10 Best Alternatives to Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension
If you can't perform the Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension, use exercises that preserve elbow-extension mechanics and direct triceps loading. Top options include dumbbell skull crushers, cable pushdowns, close-grip bench press, overhead triceps extensions, and bench dips. Cue: keep elbows stationary and control the eccentric to maximize lateral and long-head activation.
Original Exercise: Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension
How to Perform Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
- Grasp the barbell with a close grip, hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing up.
- Extend your arms fully, lifting the barbell above your chest.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then extend your arms back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension Alternatives
1. Barbell Lying Extension
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
- Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Ez Bar Lying Close Grip Triceps Extension Behind Head
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
- Hold the ez barbell with a close grip, palms facing up, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
95% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie back on a flat bench. Using a close grip (around shoulder width), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest. Tip: Make sure that - as opposed to a regular bench press - you keep the elbows close to the torso at all times in order to maximize triceps involvement.
- After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your triceps muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
4. Barbell Lying Close-grip Press
95% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the barbell with a close grip, hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing towards your feet.
- Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
- Slowly lower the barbell towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
5. Ez Barbell Jm Bench Press
94.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the ez barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lower the barbell to your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body.
- Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press
94.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the ez barbell with a close grip, hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward.
- Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
- Slowly lower the barbell towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
7. Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press
94.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a flat bench with an EZ bar loaded to an appropriate weight.
- Using a narrow grip lift the bar and hold it straight over your torso with your elbows in. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
- Now lower the bar down to your lower chest as you breathe in. Keep the elbows in as you perform this movement.
- Using the triceps to push the bar back up, press it back to the starting position by extending the elbows as you exhale.
- Repeat.
8. Barbell Close-grip Bench Press
94.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the barbell with a close grip, slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
- Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
- Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
9. Ez Bar French Press On Exercise Ball
93.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on an exercise ball and hold an EZ barbell with an overhand grip.
- Extend your arms straight up, keeping your elbows close to your head.
- Slowly lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Barbell Reverse Close-grip Bench Press
91.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the barbell with a reverse grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
- Slowly lower the barbell down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell is just above your chest.
Why You Might Need a Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension Alternative
You may need substitutes for equipment limits, elbow or wrist pain, or to remove the bench and barbell from your plan. Barbell skull-crusher mechanics place high shear on the elbow and require a stable bench; switching to cables or dumbbells reduces torque spikes and allows unilateral work. For rehab, choose exercises that permit partial range and lighter eccentrics—cue: perform slow 3–4 second eccentrics to lower joint stress while preserving triceps tension. For hypertrophy, rotate movement patterns to hit the long head (overhead positions) or emphasize the lateral head (horizontal elbow extension) to avoid adaptation.
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 bench or barbell, choose cable pushdowns or bench dips; cue: keep elbows pinned to isolate elbow extension. For unilateral imbalances, use single-arm dumbbell extensions to assess strength differences. If you have elbow pain, favor light-load high-tempo cable work that reduces peak torque. Prioritize exercises that let you progress load or volume and maintain strict elbow position to maximize triceps activation and minimize shoulder involvement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension work?
It primarily targets the triceps brachii — lateral, long and medial heads — through elbow extension. The long head gets more tension when the shoulder is extended; cue: keep your upper arm vertical to bias elbow extension and limit shoulder contribution.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension?
Bench dips or diamond push-ups are the top bodyweight options; both use closed-hand or narrow-arm positions to emphasize elbow extension. Cue for dips: retract the scapula, lower to a controlled depth, and keep elbows close to your sides to maximize triceps load.
Can I build muscle without doing Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension?
Yes. You can achieve equal or greater triceps hypertrophy with close-grip bench presses, cable pushdowns, overhead extensions, and heavy dips if you apply progressive overload. Cue: focus on full range, controlled eccentrics, and consistent progressive loading to stimulate muscle growth.
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