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Barbell Seated Close Grip Behind Neck Triceps Extension

A seated overhead triceps extension lowering a close-grip barbell behind the neck, loading the long head of the triceps in its most stretched position.

ArmsBarbellOverhead elbow extension
GoLightWeight mediabarbell-seated-close-grip-behind-neck-triceps-extension

Demonstration coming soon

Primary

Triceps

Secondary

Anterior deltoidsCoreForearm flexors

Equipment

Barbell

Pattern

Overhead elbow extension

Setup

  1. 01Sit on a bench with back support if available and plant the feet.
  2. 02Grip the bar with hands 6 to 12 inches apart, palms forward.
  3. 03Press the bar overhead to full lockout with arms close to the ears.
  4. 04Brace the trunk and keep the ribs down.

Execution

  1. 01Bend the elbows to lower the bar behind the neck.
  2. 02Keep the upper arms vertical and close to the head.
  3. 03Descend to a full triceps stretch without the elbows flaring wide.
  4. 04Extend the elbows to drive the bar back to overhead lockout.

Checkpoints

  • -Upper arms stay vertical and near the ears throughout.
  • -The lower back does not arch as the bar descends.
  • -Elbows point forward and up, not out to the sides.
  • -The bar clears the head on every rep.

Common mistakes

  • -Flaring the elbows so the shoulders take over.
  • -Arching hard through the lower back to fake overhead range.
  • -Cutting the descent short of a real stretch.
  • -Using a grip so narrow the wrists cave under the bar.

Programming notes

  • -Use 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps; overhead work biases the long head, which favors moderate loads.
  • -Warm up the shoulders before loading this stretched position.
  • -Skip it in favor of cable overhead extensions if shoulder mobility is limited.

Related exercises

Barbell Seated Overhead Triceps Extension

Barbell / Arms

Barbell Standing Overhead Triceps Extension

Barbell / Arms

Cable Overhead Tricep Extension

Cable / Arms

EZ Barbell Seated Triceps Extension

Barbell / Arms

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