Liftworthy
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Liftworthy

Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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Explore/Triceps

Overhead Dumbbell Extension

DumbbellIsolationEasy to learn
Front
Back
Primary

Works

Triceps

You need

Dumbbells

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
1Start
2Stretch
Main muscles
  1. 1Hold one dumbbell with both hands
  2. 2Lower behind your head to a full stretch
  3. 3Elbows narrow and pointing up

Most common mistake

Arching the lower back to get the weight up.

Watch a demo

Good for

  • Top 10 for triceps
  • Keeps the work on the target muscle
  • Loads the muscle while it’s stretched

Compare with

vs Skull Crushervs Overhead EZ-Bar Extensionvs Cross-Body Cable Extension
A
For triceps
#6 of 20
See the full list →
Research
80
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 801 study
Target tensionExcellent
Loaded stretchExcellent
ProgressionGood
Low costGood

Same overhead advantage, harder to load and to get into position.

  • Maeo et al., 2023 · Trial: Overhead cable extensions grew the triceps about 1.4× more than the same exercise with the arm at the side, over 12 weeks. (21 untrained adults; one study.)

Research behind these criteria

  • Target tension: Zabaleta-Korta et al., 2021 · Kinoshita et al., 2023
  • Loaded stretch: Maeo et al., 2021 · Maeo et al., 2023 · Pedrosa et al., 2022 · Kassiano et al., 2023
  • Progression: Plotkin et al., 2022 · Pelland et al., 2026
  • Low cost: Schoenfeld et al., 2021 · Refalo et al., 2023
How scores work

Machine taken? Swap to

  • SOverhead Cable ExtensionCable
  • SCross-Body Cable ExtensionCable
  • STriceps Extension MachineMachine
  • ADumbbell Skull CrusherDumbbell

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