How to do it
- Hold one dumbbell with both hands overhead, arms fully extended.
- Lower it behind your head by bending only at the elbows.
- Press back to full lockout and squeeze.
Cues that matter
- Keep the elbows narrow and pointed at the ceiling.
- Sit on an upright bench if the lower back rounds while standing.
Common mistakes
- Letting the elbows flare wide, which shortens the stretch.
- Arching the lower back to press the weight up.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Triceps
- Long head
Sets and reps
What to do with it depends on what you are training for. These are the ranges MuscleMap uses when it puts Dumbbell Overhead Extension in a session, with 75 seconds between sets.
- Strength
- 6–8 reps
- Build muscle
- 10–15 reps
- Endurance
- 15–25 reps
Same muscle, different kit
Movements that train the same part of the triceps with different equipment — for a day the dumbbell is taken, or a gym that does not have one.