Planning your workout split is a fun but confusing exercise. There are many options where you can train smaller muscle groups, like the triceps, on any day of your week. But if you’re following a push/pull split, should the triceps be trained on push or pull day?
Triceps are a pushing muscle since they are prime movers during pressing exercises such as the bench press or overhead press. However, triceps can be placed on a push or pull day, depending on your training split.
But how does this look in practice considering the rest of the training days?
Table of Contents
Are Triceps Push Or Pull?
Triceps are a pushing muscle and are typically trained on an upper body pressing day. The pressing muscles consist of the chest (or pecs), shoulders (front deltoids), and triceps. In contrast, the pulling muscles are the lats, rear deltoids, rhomboids, traps, and biceps.
A typical training program will have you training triceps after hitting chest or shoulders. I prefer doing triceps at the end of a push workout, too, as it allows you to maximize your compound pressing exercises.
One tactic to prioritize building huge triceps is to use triceps-heavy variations of exercises. For example, the close grip bench press is the main exercise, followed by triceps isolation exercises.
Workout Split With Triceps On Push Day
Here’s an example of placing triceps on a push day within a push pull legs routine.
Monday: Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Legs (Quad Emphasis)
Thursday: Shoulders & Abs
Friday: Back & Arms
Saturday: Legs (Hamstring Emphasis)
Upper Lower Workout Split With Triceps On Push Day
Monday: Upper (Push Emphasis with Triceps)
Tuesday: Lower (Quad Emphasis)
Thursday: Upper (Pull Emphasis)
Friday: Lower (Hamstring Emphasis)
Can You Train Triceps On Pull Day?
You can train triceps on pull day. The advantage is that you get a greater training frequency for the triceps. While training frequency alone may not enhance the muscle-building response, volume with a high level of effort does.
Since the triceps are worked on push day, they get more volume when fresh on pull day. Theoretically, you’ll be able to handle heavier loads and stimulate more significant muscle growth.
This doesn’t mean triceps on pull day is superior to having them on push day. I usually place triceps on push day since they are already warm from pressing.
Workout Split With Triceps On Pull Day
Here’s how triceps would fit in a push pull legs split on pull day.
Monday: Chest & Biceps
Tuesday: Back & Triceps
Wednesday: Legs (Quad Emphasis)
Thursday: Shoulders & Abs
Friday: Back & Arms
Saturday: Legs (Hamstring Emphasis)
Upper Lower Workout Split With Triceps On Pull Day
Monday: Upper (Push Emphasis)
Tuesday: Lower (Quad Emphasis)
Thursday: Upper (Pull Emphasis With Triceps)
Friday: Lower (Hamstring Emphasis)
Summary
Triceps can be worked on push or pull day. Push day has the advantage of having your elbows already warm and allowing more days rest between triceps work. Pull day has an advantage where you train the triceps with a higher frequency. Overall, I prefer having triceps on push day.