The Seated Dumbbell overhead tricep extension is an isolation exercise that works the muscle on the back of the upper arm, known as the triceps.
The Seated overhead triceps extension is a versatile movement that targets your tricep muscles by repetitively flexing the elbow joint against resistance.
You can perform the triceps extension in several positions such as standing, sitting, and either flat or on an incline. You can also choose to work one arm at a time or both arms together.
But the advantage of doing seated triceps extension is that strict foam.
Muscles Worked During the Seated Overhead Tricep Extension
The seated dumbbell tricep extension is an isolation exercise rather than a compound motion. This makes it a great exercise for targeting your triceps.
The primary muscle group worked by the dumbbell tricep extension is your triceps.
There are a variety of secondary muscle groups that activates during seated overhead tricep extension are biceps, forearms, lats, abs, obliques, pecs, and trapezius. These secondary muscles engage to stabilize and support the motion.
Benefits of the Seated Triceps Extension
There are many exercises that work the triceps muscle along with other major muscles in the upper body, such as the push-up or the chest press. But dedicating at least some time to targeting the triceps can help you to build strength that is effective because you won’t be limited by weakness in other muscles.
The Seated dumbbell tricep extension exercises offer an effective way to train the triceps, let’s have a look at some other benefits of overhead tricep extension with dumbbell.
- Strong triceps help with shoulder stability and improve your range of motion
- Triceps main responsibilities are extending the elbow joint or simply straightening the arm.
- Strong triceps help keep your joints healthy, particularly your elbow joint.
- Increase in overall arm strength, power, and endurance.
- Allows you to lift heavier during other lifts like bench presses and shoulder presses.
Seated Dumbbell Extension
The seated dumbbell tricep extension is a variation of the tricep extension and an exercise used to isolate the muscles of the triceps.
It is particularly useful in targeting the long head of the triceps muscle. Having a larger and denser long head will give you an overall appearance of a larger tricep.
While you can go surprisingly heavy on this movement, it is usually performed for moderate to high reps, such as 8-12 reps per set or more, as part of the upper-body or arm-focused portion of a workout.
How To Do
- Sit on a flat bench, grab a dumbbell with both hands
- Lift the dumbbell until your arms are fully extended with palms facing the roof and elbows pointing forward.
- Bend at the elbows and squeeze your triceps, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head.
- Slowly return to starting position and repeat the desired number of sets and reps.
Tips
- Perform the exercise using a slow and controlled movement from start to finish.
- Keep the head in a fairly neutral position, don’t allow the neck to jut forward, as this may place excessive pressure on the cervical spine.
Best Variations of Seated Tricep Overhead Extension
Two Arm Dumbbell Extension
The seated two-arm overhead dumbbell triceps extension is an isolation exercise that’s great for building and strengthening your triceps brachii.
When performing the seated two-arm overhead dumbbell triceps extension, keep your elbows close to your head. This will emphasize your triceps brachii.
How To Do
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand using a neutral grip, sit on a flat bench and both dumbbells should be above and slightly behind your head, with your arms straight.
- Engage your core and plant your feet flat on the ground.
- Keeping your elbows close to your head and pointing up towards the ceiling, inhale as you lower the dumbbells behind your head by flexing your elbows.
- Exhale as you raise the dumbbells by extending your elbows, keeping the rest of your body stationary.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
- Perform the exercise using a slow and controlled movement from start to finish.
- Keep the head in a fairly neutral position, don’t allow the neck to jut forward, as this may place excessive pressure on the cervical spine.
One-Arm Seated Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension
The One arm seated dumbbell overhead triceps extension is a single-joint exercise that targets the triceps while increasing stability throughout the core and the shoulder regions.
By using dumbbells instead of an EZ-bar for the overhead extension, you work each arm separately and ensure one stronger side isn’t carrying the weaker one, but it’s also worth doing the exercise with one arm at a time. This lets you focus on perfect form in that one arm and allows for a greater range of motion.
How To Do
- Holding a dumbbell in one hand using a neutral grip, sit on a flat bench and the dumbbell should be above and slightly behind your head, with your arms straight.
- Keeping your elbow close to your head and pointing up towards the ceiling, inhale as you lower the dumbbell behind your head by flexing your elbows.
- Exhale as you raise the dumbbell by extending your elbows, keeping the rest of your body stationary.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
- Weight should move in a controlled manner.
- The chin should remain parallel to the floor and the core should brace during the exercise.
- Keep your upper arms as still as possible, allowing your forearms to drive the movement.
Takeaway
The Seated dumbbell triceps extension is a fantastic isolation exercise. It’s the perfect option to include in your triceps workouts, and you’ll definitely see a difference in your muscular development.
Try out the different variations as well to see which one works best for you, or include them all for variety in your training.
Related Posts
- 21 Best Triceps Exercises for Muscle Mass and Strength
- Long head Triceps Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Arms
- 10 Best Triceps Workout with Dumbbells for mass & Strength
- 12 Chest and Triceps Workout With Dumbbells for Muscle
- Cable Tricep Extension: Muscles Worked, Benefits, Form
