Best Triceps Exercises with Dumbbells for People Over 40: Real Talk About Building Strong Arms

Olivia Smith
Dec 23, 2025
17 min read

Let me guess—you've been doing skull crushers and your elbows are screaming at you. Or maybe you tried some crazy triceps exercise you saw on Instagram and now your shoulder feels like it's gonna fall off. Yeah, I've been there too, and it sucks.

Here's the deal: triceps training after 40 is a completely different ballgame than it was in your 20s. Your elbows aren't bulletproof anymore. Your shoulders have some mileage on them. And those tendons? They're not as forgiving as they used to be. Push through the pain like you're some kind of warrior and you'll end up with tendonitis that sticks around for months. Ask me how I know.

But giving up on arm training isn't the answer either. Strong triceps aren't just about looking good in a t-shirt—though that's a nice bonus. They're crucial for everyday stuff like pushing yourself up from a chair, lifting things overhead, or even just opening a stubborn jar. Plus, your triceps make up about two-thirds of your upper arm mass, so if you want your arms to actually look like you lift, you gotta train them.

The good news? You can build strong, well-developed triceps with just dumbbells, and you can do it without destroying your joints in the process. I'm gonna walk you through exactly which exercises work, which ones to avoid, and how to program them so you're still training pain-free years from now.

No BS. No selling you some magic program. Just honest advice from someone who's figured out what actually works when your body doesn't bounce back like it used to.

Why Your Elbows Hurt and What to Do About It

Before we even get into exercises, we gotta talk about elbow pain because it's the number one thing that derails triceps training for people our age. If you've ever done a set of overhead extensions or close-grip presses and felt that sharp, stabbing pain on the outside of your elbow, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

That pain is usually tendonitis—inflammation of the tendons that attach your triceps to your elbow. It happens because those tendons are getting less elastic as you age, they're dealing with years of accumulated wear and tear, and then you go and load them up with heavy weight in positions that put maximum stress on them. It's like taking an old rubber band that's been sitting in a drawer for five years and stretching it as hard as you can. Eventually, something's gonna give.

The exercises that tend to cause the most problems are the ones where your elbow is fully bent and loaded at the same time. Skull crushers are the worst offender. You're lying there with a weight directly over your face, your elbows are bent as far as they'll go, and all that tension is concentrated right on those tendons. For a 25-year-old with fresh tendons, maybe that's fine. For us? It's a recipe for chronic elbow pain.

Overhead extensions can be problematic too, especially if you're using too much weight or letting your elbows flare out. The overhead position already puts your shoulder in a vulnerable spot, and if your form breaks down, you're asking for trouble.

So what do you do? First, you pick exercises that keep tension on the muscle without putting excessive stress on the tendons. That usually means exercises where the resistance curve matches your strength curve better, or where you're not loaded so heavily at the point of maximum stretch. Second, you use a weight you can actually control. I know it's tempting to grab the 50-pound dumbbells and try to impress yourself, but if you can't do the movement with perfect form, you're just setting yourself up for injury.

And third—and this is huge—you warm up properly. I'm not talking about doing a couple arm circles and calling it good. I mean spending 5-10 minutes getting blood flow to the area, doing some light band work, and doing a couple warm-up sets with really light weight before you touch your working sets. Your tendons need time to get ready. Give them that time.

The Exercises That Actually Work (Without Wrecking Your Joints)

Alright, let's get into the meat of this. I'm gonna give you five triceps exercises with dumbbells that are effective, joint-friendly, and actually sustainable for the long haul. These aren't necessarily the exercises you see every influencer doing, but they're the ones that work for people who want to train for years, not just weeks.

Dumbbell Floor Press is gonna be your primary triceps builder, and honestly, it should probably be the foundation of your arm training. Now, I know what you're thinking—"Isn't that a chest exercise?" Yeah, it works your chest too, but if you use a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and keep your elbows tucked close to your body, it becomes a fantastic triceps exercise.

Here's why the floor press is so good for people over 40: the floor limits your range of motion at the bottom, which means you're not putting your shoulders in that vulnerable stretched position. Your elbows also can't go past parallel with your body, which takes a ton of stress off the shoulder joint. And because you're pressing from the floor, if you fail a rep, you just set the weights down. No getting pinned, no drama.

To do it right, lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other—that's key. Start with the dumbbells at chest level, your upper arms resting on the floor. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are almost straight (don't lock out completely), then lower them back down with control until your upper arms touch the floor again. That's one rep.

The trick is keeping your elbows close to your body throughout the movement. If they start flaring out to the sides, you're turning it into more of a chest exercise and losing the triceps emphasis. Think about trying to tuck your elbows into your ribcage as you press. Start with lighter weight than you think you need—maybe 25-30 pound dumbbells—and focus on feeling your triceps do the work.

Neutral Grip Dumbbell Press on a bench is basically the same concept as the floor press, but with a greater range of motion. If your shoulders feel good and you want to work through a fuller range, this is your move. Same setup—neutral grip, elbows tucked—but now you're on a bench so you can lower the dumbbells a bit deeper.

The neutral grip is crucial here. When your palms are facing each other instead of facing forward, it puts your shoulders in a much more natural position and reduces the risk of impingement. It also keeps your elbows from flaring out as much, which means more triceps involvement and less shoulder stress.

Lower the dumbbells until they're at chest level or just below, pause for a second, then press back up. Don't bounce at the bottom. Control the weight on the way down—take a full 2-3 seconds. That eccentric (lowering) phase is where a lot of the muscle building happens, especially as you get older.

Tate Press is one of those exercises that looks weird but works incredibly well for triceps without beating up your elbows. I didn't start doing these until a few years ago, and honestly, I wish I'd found them sooner.

Here's how it works: lie on a bench holding dumbbells above your chest. Instead of having your palms facing each other or facing forward, you're gonna have your palms facing your feet, and the dumbbells are gonna be positioned so the heads of the dumbbells are touching or close to touching. Now, keeping the dumbbells together, lower them down toward your chest by bending your elbows. The dumbbells should travel down the center line of your body. When they touch your chest, press them back up.

It's a short range of motion, and it feels weird at first, but the constant tension on your triceps is incredible. And because you're not going into that deep elbow flexion position, it's way easier on your joints. Use lighter weight than you would for regular pressing—maybe 15-20 pound dumbbells to start. This is about feeling the muscle work, not moving big weight.

Overhead Triceps Extension (done right) can still be in your program, but you gotta be smart about it. The key is using one dumbbell with both hands instead of two separate dumbbells, keeping your elbows from flaring out, and not going so heavy that your form falls apart.

Stand or sit with a single dumbbell held vertically. Grab it with both hands on one end of the dumbbell, like you're holding a goblet. Raise it overhead so your arms are extended. Now, keeping your elbows pointed forward (don't let them flare out to the sides), lower the dumbbell behind your head by bending at the elbows. Go down until you feel a good stretch in your triceps, then press it back up.

The single dumbbell version is better than using two dumbbells because it's easier to keep your elbows in the right position. With two dumbbells, they tend to drift apart and your elbows flare out, which puts more stress on your shoulders and takes tension off your triceps.

If this bothers your elbows or shoulders at all, skip it. Seriously. There are other exercises that work just as well without the risk. But if it feels fine, it's a solid option for hitting the long head of your triceps, which is the part that gives your arms that nice sweep when you look from the side.

Kickbacks get a bad rap because they look kind of silly and you can't use much weight, but they're actually one of the safest triceps exercises you can do. There's minimal stress on your elbows and shoulders, and they're great for really feeling the triceps contract at the end of the range of motion.

Put one knee and one hand on a bench for support. Hold a dumbbell in your free hand. Start with your elbow bent at 90 degrees and your upper arm parallel to the floor. Now, keeping your upper arm completely still, extend your elbow until your arm is straight. Squeeze your triceps hard at the top for a second, then lower back down with control.

The key here is keeping your upper arm locked in position. If you start swinging your whole arm back and forth, you're using momentum and missing the point. This is an isolation exercise—you're isolating the triceps extension movement. Use light weight, like 10-15 pounds, and focus on perfect form and a hard squeeze at the top. Do higher reps, like 12-15 per set.

How to Actually Program These Exercises

Knowing the exercises is one thing. Knowing how to put them together into a program that actually works is another. Let me break down a couple different approaches depending on how you like to train.

If you're doing full body workouts three times a week, you're probably already doing some pressing movements like push-ups or dumbbell presses for your chest. That's already hitting your triceps pretty hard. You don't need to do a ton of dedicated triceps work on top of that. Add one or two triceps exercises at the end of your workout, 2-3 sets each, and you're good.

For example, after you've done your main pressing work, throw in some Tate presses for 3 sets of 10-12 reps, and maybe some kickbacks for 2 sets of 12-15 reps. That's plenty. Your triceps are already fatigued from the pressing, so you don't need to annihilate them with five more exercises.

If you're doing an upper/lower split or a push/pull split, you've got a bit more room to work with. On your push day or upper body day, you might do 2-3 dedicated triceps exercises after your main pressing work. Something like floor press for 3 sets of 8-10 reps, overhead extensions for 3 sets of 10-12 reps, and kickbacks for 2 sets of 12-15 reps.

The key is not overdoing it. Your triceps are a relatively small muscle group, and they're already getting worked during all your pressing movements. You don't need 20 sets of direct triceps work per week. For most people over 40, 6-10 sets of direct triceps work per week is plenty, especially when you factor in all the indirect work they're getting from your pressing exercises.

And here's something important: you don't need to train triceps every single workout. If you're doing full body three times a week, maybe you do triceps work on two of those days and skip it on the third. Or you rotate exercises so you're not doing the same movements every session. Variety is good, but so is giving your tendons a break.

Rest periods should be relatively short for triceps work—60 to 90 seconds between sets is fine. These are small muscles that recover quickly. You don't need to sit around for three minutes between sets of kickbacks.

And for the love of all that's holy, warm up before you start your working sets. Do a couple sets with really light dumbbells—like 10 or 15 pounds—just to get blood flowing and prepare your elbows for what's coming. This isn't optional. This is insurance against injury.

The Mistakes That'll Wreck Your Progress

Let me save you some time and pain by telling you about the mistakes I see people making all the time with triceps training. These are the things that'll either get you hurt or just waste your time without building any muscle.

Using too much weight is mistake number one, and it's not even close. I get it—you want to feel strong, you want to see progress, and lifting heavier weight feels like progress. But if you're swinging the dumbbells around, using momentum, and your form looks like a fish flopping around on a dock, you're not building muscle. You're just setting yourself up for tendonitis.

With triceps exercises, especially isolation movements like kickbacks or overhead extensions, you need to use a weight you can control through the entire range of motion with perfect form. If that means using 15-pound dumbbells instead of 30s, so be it. Your ego will recover. Your elbows might not.

Locking out your elbows completely at the top of pressing movements is another common mistake. When you lock out completely, you're transferring the load from your muscles to your joint structure. That might feel like a rest, but it's actually putting stress on your elbow joint that it doesn't need. Keep a slight bend at the top of every rep. Maintain constant tension on the muscle.

Flaring your elbows out during pressing movements turns them into more of a chest and shoulder exercise and takes emphasis off your triceps. Plus, it puts your shoulders in a more vulnerable position. Keep your elbows tucked close to your body—think about trying to slide them along your ribcage as you press.

Not controlling the eccentric is leaving gains on the table. The lowering portion of the rep is just as important as the lifting portion, maybe more important. If you're just letting the weight drop down and then pressing it back up, you're missing out on a huge stimulus for muscle growth. Take 2-3 seconds to lower the weight on every single rep.

Training through pain is the fastest way to turn a minor annoyance into a chronic problem. If an exercise hurts—not burns, not feels challenging, but actually hurts—stop doing it. Find a different exercise. There are plenty of ways to train triceps. You don't need to do the one movement that's causing you pain.

When to Back Off and When to Push

One of the trickiest parts of training after 40 is knowing when to push through discomfort and when to back off because something's actually wrong. There's a fine line between being tough and being stupid, and learning where that line is can save you months of frustration.

Muscle fatigue and burning during a set? That's normal. That's your muscles running out of energy and accumulating metabolic byproducts. It's uncomfortable, but it's not harmful. Push through it. That's where growth happens.

Muscle soreness the next day or two after training? That's DOMS—delayed onset muscle soreness. It's annoying and it makes you walk funny, but it's not an injury. You can train through it, though you might want to use lighter weight or do different exercises until it subsides.

But sharp pain in your elbow during or after an exercise? That's different. That's your body telling you something's wrong. Maybe it's the beginning of tendonitis. Maybe you tweaked something. Either way, continuing to train through that kind of pain is how you turn a small problem into a big one.

Same thing with shoulder pain. If your shoulder is hurting during overhead extensions or presses, that's a red flag. Your rotator cuff might be unhappy, or you might have some impingement going on. Don't push through it. Switch to exercises that don't cause pain.

The general rule I follow is this: if it hurts during the exercise, stop. If it hurts after the exercise and doesn't go away within a day or two, take a break from that movement. If it hurts for more than a week despite resting it, see a doctor or physical therapist.

Your goal is to be training consistently for years, not to prove how tough you are for three months before getting injured and having to take six months off. There's no award for training through pain. There's just chronic injuries that make your life worse.

What Results Actually Look Like

Let's set some realistic expectations here because the fitness industry has completely warped people's sense of what's achievable, especially when you're starting later in life.

In your first month of consistent triceps training, you're probably not gonna see much visible difference. Your arms might feel a bit fuller when you flex, but nobody else is gonna notice. What you will notice is that you're getting stronger. The weights that felt heavy in week one feel easier by week four. That's progress.

Two to three months in, you'll start seeing some actual changes. Your arms will look a bit bigger, especially when you flex. The back of your arm will have more shape to it instead of just being flat. Your shirts might fit a little tighter around the sleeves. This is when other people start noticing and commenting.

Six months of consistent training, and you'll have built some legit triceps development. Your arms will look noticeably bigger and more defined. You'll have that horseshoe shape on the back of your arm when you flex. You'll be lifting significantly more weight than when you started.

After a year, you're approaching your genetic potential for arm size, especially if you started training later in life. You'll still make progress, but it'll be slower. Maybe you add a quarter inch to your arms over six months instead of six weeks. That's normal. You're not gonna keep growing at the same rate forever.

And here's the reality check: you're probably not gonna have 18-inch arms unless you've got exceptional genetics or you were already pretty muscular before you started. Most guys end up somewhere in the 14-16 inch range with consistent training and decent nutrition. And you know what? That's totally fine. Arms that size look good, they're functional, and they're sustainable.

The goal isn't to look like a bodybuilder. The goal is to have strong, well-developed arms that make your life easier and make you feel good about yourself. That's achievable for pretty much everyone if you're consistent and patient.

Video Demonstrations

Dumbbell Triceps Exercises - Complete Guide - This is a solid overview from ATHLEAN-X that covers multiple dumbbell triceps exercises with good form cues. Jeff Cavaliere knows his stuff when it comes to training around injuries.

Best Triceps Exercises with Dumbbells - Jeff Nippard breaks down the science behind triceps training and shows you several effective dumbbell exercises. His explanations of the anatomy help you understand why certain exercises work better than others.

Dumbbell Floor Press Tutorial - Built With Science has a detailed tutorial on the floor press that shows you exactly how to set up and execute the movement properly.

Tate Press Demonstration - This one from Muscular Strength shows you the Tate press in detail. It's a weird-looking exercise, so seeing it done properly helps a lot.

Overhead Triceps Extension Form - Scott Herman Fitness demonstrates proper form for overhead extensions, including common mistakes to avoid.

FAQ

How often should I train triceps?

Two to three times per week is plenty. Remember, your triceps are already getting worked during all your pressing movements—push-ups, dumbbell presses, whatever. You don't need to do dedicated triceps work every single day. In fact, doing that is a great way to develop tendonitis. Give them at least 48 hours between direct triceps sessions.

Can I build big arms with just dumbbells?

Yeah, absolutely. Dumbbells are actually better than barbells for a lot of triceps exercises because they allow more natural movement and put less stress on your joints. You don't need fancy machines or cables. A good set of adjustable dumbbells and you're set. The limiting factor isn't the equipment—it's your consistency and effort.

Why do my elbows hurt when I do triceps exercises?

Usually because you're either using too much weight, your form is off, or you're doing exercises that put too much stress on your tendons. Skull crushers are notorious for causing elbow pain. Switch to more joint-friendly exercises like floor presses or Tate presses. Make sure you're warming up properly. And if the pain doesn't go away after a week or two of rest, see a doctor.

How much weight should I use?

Start lighter than you think you need to. For floor presses, maybe 25-30 pound dumbbells. For overhead extensions, 20-25 pounds. For kickbacks, 10-15 pounds. Focus on perfect form and feeling the muscle work. You can always add weight later. It's way easier to add weight than it is to recover from an injury caused by using too much weight too soon.

Do I need to do different exercises for the different triceps heads?

Not really. Yeah, the triceps has three heads—long, lateral, and medial. And yeah, different exercises emphasize different heads slightly more. But honestly, if you're doing a variety of pressing and extension movements, you're hitting all three heads adequately. Don't overthink it. Focus on getting stronger at a handful of good exercises rather than trying to do 47 different variations.

Can I train triceps if I have tennis elbow?

If you've got active tennis elbow, you probably need to back off triceps training for a bit and let it heal. Tennis elbow is inflammation of the tendons on the outside of your elbow, and continuing to load them is just gonna make it worse. Once it's healed, you can start back slowly with light weight and joint-friendly exercises. But if it's currently inflamed and painful, rest it.

How many sets per week do I need?

For most people over 40, somewhere between 6 and 12 sets of direct triceps work per week is plenty. That might be 2-3 exercises, 2-3 sets each, done twice a week. Remember, your triceps are also getting worked during all your pressing movements, so you're actually doing more total volume than just your direct triceps work.

Should I train triceps on the same day as chest?

Yeah, that makes sense. Your triceps are already fatigued from chest pressing movements, so you might as well finish them off with some direct work. Plus, it groups all your pushing movements into one day, which makes programming easier. Just don't do so much volume that you can't recover before your next workout.

What's better—higher reps or heavier weight?

Both work. Heavier weight for lower reps (6-8) builds strength. Lighter weight for higher reps (12-15) builds endurance and gives you a great pump. The sweet spot for muscle growth is probably somewhere in the middle—8-12 reps. But honestly, using a variety of rep ranges is probably best. Do some heavier work, do some lighter work, keep your body guessing.

How long before I see results?

You'll feel stronger within a few weeks. You'll start seeing visible changes around the 2-3 month mark if you're consistent. Significant development takes 6-12 months. But here's the thing: you gotta stick with it. Most people quit right before they would've started seeing the good stuff. Give it at least three months before you decide if it's working.

Wrapping This Up

Look, building strong triceps after 40 isn't rocket science, but it does require some adjustments from how you might've trained when you were younger. You can't just grab the heaviest dumbbells in the gym and start cranking out skull crushers until your elbows explode. Well, you can, but you'll regret it.

The key is picking exercises that work with your body instead of against it. Floor presses, neutral grip presses, Tate presses, smart overhead work, and kickbacks—these are all movements that'll build your triceps without destroying your joints in the process. Use weights you can control, focus on perfect form, and be patient with your progress.

Train your triceps 2-3 times per week, do 6-12 sets of direct work per week, and give yourself at least 48 hours between sessions. Warm up properly—and I mean actually warm up, not just do a couple arm circles and call it good. And for the love of everything, if something hurts, stop doing it and find a different exercise.

You're not gonna have 20-inch arms like a professional bodybuilder, and that's fine. You're gonna have strong, functional, well-developed arms that make your life easier and make you feel good about yourself. That's a hell of a lot better than having chronic elbow pain and no arm development because you tried to train like a 22-year-old.

Start with the basics. Pick 2-3 exercises from this list. Do them consistently for three months. Track your progress. Eat enough protein. Sleep enough. Be patient. The results will come.

Now stop reading and go do some floor presses. Your future self with bigger, stronger arms will thank you.

References

Schoenfeld, B. J., et al. (2015). "Effects of different volume-equated resistance training loading strategies on muscular adaptations in well-trained men." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(10), 2909-2918.
American College of Sports Medicine. (2024). "Resistance Training for Older Adults."
ATHLEAN-X (Jeff Cavaliere). "Dumbbell Triceps Exercises." YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbX7Wd8jQ-M
Jeff Nippard. "Best Triceps Exercises with Dumbbells." YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SS6K3lAwZ8