Barbell Lying Back of the Head Tricep Extension

Setup

1. 01Lie on a flat bench with the head near the end of the pad.
2. 02Grip the bar at about shoulder width with an overhand grip.
3. 03Press the bar up, then angle the upper arms back about 10 to 20 degrees toward the head.
4. 04Plant the feet and keep ribs down.

Execution

1. 01Bend the elbows and lower the bar past the forehead and behind the top of the head.
2. 02Feel a deep stretch through the triceps at the bottom.
3. 03Keep the upper arms angled back and still.
4. 04Extend the elbows to return to the start without drifting the arms forward.

Checkpoints

• -Bar clears the head and finishes behind it at the bottom.
• -Upper arms hold their backward angle through the set.
• -Tension never disappears at the top; stop just short of a rest position.
• -Elbows point up, not flared wide.

Common mistakes

• -Lowering to the forehead only, which shortens the stretch.
• -Letting the elbows flare and turning it into a press.
• -Moving the upper arms back and forth to cheat with the lats.
• -Overloading and losing the bar behind the head.