps workout twice a week?
Yes, as long as you leave at least 48 hours between sessions and recover well. Many lifters run it as part of push, pull, legs repeated twice a week.
Are dips a chest or triceps exercise?
Both. An upright torso puts more emphasis on the triceps, and leaning forward brings in more chest.
Build your push day around videos you already save
If you already save chest and triceps reels, give them a home where you can actually train from them. Share a workout video to Fitsaver from Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or Facebook, adjust it to match this routine card, group it in a Chest catalog, and plan it into your week in Programs. The free plan includes up to 5 imports.
Download Fitsaver on the App Store or Google Play.
