Dumbbell Tricep Exercises
The triceps has three heads, and the long head is the biggest of them. It is also the only one that crosses the shoulder, which means it is fully stretched only when your arm is overhead. That is the case for dumbbell tricep work: the seated overhead extension loads the long head in a stretched position that a cable pushdown never gets near, and stretched-position loading is where most of the growth comes from.
Skullcrushers, flat and decline, sit between the two, with the arm angled back but not overhead. The kickback is the opposite end: the arm is behind the body and the triceps is fully shortened at the top, so it is a peak-contraction exercise rather than a stretch one. The Tate press and floor press round the page out with pressing patterns that keep the elbows working.
Beginner6
Intermediate1
Other equipment for Triceps
Frequently asked questions
Why are overhead tricep extensions better for the long head?
Because the long head attaches above the shoulder joint. Raising your arm overhead lengthens it before the rep begins, and training a muscle from a stretched position produces more growth than training it short. Pushdowns, with the arm at your side, never reach that position.
Do skullcrushers hurt your elbows?
They can if you lower the weight straight to your forehead with the upper arms vertical. Angle the arms slightly back toward your head and lower behind you instead. The triceps stay loaded through the whole rep and the elbow stops being the hinge taking all the stress.
Are tricep kickbacks worth doing?
They are the weakest exercise here for load but genuinely good at the top of the rep, where the triceps is fully contracted. Use them as a light finisher after a stretch-position exercise, not as your main tricep work.