10 Best Lying Back-of-head Tricep Extension Alternatives for Elbow Pain

What can you do instead of the Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension? Use movements that preserve elbow-extension torque while reducing shoulder stress: dumbbell lying tricep extensions, EZ-bar skull crushers, cable overhead extensions, close-grip bench press, or parallel-bar dips. Cue: control the eccentric 2–3 seconds and finish each rep with full lockout to load the triceps' long head.

Original Exercise: Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension

Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension
Primary Muscle
Triceps
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Shoulders
How to Perform Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
  2. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Best Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension Alternatives

Best Match
Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

1. Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

96% Match
Triceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
  2. Hold the barbell with a reverse grip, palms facing towards your face, and your hands shoulder-width apart.
  3. Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping your elbows in and your wrists straight.
  4. Slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
  5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
Ez Barbell Decline Triceps Extension

2. Ez Barbell Decline Triceps Extension

95.4% Match
Triceps Ez-barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie on a decline bench with your head lower than your feet and your feet secured.
  2. Hold the ez barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  3. Extend your arms fully, keeping your elbows close to your head.
  4. Lower the barbell slowly towards your forehead, bending your elbows.
  5. Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back to the starting position.
EZ-Bar Skullcrusher

3. EZ-Bar Skullcrusher

95.4% Match
Triceps Ez-barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Using a close grip, lift the EZ bar and hold it with your elbows in as you lie on the bench. Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
  2. Keeping the upper arms stationary, lower the bar by allowing the elbows to flex. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Pause once the bar is directly above the forehead.
  3. Lift the bar back to the starting position by extending the elbow and exhaling.
  4. Repeat.
Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher

4. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher

94.1% Match
Triceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
  2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment when the barbell is just above your forehead, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

5. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

94.1% Match
Triceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
  2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension

6. Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension

93.3% Match
Triceps Ez-barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench.
  2. Using a close grip (a grip that is slightly less than shoulder width), lift the EZ bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked and elbows in. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position. Tip: In order to protect your rotator cuff, it is best if you have a spotter help you lift the barbell off the rack.
  3. As you breathe in and you keep the upper arms stationary, bring the bar down slowly by moving your forearms in a semicircular motion towards you until you feel the bar slightly touch your forehead. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
  4. Lift the bar back to the starting position by contracting the triceps and exhaling.
  5. Repeat until the recommended amount of repetitions is performed.
Barbell Seated Close Grip Behind Neck Triceps Extension

7. Barbell Seated Close Grip Behind Neck Triceps Extension

90.7% Match
Triceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
  2. Hold the barbell with a close grip behind your neck, palms facing forward.
  3. Keep your elbows close to your head and slowly lower the barbell towards the back of your head.
  4. Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Tricep Extension -Pronated Grip

8. Dumbbell Tricep Extension -Pronated Grip

89% Match
Triceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie down on a flat bench holding two dumbbells directly above your shoulders. Your arms should be fully extended and form a 90 degree angle from your torso and the floor.
  2. The palms of your hands should be facing forward, and your elbows should be tucked in. This will be your starting position.
  3. Now, inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells until they are near your ears. Be sure to keep your upper arms stationary and your elbows tucked in.
  4. Then, exhale and use your triceps to return the weight to the starting position.
Dumbbell Tate Press

9. Dumbbell Tate Press

88.8% Match
Triceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
  2. Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, then rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing away from you.
  3. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended, then lower them back down to shoulder height.
  4. Rotate your wrists back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press

10. Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press

88.3% Match
Triceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie on a decline bench with your head lower than your feet and hold a barbell with a close grip.
  2. Lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
  3. Pause for a moment, then extend your arms to press the barbell back up to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension Alternative

People swap this exercise for several reasons: persistent elbow or shoulder pain from end-range external rotation, lack of an appropriate barbell, or a need to bias a different triceps head. The barbell-behind-head position increases shoulder horizontal abduction and external rotation, stressing the joint while shifting load across the long head. Substitutes let you change grip, path, or support to reduce impingement and maintain elbow-extension force production. For example, switch to a neutral-grip dumbbell extension to relax shoulder rotation and emphasize the medial and lateral heads, or use cables to maintain consistent tension and limit eccentric overload.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Pick a substitute based on equipment, joint tolerance, and the triceps head you want to target. If you lack a spotter or barbell, choose dumbbell skull crushers or single-arm overhead extensions to reduce bilateral asymmetry. For elbow pain, use neutral grips or cable variations that limit end-range rotation; cue: keep elbows stacked and avoid flaring past 45 degrees. If you want more horizontal pushing carryover, choose close-grip bench press to increase compressive loading and recruitment of the lateral head. Match load, range of motion, and tempo to your goals and progressively increase intensity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension work?

This exercise primarily loads the triceps—especially the long head due to shoulder extension and elbow flexion at the start position. It also recruits the lateral and medial heads during lockout, plus shoulder stabilizers to control the bar path.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension?

Parallel-bar dips are the top bodyweight substitute because they create large elbow-extension torque and load all three triceps heads. Cue: keep your torso slightly upright and descend under control to emphasize triceps over pecs; stop short of shoulder pain.

Can I build muscle without doing Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension?

Yes. You can achieve hypertrophy with presses, dips, cable extensions, and unilateral dumbbell work that maintain sufficient time under tension and progressive overload. Focus on full lockouts, controlled eccentrics, and varying angles to target each triceps head.

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