Every movement with step-by-step instructions, the muscles it works, common mistakes and form tips — free, no account needed.
Classified as a push pattern, the Bodyweight Overhead Triceps Extension loads the triceps through bodyweight. The working muscles straighten the elbow, which is what makes this movement valuable for lockout strength on every press. What separates this variation from other triceps work is that it is emphasising an overhead position — a detail that changes which fibres take the load and how much stability the movement demands. Note the 'Overhead Extension' component of the name: it specifies how this variation differs from otherwise similar triceps movements. Support comes from the anconeus; the anconeus in particular help contribute to the movement, which is why fatigue there often shows up before the triceps is fully worked. Training this with bodyweight needs no equipment at all and can be done virtually anywhere, though it is harder to load progressively once you outgrow it. Programme it alongside your other triceps work rather than as a standalone. The pattern is accessible enough to learn in a single session, which makes it a sound entry point before progressing to heavier or more complex variations.
The Bodyweight Overhead Triceps Extension is primarily a triceps exercise, but it is never only the triceps doing the work.
The general rule for the Bodyweight Overhead Triceps Extension is simple: inhale as you lower the resistance toward you, exhale as you press it away. For heavier sets, take a breath in at the start position, brace as though bracing for a punch, and hold that pressure through the hardest part of the rep before exhaling. Getting this right stabilises your trunk and keeps blood pressure in a sensible range.
Perform the movement slowly with a light load until the pattern feels automatic. Stay at this level until every Bodyweight Overhead Triceps Extension rep looks the same as the first.
Add a one- to two-second pause at the hardest position of each repetition. Track your Bodyweight Overhead Triceps Extension numbers so you can see whether the triceps is actually progressing.
Work closer to genuine failure on the final set, keeping one or two reps in reserve on the rest. Use the Bodyweight Overhead Triceps Extension as your accessory once your main triceps lift is done for the day.
The Bodyweight Overhead Triceps Extension suits most healthy trainees, but it is not appropriate for everyone.
This is general educational information, not medical advice. If you are managing an injury or medical condition, check with a qualified professional before adding this exercise to your programme.
It primarily trains the triceps, with the anconeus assisting. The pattern is classified as push, so the chest, shoulders and triceps working as a unit share the workload.
Yes. It is rated beginner-level, and the pattern can usually be learned in a single session with light resistance.
A practical starting point is 3 sets of 6-8, resting 2-3 min between sets, roughly 2x per week. Adjust from there based on how you recover.
You need bodyweight. This needs no equipment at all and can be done virtually anywhere, though it is harder to load progressively once you outgrow it.
As a general rule, inhale as you lower the resistance toward you, exhale as you press it away. Avoid holding your breath for the entire set.
Shoulder impingement when the elbows flare excessively. The simplest correction is to keep the shoulder blades set down and back so the shoulder joint stays in a safe position.
Good substitutes that train the same triceps pattern include Dumbbell Pronate-grip Triceps Extension, Cable Lying Triceps Extension, and Cable Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown Back Side Pov. Pick whichever matches the equipment you have available.
About 2x per week suits most people. Recovery, not frequency, is what limits progress.
The Bodyweight Overhead Triceps Extension fits into that picture as a beginner option using bodyweight, leaning on the anconeus alongside the triceps.
The triceps brachii makes up roughly two-thirds of the size of your upper arm, which means that if your goal is bigger arms, the triceps deserve more attention than the biceps. As the name suggests, it has three heads — the long, lateral, and medial heads — and its primary job is to extend the elbow, straightening the arm. The long head also crosses the shoulder joint, so it is involved in pulling the arm down and back.
Because the three heads have slightly different functions, varied exercise selection produces the most complete development. Heavy compound pressing such as the close-grip bench press and dips trains all three heads under significant load and builds raw size and strength. Pushdowns with a rope or bar isolate the lateral head, which gives the arm its width when viewed from the side. Overhead extensions — where the arm is raised above the head — place the long head on a deep stretch and are essential for filling out the back of the arm and creating the horseshoe shape.
Triceps respond well to a mix of rep ranges. The heavy presses can be trained in the 6 to 10 range, while cable and overhead isolation work is best in the 10 to 15 range with strict form. Like the biceps, the triceps recover quickly and tolerate being trained a couple of times per week, especially when some of that volume comes from your pressing work for chest and shoulders.
A frequent error is letting the elbows drift and flare on extensions and pushdowns, which turns the movement into a shoulder and chest exercise. Keep the upper arms relatively fixed so that only the forearm moves, and lock out each rep fully to maximise the contraction at the medial head. On dips and close-grip presses, keep the elbows tucked rather than flared to protect the shoulders and bias the triceps.
Developing the triceps not only adds the majority of your arm size but also directly increases your pressing strength on the bench and overhead press. A balanced arm routine gives the triceps at least as much attention as the biceps. Build yours around the popular triceps exercises listed below.