Seated Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extension

The seated dumbbell overhead tricep extension is an isolation exercise in which you sit on a bench, hold a single dumbbell overhead with both hands, and lower it behind your head before pressing it back up. Sitting upright with your feet planted removes the momentum that creeps into the standing version, so the triceps do the work. The overhead position puts the long head of the triceps under stretch, which is the portion a rope pressdown barely touches. Most lifters get the best results in the 8 to 12 rep range with a moderate dumbbell, since heavy low-rep sets put the elbows in a vulnerable spot at full stretch. Keep the upper arms close to your head and the elbows pointed forward throughout; when they flare out wide, the load shifts off the triceps and the shoulders start compensating.