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triceps

Lying Triceps Extension

Lying on a bench, you lower an EZ bar to your forehead by bending your elbows, then press it back up. One of the best triceps builders.

intermediateez barflat benchplates

Lying Triceps Extension, start position
START
Lying Triceps Extension, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START2
  1. Load a light EZ bar; the name skull crusher is a warning.
  2. Have someone hand you the bar if it is heavy.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Lie on your back on the bench with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Hold the bar on the angled parts with your palms facing away from you, hands closer than shoulder-width.
  3. Hold the weight above your chest with your arms straight.
  4. Tilt your arms back slightly so your hands are above your face.

Check: The weight is above your face with your arms straight and your upper arms tilted slightly toward your head.

Lower to your forehead

  1. Bend your elbows and lower the bar slowly toward your forehead.
  2. Stop when the bar is an inch above your forehead or just behind your head.

Check: The bar is just above your forehead, your elbows point at the ceiling, and your upper arms have barely moved.

Press back up

  1. Straighten your arms to press the bar back up above your face.

Check: The bar is above your face again with straight arms.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set.

Breathe out as you straighten in about 1 second; breathe in as you bend over 2 to 3 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Lying Triceps Extension: muscles worked, front view
Lying Triceps Extension: muscles worked, back view

triceps

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES2
  • Elbows flaring out to the sides. Fix: Keep your elbows pointing at the ceiling; only the forearms move.
  • Upper arms swinging back toward the head on each rep. Fix: Hold the upper arms at the same slight tilt for every rep.
SAFETY3
  • Keep your wrists straight.
  • Keep a firm grip and control the bar; it is above your face.
  • Use a spotter for heavy sets.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • plates Same weight on both sides, clipped on.
RELATED EXERCISES

variants: lying dumbbell triceps extension, seated barbell french press

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