Overhead Triceps Extension exercise: Health benefits, How to do?, Alternatives

What is an Overhead Triceps Extension?

An overhead triceps extension is also known as a dumbbell triceps extension, this is an isolation exercise that mostly targets your triceps muscles.

Do overhead triceps extensions by holding a pair of dumbbells or one dumbbell in both hands in a standing with your foot shoulder-width apart. Raise the dumbbells over your head. Keep your upper arms in place and hinge from your elbow, lifting the dumbbells overhead through a full range of motion. Although this triceps exercise is typically performed with a pair of dumbbells, you can also use a resistance band or a pulley on a cable machine, or a barbell to do overhead triceps extension. Its name implies the work of muscle, the triceps muscles use to perform this exercise.

Health benefits by doing Overhead Triceps Extension exercise

• Strength Gains

The main benefit of the overhead triceps extension is the increase in the muscle mass of the triceps that comes with the movement. Unlike other triceps exercises, the triceps extension activates all three heads of the triceps muscles, which means that your entire triceps will become stronger from doing this exercise.

• Minimal Stress on the Wrists

If you are suffering from wrist pain or discomfort in the wrist, then the overhead triceps extension is good for you. Throughout this exercise movement, your wrists maintain the same angle, and very little stress is put on them.

• Improved Posture

Because you are achieved a standing position while doing the overhead triceps extension, your core muscles are contracted to support your back and spine. As a result, this exercise helps to maintain proper posture, a straight back, an engaged core, and lifted shoulders.

• Helps to improve arm strength

• Helps to maintain the shape of the arms

• A strong triceps muscle helps to stabilize your shoulder joint and elbow joints. Stable arm joints help you to move comfortably throughout the day. Lifting heavy things over your head or pushing things (such as a door or moving furniture) requires more strong triceps.

• Strong triceps can help you to perform athletic activities like swimming, hitting a tennis ball, passing a ball in basketball, or throwing a ball in baseball. The triceps are also important muscles for stabilizing the arm for fine motor activities like writing.

• If you want to have big arms, perform better in sports, or simply improve your upper body strength, by doing the overhead triceps extension. this is a fantastic exercise to help you accomplish your goals in sports.

How to Do Overhead Triceps Extensions With Perfect Form?

• For doing overhead triceps extensions you need dumbbell you can use minimal weight in starting phase.
• You can use a weight that allows you to complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.

• Hold a of dumbbell in your hand and stand with your foot hip-width apart and slightly flexed knees. Raise the arms overhead, and lower them behind your head so that your hands are near to your shoulders and your elbows are in the elevated position. Your posture should be tall with your shoulders over your hips.
• Keep sure that your head and neck are in a neutral position. Your chin should remain tucked in throughout the motion as if you were holding an egg under your chin. Evenly distribute your weight and grip the ground with your feet to create a stable position.
• Re-tension your shoulders and hips while contracting your core. this is the starting position.
• While maintaining your alignment, contract your triceps to extend your elbows. complete the movement by squeezing your triceps while maintaining a flexion in your elbows.
• Movement should only occur from your elbow joint. elbows in flexion to return to the initial position.
• You have to complete 3–4 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

Overhead Tricep Extension Video

There have many variations of the Overhead Triceps Extension exercise

Overhead Extension with Kettlebell

How to do it?

• The kettlebell is another option for performing the overhead triceps extension.
• It also improves a greater range of motion than the dumbbell overhead extension. For this variation, you need a kettlebell. stand with foot hip-width apart.
• Raise a kettlebell overhead with elbows are pointing forward side, flexed up to 90 degrees.
• From this position, you have to extend your elbow until just before it achieve full extension.
• Then slowly lower it down under control. Do not allow the elbows to move out to the sides while doing this movement, again flexed the elbow up to 90 degrees then extend the elbow. in this same manner, you have to complete the next repetitions.
• You have to complete 3–4 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

Overhead Extension with Barbell

How to do it?

• For this variation, you need a barbell, hold a barbell and stand with the barbell held over your head in both hands, hands almost touching and palms facing forwards.
• Flexed your elbows to slowly lower the barbell over the back of the neck, your upper arms should be stable.
• Once your elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then return to the initial position by extending your elbows.
• You have to complete 3–4 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

Overhead Extension with Rope

How to do it?

• Fix a rope to a cable stack as high as possible and you have to stand position with shoulder hip-width just below the cable.
• Utilize a split stance, hold the rope overhead with a neutral grip (palms facing), and lean forward by hinging from the hips.
• Start the movement by extending the elbows and contracting the triceps.
• Then pull the rope down until the elbows are flexed and then slowly lower under control back to the initial position.
• With the same movement complete the exercise with the desired number of repetitions. you have to complete 3–4 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

Lying Triceps Extension

How to do it?

• Hold a pair of dumbbells and you have to sit on the end of a flat bench.
• Lie on your back and raise the dumbbells above your head using a neutral grip, both palms facing each other.
• Flexed the elbows and keeping your upper arms set, slowly lower the dumbbells until they reach up to your ears.
• Squeeze your triceps and raise the dumbbells back to the initial position, with the same movement complete the exercise with the desired number of repetitions.
• You have to complete 3–4 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

Seated Triceps Extension

How to do it?

• For this exercise, you have to Sit on a bench and hold one dumbbell in both hands directly above your head.
• Slowly bend your elbows and lower the dumbbell behind your head as you keep your upper arms straight.
• Extend your arms by squeezing your triceps and repeat this movement for the next repetitions.
• You have to complete 3–4 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

Here we explain Alternatives for Overhead Triceps Extension

Alternating Triceps Push down

How to do it?

• For this exercise, you have to stand With your feet shoulder-width apart, and face a pulley machine or resistance band with the handles at chest height.
• Hold the handles with your palms facing downward.
• With your elbows tucked in tight to your sides, contract one triceps to take the handle down until your arm is fully in extension.
• Pause at this position and then squeeze your triceps for maximum contraction.
• Smoothly release the handle and return to the initial position.
• Repeat this on another arm and keep doing this with an alternate arm.
• You have to complete 3–4 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

Dumbbell Skull Crushers

How to do it?

• For this variation you have to Lie down on a flat bench with your feet put firmly onto the floor.
• Hold the dumbbells in both hands above your chest with your both palms facing each other and contract your core.
• Your elbows are fixed. then hinge your elbows to slowly bring the dumbbells down just behind your ears.
• Squeeze your triceps to extend your elbows back into the straight position at the top position. ‍
• Repeat this movement for your next repetitions. you have to complete 3–4 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

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Triangle Pushup

How to do it?

• For this exercise put your hands on the floor so that both thumbs and fingers touch and make a triangle shape.
• Extend your legs back with your feet close together. straight your arms and keep sure your back is straight.
• Your chest lowers down as you flex your elbows until your chest nearly touches the ground.
• Then, squeeze your triceps and chest to push back up to the initial position.
• Repeat this same move for the next repetitions.
• You have to complete 3–4 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

Safety and precautions of Overhead Triceps Extension are explained below

• If you have a per-existing health condition then consult your physician before starting an exercise program.
• Proper exercise technique is must need to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your capacity.
• Always choose a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement.
• When doing any exercise if you notice pain in any part of your body then stop immediately.
• If you want to continuously progress and build more body strength then incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and take some nutrition into your exercise program.
• Your results of the exercise will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts.
• Rest for 20 to 40 hours before you train the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery from the workout.