A seated machine isolation exercise in which the upper arms stay supported on a pad while the elbows extend against two handles, loading the triceps along a fixed path without help from the shoulders or torso.
What this exercise works
Muscles
triceps brachii
Goals
hypertrophy
Equipment
Triceps extension machine
Category
Strength
Difficulty
beginner
Demonstration
Step 1
Step 2
How to perform the movement
Sit in the tricep extension machine with your back against the seat pad and your upper arms resting flat on the arm pad in front of your chest.
Take a handle in each hand with your elbows bent and your hands up near shoulder height.
Keeping your upper arms pressed into the pad, extend your elbows to drive the handles down and away until your arms are straight.
Squeeze your triceps at full extension, then bend your elbows to return to the start under control.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Technique cues and common mistakes
Set the seat height so your upper arms lie flat on the pad and your elbows line up with the machine's pivot — that alignment is what keeps the work on the triceps.
Keep your upper arms glued to the pad; letting them lift turns the movement into a press and takes the triceps out of it.
Straighten your arms fully without snapping the elbows, and resist on the way back instead of letting the weight stack drop.
From guide to workout
Put this exercise into your week
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