Exercise
Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension
How to Perform - Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet planted firmly on the floor and hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
- Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping the dumbbells close together with your elbows pointing forward and wrists straight.
- Inhale and slowly bend your elbows to lower the weights toward your forehead, maintaining upper arms perpendicular to the floor throughout the movement.
- Allow your forearms to descend until they're parallel to the floor or slightly beyond, keeping your elbows fixed in position and pointed upward.
- Pause briefly at the bottom position while maintaining tension in your triceps and keeping your upper arms stationary.
- Exhale and extend your elbows to push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, focusing on contracting your triceps to power the movement.
- Maintain a neutral spine position throughout the exercise by keeping your lower back in light contact with the bench and your core engaged.
- Complete all repetitions with controlled tempo, avoiding any swinging or momentum that might reduce triceps engagement.
Important information
- Keep your elbows pointed toward the ceiling throughout the entire movement, not flaring outward or inward.
- Select a weight that allows you to maintain proper form—going too heavy often leads to bending at the shoulders rather than isolating the triceps.
- If you experience elbow pain, try using a neutral grip (palms facing each other) or switch to an EZ-bar variation of this exercise.
- Maintain tension in your triceps throughout the entire set by not fully locking out your elbows at the top of the movement.
Primary Muscles
Muscle Groups
Mechanic
Risk Areas
Built for progress
Take the guesswork out of training
Create personalized AI-powered workout plans that evolve with you. Train smarter, track every rep, and keep moving forward, one workout at a time.
The Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension stands as a cornerstone exercise for anyone serious about developing impressive triceps definition and strength. This intermediate-level movement specifically targets the triceps brachii—the three-headed muscle that makes up approximately two-thirds of your upper arm mass—making it essential for both bodybuilding aesthetics and functional strength development.
When incorporated into a well-designed training program, this exercise effectively isolates the triceps while minimizing shoulder involvement, allowing for concentrated tension through a complete range of motion. The beauty of using dumbbells rather than a barbell lies in the independent movement of each arm, which helps identify and correct strength imbalances while also requiring greater stabilization throughout the movement.
For bodybuilders, the Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension offers unparalleled muscle activation, particularly in the long head of the triceps, which is crucial for achieving that coveted horseshoe appearance when viewed from behind. The constant tension provided throughout the exercise stimulates optimal muscle fiber recruitment, leading to greater hypertrophy when performed consistently with proper form and appropriate resistance.
Beyond aesthetic benefits, this exercise significantly contributes to upper body strength development. Strong triceps support pressing movements like bench presses and shoulder presses, potentially breaking through plateaus in these compound lifts. Additionally, well-developed triceps enhance performance in everyday pushing movements and various athletic endeavors from tennis serves to martial arts strikes.
For optimal results, most intermediate lifters find success incorporating this movement into their routine 1-2 times weekly, typically performing 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions with a weight that challenges them while maintaining strict form. Progressive overload remains key—gradually increasing resistance as strength improves ensures continued adaptation and growth. Remember that quality of movement always trumps quantity, and momentary muscle failure within the targeted rep range signals an effective training stimulus for both strength and hypertrophy goals.
FAQ - Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension
The exercise primarily targets all three heads of the triceps brachii with particular emphasis on the long head. The medial and lateral heads are also engaged, making it a comprehensive triceps developer that contributes significantly to upper arm size and definition.
To make it easier, reduce the weight or switch to a half-kneeling position (one knee up). To increase difficulty, add more weight, slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase to 3-4 seconds, or progress to a tall kneeling position with knees close together to challenge core stability further.
The three most critical errors are allowing the hips to sag (losing the pike position), shoulders rolling forward (compromising joint safety), and excessive body wobbling due to poor core bracing. Focus on maintaining a straight line from hands to hips, keeping shoulders packed away from ears, and engaging your core throughout the movement.
Include this exercise 1-2 times weekly, allowing 48-72 hours for triceps recovery between sessions. Most lifters achieve optimal results with 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions using a weight that creates significant challenge in the final few reps while maintaining proper form.
This exercise can stress the elbows and shoulders if performed incorrectly. If you have existing joint issues, consider using lighter weights, reducing the range of motion, or substituting with cable pushdowns. Always warm up thoroughly and stop if you experience sharp pain rather than normal muscle fatigue.
