Standing Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension

How to do it

1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand and hinge forward from the hips with a flat back.
2. Bring both upper arms up beside your torso so they are roughly parallel to the floor.
3. Hold the upper arms there for the whole set — only the forearms move.
4. Straighten the elbows to extend both dumbbells backward until the arms are straight.
5. Squeeze briefly at the top where the arms are fully extended.
6. Lower under control until the forearms hang, without letting the upper arms drop.

Common mistakes

• Letting the upper arms drop as the set goes on. They stay pinned beside the torso; dropping them shortens the range and lets the shoulder swing the dumbbells back.
• Swinging the dumbbells with the torso. Hinged over, a small rock moves the weight a long way, and it is the only cheat this position allows.
• Standing more upright as it gets hard. The hinge is set before the first repetition; rising changes the direction the triceps are working against.
• Going heavy. The arm is a long lever extending backward against gravity, and the usable weight is a fraction of any pressing movement.

Muscles worked

Primary

• Lateral HeadTriceps
• Medial HeadTriceps