Exercise Library
Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension
Lie flat on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended above your chest. Keep your upper arms fixed and elbows pointing upward as you slowly bend your elbows to lower the dumbbells toward your forehead or slightly beside your head. Pause briefly, then extend your arms back to the starting position by contracting your triceps. Keep the movement controlled and avoid flaring your elbows.
Primary muscle
Triceps (primary)
Secondary muscles
Shoulders (secondary)
Equipment
Dumbbell
Category
Triceps
How to Do the Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension
- Lie on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other, arms extended over your chest.
- Angle your upper arms back slightly so the dumbbells sit over your face rather than your chest.
- Lock your upper arms in place with elbows about shoulder-width apart.
- Inhale and bend at the elbows, lowering the dumbbells toward the sides of your head under control.
- Stop when your forearms compress fully or the dumbbells reach ear level.
- Exhale and extend both elbows together, driving the dumbbells back over your face.
- Keep the reps smooth and matched between arms; if one side fails first, end the set.
Common Mistakes
- Letting the upper arms drift: if the elbows travel toward your hips during the lift, the movement becomes a partial press and the triceps lose tension.
- Uneven arm paths: one dumbbell lagging or wandering signals a strength imbalance or too much load; slow down and match the arms.
- Bouncing out of the bottom: reversing with momentum near your head is risky and skips the controlled stretch that drives growth.
- Grip too tight on heavy dumbbells: white-knuckling shifts focus to the forearms; hold firmly but let the triceps do the work.
Track This Exercise in the App
Log your dumbbell lying triceps extension sets in 1RM.fit and watch your estimated 1RM update automatically as you get stronger.