Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension

An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using dumbbells.

Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension — Starting position Starting position
Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension — End position End position
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Strength
Equipment Dumbbells
Primary Muscle Triceps
AI Rep Counting Log manually

How to Do Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension

  1. Lie on a flat bench while holding two dumbbells directly in front of you. Your arms should be fully extended at a 90-degree angle from your torso and the floor. The palms should be facing in and the elbows should be tucked in. This is the starting position.
  2. As you breathe in and you keep the upper arms stationary with the elbows in, slowly lower the weight until the dumbbells are near your ears.
  3. At that point, while keeping the elbows in and the upper arms stationary, use the triceps to bring the weight back up to the starting position as you breathe out.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles Worked

Front
Back

Primary

Where Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension does most of its work.

Secondary

Assisting and stabilising muscles.

Alternatives to Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension

10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.

  1. 1 Lying Close-Grip Barbell Triceps Extension Behind The Head

    Lying Close-Grip Barbell Triceps Extension Behind The Head

    An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using a barbell.

    intermediate Barbell
  2. 2 Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension

    Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension

    An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using dumbbells.

    intermediate Dumbbells
  3. 3 Seated Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension

    Seated Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension

    An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using dumbbells.

    intermediate Dumbbells
  4. 4 Cable Lying Triceps Extension

    Cable Lying Triceps Extension

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using a cable machine.

    beginner Cable Machine
  5. 5 Cable One Arm Tricep Extension

    Cable One Arm Tricep Extension

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using a cable machine.

    beginner Cable Machine
  6. 6 Close-Grip Push-Up off of a Dumbbell

    Close-Grip Push-Up off of a Dumbbell

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the triceps, needing no equipment.

    intermediate No Equipment
  7. 7 Standing Low-Pulley One-Arm Triceps Extension

    Standing Low-Pulley One-Arm Triceps Extension

    An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using a cable machine.

    intermediate Cable Machine
  8. 8 Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension

    Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  9. 9 Tricep Dips

    Tricep Dips

    Tricep dips are an effective compound exercise for building arm thickness and pushing strength. They can be performed on parallel bars or a bench, making them adaptable to any setting.

    intermediate No Equipment
  10. 10 Standing Bent-Over One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension

    Standing Bent-Over One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do lying dumbbell tricep extension work?

Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension primarily works the triceps. The chest and shoulders assist as secondary muscles.

What equipment do I need for lying dumbbell tricep extension?

Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension uses dumbbells.

Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension: is it suitable for beginners?

Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension is rated intermediate. Movements that assume you already own the basic pattern and are ready to load it.

What can I do instead of lying dumbbell tricep extension?

Lying Close-Grip Barbell Triceps Extension Behind The Head, Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension, Seated Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.

Can Fitnit count my lying dumbbell tricep extension reps automatically?

Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; lying dumbbell tricep extension can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.

Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.

Track Your Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension with AI

Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.