Overhead triceps extension
Also called French press, EZ-bar French press, standing French press, overhead tricep extension, standing overhead triceps extension.
What is an overhead triceps extension?
The overhead triceps extension is an elbow-extension exercise performed with the upper arms beside the head and the weight moving behind it. This standing EZ-bar version is also called a French press. It trains the triceps and is distinct from the lying triceps extension, or skull crusher.
How do you perform an overhead triceps extension?
Set up
- Stand with your feet steady, hold an EZ-bar with a narrow overhand grip and bring it to straight arms overhead.
- Brace your trunk, keep your ribs down and point your upper arms up beside your head.
Execution
- Bend your elbows to lower the bar behind your head while keeping your upper arms nearly still.
- Stop at the deepest position you can control without the shoulders or lower back changing position.
- Straighten your elbows to return the bar overhead, then lower the bar safely after the final rep.
Common mistakes
Arching the lower back to move the bar
Leaning back changes the path and makes the repetition hard to compare. Use less weight and keep the ribs over the pelvis.
Letting the upper arms fall forward
When the elbows travel toward the face, the movement becomes a different press-and-extension pattern. Keep the upper arms aimed upward as the elbows bend.
Forcing the elbows into a painfully narrow position
The elbows do not need to touch. Keep them at a comfortable width that stays consistent through the repetition.
Using a bar that is too heavy to bring overhead safely
A difficult setup wastes effort before the set and makes the final rep awkward. Start light, use a rack or get help positioning the bar when needed.
Where it fits in a session
Use it after your main presses or alongside a triceps pushdown when you want a separate overhead movement in the session.
Choose a load that lets the upper arms stay overhead and the trunk stay still. Track the EZ-bar French press separately from skull crushers because the setup and arm position are different.
Muscles worked
Primary
Secondary
- None listed in this guide
Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.
The triceps brachii straightens the elbow. The upper arms stay overhead while the forearms move behind the head and return to straight.
Variations
- Seated EZ-bar overhead triceps extension — The same bar path from a seated position; it changes the support, not the exercise lifters normally track.
- Straight-bar overhead triceps extension — Uses a straight bar while keeping the same bilateral free-weight movement.
- Dumbbell overhead triceps extension — Uses one dumbbell in both hands and belongs on its own implement-specific page when available.
- Single-arm overhead triceps extension — Trains one arm at a time and belongs on its own unilateral page when available.
- Cable overhead triceps extension — Uses a cable rather than a free weight and belongs on its own load-source page when available.
- Lying triceps extension (skull crusher)Uses a bench and keeps the upper arms in front of the torso rather than overhead.
Frequently asked questions
Is a French press the same as an overhead triceps extension?
Yes. French press is a common name for an overhead triceps extension. This guide uses the standing EZ-bar version as the standard movement.
Is a French press the same as a skull crusher?
No. A French press is performed with the upper arms overhead and the weight moving behind the head. A skull crusher is a lying triceps extension performed on a bench. They should have separate training histories.
What muscles does the overhead triceps extension work?
It trains the triceps brachii by straightening the elbows while the upper arms stay overhead.
Should you do the French press standing or seated?
Either position can use the same elbow movement and bar path. Standing asks you to stabilize the trunk; seated gives you more external support. Use the version you can repeat consistently.
Can you use a straight bar instead of an EZ-bar?
Yes. The elbow movement is the same, but the two bars place the hands at different angles. Use the one that lets you hold the bar comfortably and keep the elbows moving consistently.
Sources
- Tiwana MS, Sinkler MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Triceps Muscle. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536996/