10 Best Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face) Alternatives for Triceps
If you need an alternative to the Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face), choose movements that reproduce elbow-extension torque and keep the long head under tension. Top swaps include EZ-bar skull crushers, close-grip presses, seated overhead extensions, cable pushdowns, and diamond push-ups. Cue: keep elbows fixed and lower with a controlled eccentric to target the triceps.
Original Exercise: Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face)
How to Perform Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face)
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight up above your chest, palms facing each other.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the dumbbell in an arc behind your head until your forearms are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment, then contract your triceps to bring the dumbbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face) Alternatives
1. Dumbbell Lying Elbow Press
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other and arms extended straight up over your chest.
- Lower the dumbbells towards your shoulders by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then press the dumbbells back up to the starting position by extending your elbows.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension
92% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Lower the dumbbells down towards your forehead, 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. Barbell Lying Extension
89.9% 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.
4. Barbell Lying Close-grip Triceps Extension
89.9% 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.
- 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.
5. Ez Bar Lying Close Grip Triceps Extension Behind Head
89.9% 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.
6. Dumbbell Floor Press
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lay on the floor holding dumbbells in your hands. Your knees can be bent. Begin with the weights fully extended above you.
- Lower the weights until your upper arm comes in contact with the floor. You can tuck your elbows to emphasize triceps size and strength, or to focus on your chest angle your arms to the side.
- Pause at the bottom, and then bring the weight together at the top by extending through the elbows.
7. Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
88.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and your arms extended straight up over your chest.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Dumbbell Close-grip Press
88.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
- Using your thighs to help raise the dumbbells, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width.
- Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
- As you breathe in, slowly lower the dumbbells to your side until they are about level with your chest.
- As you exhale, use your triceps to lift the dumbbells back to the starting position.
9. Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press
88.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing away from you.
- Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Lower the dumbbells down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- As you lower the dumbbells, twist your wrists so that your palms face towards you at the bottom of the movement.
10. Exercise Ball Supine Triceps Extension
88.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on an exercise ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight up towards the ceiling.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping your elbows close to your ears.
- Pause for a moment, then raise the dumbbell back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face) Alternative
You may substitute the Dumbbell Lying Extension for several reasons: elbow or wrist pain under load, lack of a dumbbell or bench, or a desire for different torque and tension profiles. Lying extensions place high stress on the elbow joint and heavily load the long head when the shoulder is horizontal. A substitute like an overhead extension shifts the moment arm and increases long-head stretch, while cable pushdowns provide constant tension and lower joint shear. Technique cue: keep the upper arm stationary and hinge at the elbow to preserve isolation and reduce shoulder compensation. Choose alternatives that reduce pain, match available equipment, or shift loading to a safer joint angle.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute based on equipment, pain history, and the triceps region you want to emphasize. If you lack a bench but have a barbell, pick EZ-bar skull crushers to keep the same supine elbow-extension pattern; cue: bend only at the elbow and stop a few degrees shy of joint compression. If you have shoulder or elbow irritation, use cable pushdowns or diamond push-ups to reduce moment-arm stress and maintain continuous tension; cue: keep elbows pinned to your sides and focus on a slow eccentric. For long-head emphasis, choose overhead extensions with a full stretch and controlled lockout. Prioritize progressive overload and consistent range of motion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face) work?
The exercise primarily targets the triceps brachii — especially the long and lateral heads — through elbow extension. It also engages the anconeus for stabilization and requires forearm and shoulder stabilizers to keep the upper arm steady; cue: keep elbows pointed upward and squeeze at full extension to maximize triceps activation.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face)?
Diamond push-ups are the top bodyweight alternative because they increase triceps loading by narrowing hand placement and reducing shoulder involvement. Cue: place hands under the sternum in a diamond shape, keep elbows tucked, and lower with a controlled eccentric to emphasize elbow extension and medial/lateral head activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face)?
Yes — you can build triceps mass with other isolation moves and compound presses by applying progressive overload and full elbow-extension range of motion. Use close-grip bench presses, dips, or cable pushdowns and focus on slow eccentrics, paused contractions, and incremental load increases to drive hypertrophy.
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