EZ Bar Lying Close Grip Triceps Extension Behind Head

How to do the EZ Bar Lying Close Grip Triceps Extension Behind Head

1. 1Lie flat on a bench with your feet planted on the floor and your head near the top end of the bench.
2. 2Take an EZ barbell with a close grip, hands on the inner angled sections about shoulder-width apart, palms facing toward your feet.
3. 3Press the bar up and hold it with your arms extended over your chest or slightly past your face as the starting position.
4. 4Keeping your upper arms angled back toward your head, bend only at the elbows and lower the bar in an arc down behind your head.
5. 5Lower under control until you feel a strong stretch in the triceps, keeping your elbows from flaring out to the sides.
6. 6Pause briefly at the bottom without resting the bar on the bench or floor.
7. 7Extend your elbows to drive the bar back up along the same arc until your arms are fully straight.
8. 8Complete your reps, then bring the bar to your chest and sit up to set it down safely.

Form tips

• Keep your upper arms fixed and angled slightly back so the movement happens at the elbows, not the shoulders.
• Lower the bar slowly to feel the stretch on the triceps; a controlled tempo is more effective here than heavy, fast reps.
• Use a weight you can control with a close grip — the EZ bar's angled handles keep your wrists comfortable and reduce strain.
• Have a spotter hand you the bar and stand by, since the bar travels near your head on every rep.

Common mistakes

• Letting the elbows flare out wide, which shifts load off the triceps and stresses the elbow joints.
• Moving the upper arms and turning it into a pullover, which removes tension from the triceps.
• Going too heavy and cutting the range short, so the triceps never reach the deep stretch this variation is meant to load.
• Letting the bar drop toward your head without control, which is unsafe given where the bar travels.

Frequently asked questions