Standing Dumbbell Triceps ExtensionMuscles Worked
The standing dumbbell triceps extension works your triceps, and because your arms are overhead, the long head gets a deep stretch at the bottom of every rep. Holding one dumbbell with both hands keeps the setup simple, and you can also do it one arm at a time.
PrimaryTriceps
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
How to do it
- Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and hold one dumbbell vertically, both palms cupped under the top end.
- Press it overhead until your arms are straight, biceps near your ears.
- Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes so your lower back doesn't arch as you work.
- Bend at the elbows and lower the dumbbell behind your head as far as you comfortably can while your upper arms stay still.
- Straighten your arms to lift the dumbbell back overhead, finishing with a full lockout.
Form tips
- Keep your elbows pointing forward and fairly narrow; letting them flare wide shifts work away from the triceps.
- Aim for a deep stretch at the bottom, but lower slowly and stay in control.
- If one arm is stronger, use the single-arm version so each side works on its own.
Why it made the list
No. 7 of 12
Best Tricep Exercises
Targets the long head with the arm overhead (stretched position). One-arm version fixes imbalances.
More tricep exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension sets in KasMaker and watch your triceps fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
