Arms
Overhead Tricep Extension
You lower a dumbbell behind your head and press it back up overhead. It works the back of your arms from a deep stretch.
- Works
- Triceps, core
- Equipment
- One dumbbell
- Load
- Medium to heavy
How to do it
- 1Kneel tall, or stand or sit if you prefer. Cup the top of one dumbbell with both hands and hold it straight overhead.
- 2Point your elbows forward and keep them close to your head.
- 3Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbell behind your head until you feel a stretch in the back of your arms.
- 4Straighten your arms to press it back up overhead.
Cues
- Elbows point forward, not out.
- Take 3 seconds on the way down.
- Ribs down, so your lower back stays flat.
Common mistakes
- Elbows flaring out. Squeeze them in toward your head. If you can't, go lighter.
- Arching your lower back. Brace your stomach and keep your ribs down, or sit on a bench to do it.
- Cutting the range short. Lower until you feel the stretch, then press all the way up.
Easier
Go lighter, or sit on a bench with your back supported.
Harder
Pause for 1 second at the bottom in the stretch before you press up.
Try it: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
Should you do overhead tricep extensions sitting or standing?
Either works. Sitting makes it easier to keep your lower back from arching, which helps as the weight gets heavier. Standing asks a bit more of your core.
