Triceps exercise
Triceps Extension (Machine)How to do it, with form in numbers
How to do it
How do you do the Triceps Extension?
- Adjust the seat so your elbows line up with the machine's pivot.
- Sit tall, upper arms flat on the pad, and grip the handles.
- Straighten your elbows to push the handles down.
- Pause, then bend your elbows slowly back to the start.
Cues
- Upper arms stay on the pad
- Shoulders down and still
- Slow on the way back
Common mistakes
- Lifting the shoulders to finish; keep upper arms flat on the pad.
- Leaning forward to push; sit tall against the back pad.
- Letting the weight crash back; control the return.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Seated triceps extension machine with a sloped arm pad in front of the chest and a lever with two handles that pivots at elbow height. The lifter sits tall, back against the back pad (or the torso upright and close to the arm pad), feet flat, knees about 90°. Seat height set so the backs of both upper arms lie flat and parallel on the arm pad and the elbows line up with the lever's pivot (fulcrum). Hands grip the handles with a closed grip, wrists straight.
The movement
Only the elbows move. The hands travel in an arc round the elbows, following the lever, and back along the same arc. The upper arms stay pressed to the pad; the shoulders do not rise, roll forward or lean in to finish the rep. Torso and legs stay still.
End position
(turnaround point): elbows extended to 170–180° (straight, not snapped), forearms in line with the upper arms on the pad, handles pushed down and forward. Brief pause.
Tempo
Extend 1.2 s, hold 0.5 s, return 2 s, brief pause 0.3 s.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elbow to lever pivot | aligned | ±3 cm | |
| Elbow spacing | shoulder width | 0.9–1.1× shoulder width | |
| Elbow flexion at start | 130° | 120–140° | |
| Elbow at end | 175° | 170–180° (no snap) | |
| Upper arm lift off pad | 0 cm | 0–1 cm | |
| Torso lean towards pad during rep | 0° | 0–5° |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Triceps Extension is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
