Overhead dumbbell extension: how to do it
Main muscles: Triceps long head, Triceps medial head. Helpers: Triceps lateral head. Below: step-by-step form, common mistakes, a muscle map, reps and rest, and what to swap it for.
Equipment
Dumbbells
Reps
8–12
Rest
105 s
Muscle group
Arms
How to do it
- Dumbbell overhead in both hands, elbows pointing up and close to the head.
- Lower the dumbbell behind the head while the upper arms stay still.
- Extend the arms fully without letting the elbows flare out.
Common mistakes
Flaring the elbows, moving the whole upper arm, arching the lower back.
Muscles worked
primary·secondary
- Primary
- Triceps long head, Triceps medial head
- Secondary
- Triceps lateral head
A secondary muscle gets roughly half the stimulus of a set — that is also how the log’s stats count it.
Programs that use it
- Dumbbells only, 4 days3 × 8–12
Alternatives: similar exercises
Triceps kickback
Dumbbells · Triceps long head, Triceps lateral head
Dips
Bodyweight · Lower chest, Triceps lateral head, Triceps medial head
Skull crusher
Barbell · Triceps long head, Triceps medial head
Cable pushdown
Cable · Triceps lateral head, Triceps medial head
Bench dips
Bodyweight · Triceps lateral head, Triceps medial head
Close-grip push-ups
Bodyweight · Triceps lateral head, Triceps medial head
Log your sets — the app suggests the next weight
GymAssist tracks the load on each of 40 muscles, paints it on a body map and uses double progression to tell you when to add weight.
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