Ez Bar Lying Close Grip Triceps Extension Behind Head

1. Lie back on a flat bench holding an EZ bar over your chest with a close grip on the inner angled handles, palms facing away.
2. Press the bar up and let your arms drift back slightly so the bar sits over your face, not your chest.
3. Plant your feet, tuck your shoulder blades, and brace your core.
4. Bend only at the elbows and lower the bar in an arc past your forehead toward the bench behind your head.
5. Stop when you feel a deep stretch in the triceps, upper arms angled back and elbows pointing at the ceiling.
6. Drive the bar back up along the same arc by straightening your elbows, without letting them flare wide.
7. Finish just short of vertical to keep tension on the triceps and repeat for 8 to 12 reps.

Common Mistakes

• Turning it into a pullover: Letting the shoulders do the lifting moves the load to the lats and chest. The upper arms hold their angle while only the forearms travel.
• Lowering to the forehead: Stopping at the skull shortens the stretch that makes the behind the head version valuable. Let the bar pass your crown under control.
• Flaring the elbows: Elbows drifting outward shift stress into the shoulders and cut triceps tension. Keep them tracking straight up and slightly inward.
• Going too heavy: A bar you cannot control over your face is a safety problem before it is a training problem. Leave two reps in the tank on every set.