Triceps Extension (Barbell)

How to do it

1. Sit tall on a bench with your feet flat, holding an EZ bar with a medium overhand grip.
2. Press the bar overhead until your arms are straight.
3. Keeping your upper arms still, bend your elbows to lower the bar behind your head.
4. Stop just short of touching your neck and pause.
5. Extend your arms back to straight.

Key cues

• Upper arms stay still
• Elbows tucked toward your ears
• Brace your core, no arch
• Pause in the stretch

Common mistakes

• Letting your elbows flare out
• Arching your lower back
• Moving your upper arms to lift the bar
• Letting the bar touch your neck

Muscles worked

Primary

Triceps

Equipment

Ez bar and bench.

Variations

• Triceps Extension (Dumbbell)

  Dumbbell · Triceps · Isolation

• Triceps Extension (Cable)

  Cable · Triceps · Isolation

Programs that use it

• PHUL

References

1. Muscle & Fitness: Seated EZ-Bar Overhead Triceps Extension
2. BarBend: How to Do the Overhead Triceps Extension