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How to do the Dumbbell Seated Bench Extension

TricepsDumbbellIntermediate

The dumbbell seated bench extension isolates the long head of the triceps with ruthless precision, making it one of the most effective tools for building arm thickness and lockout strength. Master the mechanics here and you will carry that power into every pressing movement you perform.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Triceps
Secondary
Front deltsChest

Step-by-step

  1. Sit upright on a bench, grip one dumbbell with both hands cupped under the top plate, and press it directly overhead with arms fully extended.
  2. Keeping your upper arms vertical and glued beside your ears, hinge only at the elbows to lower the dumbbell in a controlled arc behind your head.
  3. Stop when your forearms are at least parallel to the floor and you feel a deep stretch through the triceps, without letting your elbows flare outward.
  4. Drive the dumbbell back to full extension by squeezing the triceps hard at the top, then reset your position before the next rep.

Common mistakes

  • Elbows drifting wide reduces long-head tension and stresses the elbow joints, so actively press your elbows inward toward your centerline throughout every rep.
  • Using momentum to swing the weight up bypasses the triceps entirely, so choose a load you can lower in three full seconds under complete muscular control.
  • Arching the lower back to compensate for a heavy load shifts stress off the triceps and onto the spine, so brace your core and keep your ribcage down for the entire set.

Pro tip — At the bottom of each rep pause for one full second in the stretched position before initiating the press, this brief loaded stretch recruits more long-head muscle fibers and drives significantly greater hypertrophy over time.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

More Triceps exercises

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