Do Decline Tricep Extension With Dumbbell, Ez Bar and Barbell

Tired of hearing that skull crushers are the king of tricep exercises? Is the decline of tricep extension the thing you’ve been waiting for?

I will share some insights into why the decline variation might actually be superior to tricep growth and strength.

It is a versatile movement that targets your tricep muscles by repetitively flexing the elbow joint against resistance. To give your triceps a workout, try out the exercises below.

You can do the triceps decline extension with different types of weights, like dumbbells, barbells, or an EZ-bar.

In this blog, we’ll take an in-depth look at the following topics:

• What is a decline tricep extension
• Muscle worked during it
• Benefits of decline tricep extension
• How to add it into your workout routine

What is a Decline Tricep Extension?

A Decline Tricep Extension, also known as Decline Tricep Skull Crushers, is a variation of the traditional tricep extension exercise that involves performing the movement on a decline bench.

It is an isolation exercise that specifically targets your triceps brachii muscles.

The exercise is usually done with an EZ bar with an overhand grip, but other variations are available.

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Muscle Worked During Decline Tricep Extension

The tricep extension is an isolation exercise rather than a compound motion. This makes it a great exercise for targeting your triceps.

• Primary Muscle Worked: Triceps brachii
• Secondary Muscle Worked: Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Core.

4 Best Ways to Do Decline Tricep Extension

These tricep extension variations will stretch sleeves and help set new personal records.

There are many ways to do this exercise, so you can choose the decline tricep extension that works best for you.

1. Ez bar Decline Tricep Extension

The EZ bar is a weightlifting bar with a zigzag or curved shape in the middle, allowing for different grip positions and providing some advantages over a straight bar.

• The shape of the EZ bar can help reduce stress on the wrists.
• Research has shown that using an EZ bar can enhance muscle activation.
• It offers a more comfortable grip than a straight bar.

How To Do EZ Barb Tricep Extension

1. Set up a decline bench at a 30 to 45-degree angle.
2. Secure your feet at the top of the bench.
3. Grab an EZ bar with an overhand grip (palms facing down).
4. Extend your arms straight up above your chest.
5. Keeping your upper arms stationary, lower the bar towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
6. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, then use your triceps to extend your arms back up to the starting position.

Tips

• Start with lighter weights and gradually increase your weight as you become comfortable with the exercise.
• Maintain a slight bend in your elbows at the top of the movement to prevent elbow joint issues.
• Do not perform the exercise too quickly, which can reduce the time under tension on the triceps, limiting the exercise’s effectiveness.

2. Barbell Decline Tricep Extension

The decline barbell tricep extension is a variation of the lying extension that significantly declines the movement.

This isolation exercise builds muscle and strength in all three tricep heads.

How To Do Barbell Tricep Extension

1. Grab a barbell and lie against a decline bench with your feet firmly on the pads.
2. Extend your arms over your shoulders with your palms facing up, and then slowly lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
3. Hold this position for a count. Then, in a controlled motion, raise your arms back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

• Keep your elbows perfectly still and pointing directly at the ceiling – do not allow them to move (flare) out to the sides or backward with the bar.
• Keep your upper arms parallel to each other and perpendicular to the floor.
• Also, keep your head, back, and buttocks in contact with the bench.

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3. Decline Dumbbell Tricep Extension

The decline dumbbell tricep extension is more effective for two reasons: the use of a neutral grip and the location of the shoulders.

This dumbbell triceps workout increases the range of motion, so you can get a bigger stretch on the tricep at the bottom of the move.

How To Do Decline Dumbbell Tricep Extension

1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and lie against a decline bench with your feet firmly on the pads.
2. Extend your arms over your shoulders with your palms facing each other, and then slowly lower the dumbbells behind your head by bending your elbows.
3. Hold this position for a count. Then, in a controlled motion, raise your arms back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

• Keep your upper arms fixed, with your elbows close to your head.
• At the top of the movement, do not lock out your elbows.
• Lift smoothly, keeping control of the dumbbell at all times.

4. Decline One Arm Dumbbell Tricep Extension

When doing a tricep workout, you can add plenty of single-arm exercises to correct potential imbalances.

How To Do One Arm DB Tricep Extension

1. Grab a dumbbell in one hand and lie against a decline bench with your feet firmly on pads.
2. Hold the dumbbell over your chest with your arm straight and palm facing in. Put your nonworking hand on your stomach.
3. Lower the weight down past your ear, then back to the starting position.
4. Try to keep your elbow from flaring out. Complete all your reps with that arm, then repeat with the other arm.

Tips

• Move slowly throughout the exercise without jerking the weights.
• At the top of the movement, do not lock out your elbows.

Benefits of Decline Tricep Extension

• Targets all three heads of the triceps muscle for complete development
• Increases strength and power in the triceps.
• Improves overall arm aesthetics.
• Enhance sports performance, particularly in pushing movements
• It can be easily varied and progressed to continue challenging the muscle over time.

How To Add Decline Tricep Extension Into Your Workout Routine

• Add it into your upper body workout routine as a secondary exercise, following a compound movement like bench press or overhead press.
• You can add it to your tricep workout routine as well.
• Aim to perform 3–4 sets of 8–12 repetitions. To train the triceps effectively, adjust the weight and maintain proper form.
• Add tricep extensions to your workout routine once or twice a week.

Takeaways

Decline triceps extensions stress the triceps muscle complex, particularly the medial and outer heads.

Instead of a flat bench, you can perform a triceps extension on a slightly inclined or declined bench to change the type of resistance your triceps must overcome.

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.