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Overhead tricep extensions

COURTESY OF GLOBAL FITNESS

Major muscles used

• Triceps

Performing overhead tricep extensions with a dumbbell

• Sit on a chair or 90 degree angle bench, head up, back straight, feet firmly on the floor.
• Hold one dumbbell (vertical to floor) with both hands overhead.
• Keeping your upper arms in place, slowly lower dumbbell straight down behind head, as low as you can naturally go. Keeping elbows at one fixed point.
• Raise the dumbbell upward over your head until arms are extended, rotating your hands up and over until the top plates are resting in palms of hands, thumbs around handle.
• Lower the dumbbell behind your head in a slow, controlled manner.
• Try to keep your elbows at the same fixed point throughout the lifting and lowering motion and keep upper arms (from shoulders to elbows) close to sides at all times.

Be careful

• Don't hold the dumbbell so that the dumbbell changes the angle of motion. Keep the dumbbell so that it is vertical throughout the lifting and lowering motion.
• When lifting and lowering the dumbbell try not to sway or arch your back.
• Don't allow your upper arms to move. Keep your elbows at a "fixed-point" throughout the exercise.
• Don't just let the weight drop behind your head. Slowly lower the weight so that you are resisting the weights downward force.

Alternative exercises to overhead tricep extensions

• Tricep bench dips 
• Weighted tricep bench dips
• Tricep pushdowns
• Tricep rope pushdowns

Courtesy of Global-Fitness.com, your Online Personal Trainer

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