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Extension Movements
General guidelines for all Tricep Extension movements
(unless specifically stated otherwise)
- maintain elbows in a fixed position (ideally ‘in’ a little); don’t allow to flair to the sides
- try to touch forearms to the biceps when fully lengthening the triceps
- if you’re under complete control of the weight and you posses healthy joints, locking-out at the bottom is fine, otherwise do not. Perhaps “switch it up” occasionally and take into consideration how heavy the weight is.
Lying Triceps Extension / Skull Crushers – Bar, Dumbbells, or Cables
E.Z Bar version depicted
- Exercise Specific:
- if using a bar, choose an overhand grip (palms facing forward at the top)
- if using a dumbbell, keep hands neutral (palms facing)
- take a hand position that keeps wrists, forearms and shoulders inline
- (start position) extend / bring arms out in front to just short of perpendicular to the ground (to keep constant tension on the triceps)
- keeping elbows high (shoving them towards each other throughout), bend them to bring the bar right the way down to the hairline at the bottom (or if using dumbbells, to the top of the shoulders)
- think about creating an arc on the way up and down squeezing hard at both extremes
- when using a bar, to extend the set if necessary, from the bottom position bring the bar to the chest and then press it up (using the triceps); from here, move the arms back slightly until reaching the start position (the exercise is thus turned into a ‘California Press’.
Incline Triceps Dumbbell Extension Variation
- Exercise Specific:
- begin with arms straight up and ends of the DB’s pushed together (palms facing forward)
- keep elbows up high / back throughout (as much as the below movement will allow)
- keeping dumbbells in constant contact, rotate hands inwards and down so the dumbbells end in front of the chin at the bottom resting ‘momentarily’ on the chest
- push palms into the ends of the dumbbells to squeeze back up.
One-Arm Overhead Dumbbell Extensions
Can be done seated to help minimize extraneous movement / back arch
- Exercise Specific:
- support dumbbell behind the head with hands directly underneath the weight plate
- keep elbows ‘in’ a little and squeeze them towards each other throughout.
Side-Supported One-Arm Overhead Extension
- Exercise Specific:
- sit sideways on the incline bench, leaning against it, with dumbbell in the hand furthest away from the bench
- bring the arm directly above the torso and the elbow as close to the head as possible
- keeping the elbow fixed and arm rigid, lower / raise the dumbbell behind the head.
Standing Overhead Cable / Rope Extensions
- Exercise Specific:
- angle of cable is variable
- pronate wrists at the top
- elbows ‘in’ a little and squeeze them towards each other throughout.
High Cable Forward Leaning Overhead Cable / Rope Extensions
- Exercise Specific:
- bend forward from the hips, arms outstretched; pronate at the top.
Cross Cable Tricep Extensions
- Exercise Specific:
- choose a more narrow apparatus if possible, if not, take several good strides forward if apparatus allows
- remove handles, hold opposite cable with opposite hand
- stand central facing the apparatus (cables high)
- begin with hands together, shoulders back, elbows back
- finish the movement behind the body ideally.
Straight-Arm Cable Tricep Extensions
- Exercise Specific:
- choose a more narrow apparatus if possible, if not, take several good strides forward if apparatus allows
- remove handles, hold opposite cable with opposite hand
- stand central facing the apparatus (cables high)
- begin with hands together, shoulders back, elbows back
- finish the movement behind the body ideally.
- keep arms completely straight and triceps / elbows locked-out
- extend the arms behind the torso as far as possible (maintaining lock-out; ensure to ‘re-lock’ the elbow at the top when beginning each rep)
- contract hard and pull through, don’t explode back (acceptable if close to goal reps and unable to further complete a full range).
One-Arm Cross Cable Extension with Elbow back
- Exercise Specific:
- high cable, approx. 60º angle from apparatus to hand
- with elbow bent, pulled back, and in at the side, hold the cable in front of the body with a neutral-grip (bicep should be contracted against the forearm)
- straighten arm to ‘full’ extension using the triceps, return, repeat.
One-Arm Cable Extensions
- Exercise Specific:
- position cable to between head and shoulder height and stand sideways on next to it
- remove handle if more comfortable
- bring the arm being worked (arm furthest from the cable) up as close to vertical as possible (likely 60º approx. from shoulder to elbow) and place opposite hand on apparatus for stability if necessary (as depicted)
- keeping the upper arm in position throughout, lower / extend the arm behind the head.
Dumbbell Tricep Kicks-Backs
‘Supported’ variation lying prone on incline bench
- Exercise Specific:
- if standing, bend over to about 90º, chest up, bend knees slightly
- if performing ‘prone’ on an incline bench, drive chest into the pad
- retract shoulders and bring elbows behind, as high as possible, while pulling them inwards (attempt to maintain this elbow position throughout)
- bring forearms right the way to the biceps at the top
- reach for the ceiling / wall at the back, pausing briefly once full extension has been achieved (squeeze the triceps hard).
Rolling Extensions
The ‘transitional’ roll portion of the movement
- Exercise Specific:
- combination of a ‘close-grip dumbbell press’ and a ‘lying (dumbbell) extension’
- Step 1: Starting from the top with a neutral-grip (palms facing), lower the dumbbells per a ‘close-grip dumbbell press’ (keeping tension on the triceps, not the chest)
- Step 2: from here, transition the exercise into a ‘lying (dumbbell) extension’ by rolling the elbows up and back, and as high and as far as possible (so that the final position is that of the bottom of a ‘lying (dumbbell) extension’
- Step 3: extend the elbows to return the dumbbells to the start position.
