Barbell Lying Close-Grip Triceps Extension

Setup

1. 01Lie on a flat bench with feet planted firmly on the floor.
2. 02Grip the bar with hands about 8 to 12 inches apart, palms facing away.
3. 03Press or have a partner hand the bar to a locked-out position over the shoulders.
4. 04Pull the shoulder blades down and keep the upper arms angled slightly back toward the head.

Execution

1. 01Bend only at the elbows and lower the bar toward the forehead or just behind it.
2. 02Keep the upper arms fixed in place as the bar descends.
3. 03Stop when you feel a full stretch in the triceps without the elbows flaring.
4. 04Extend the elbows to return the bar to the start without letting it drift over the chest.

Checkpoints

• -Upper arms stay stationary through the whole rep.
• -Wrists stay neutral, not bent backward under the bar.
• -Elbows track straight, not flared wide.
• -The bar path stays over the face or slightly behind it, never over the chest.

Common mistakes

• -Turning the movement into a close-grip press by letting the elbows travel.
• -Using a grip so narrow that the wrists cave in.
• -Bouncing the bar out of the bottom stretch.
• -Loading heavier than elbow-friendly control allows.