How to do Overhead Tricep Presses

The overhead tricep press, also called an overhead tricep extension, works the back of your arms with one dumbbell held behind your head. With your arms overhead, the long head of the triceps works in a stretched position, something presses and push-ups don’t give it.

1. Stand tall and strong with your feet placed about shoulder-width apart and a slight bend at the knee

2. Take a firm grip of one side of a dumbbell (do so by allowing your palms to hold the underside of a dumbbell plate). *Warning*, only perform this exercise if using a fixed or secure, screw-seal dumbbell. If using a dumbbell that is not extremely secure, perform tricep kickbacks instead

3. Hold the dumbbell overhead with your arms fully extended, your biceps should be roughly in line with your ears

4. Bend at the elbow ensuring that your upper arms remain fixed in place, and lower the dumbbell behind your head until your arms are bent at a 90-degree angle

5. Using only your triceps, extend your arms driving the dumbbell back up to the overhead starting position

Benefits

It strengthens your triceps, the muscles that straighten your elbows in every push, from push-ups to pressing a weight overhead. The triceps make up about two-thirds of the muscle in your upper arm, so they matter more for arm size than the biceps do.

It needs one dumbbell and a little space, so it’s easy to fit into any arm or upper-body workout.

Form tips

• Hold the dumbbell securely by the inside of the top plate, with both palms underneath it.
• Keep your upper arms close to your head and pointing up. Only your forearms should move.
• Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes so your lower back stays flat.
• Lower until your elbows reach about 90 degrees, or as far as your shoulders comfortably allow.

Variations

• Sitting down: the seated overhead tricep press takes your legs out of it and helps keep your back still.
• One arm at a time: the single-arm overhead tricep press.
• With a band: the resistance band tricep press.