10 Best EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension Alternatives for Home Gyms
What can I do instead of EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension? Use cable overhead extensions, close-grip bench press, flat-bench skull crushers, weighted dips, or decline diamond push-ups. Cue: keep elbows tucked and drive through elbow extension. Emphasize controlled eccentrics to load lateral and medial triceps heads for hypertrophy.
Original Exercise: EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension
How to Perform EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension
- Lie on a decline bench with your head lower than your feet and your feet secured.
- Hold the ez barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Extend your arms fully, keeping your elbows close to your head.
- Lower the barbell slowly towards your forehead, bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension Alternatives
1. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
98.7% 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 when the barbell is just above your forehead, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension
98.7% 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 at the bottom, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher
97.4% 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 a reverse grip, palms facing towards your face, and your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping your elbows in and your wrists straight.
- Slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
4. Dumbbell Incline Two Arm Extension
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
- Slowly lie back on the bench, keeping the dumbbells close to your chest.
- Once you are fully lying down, extend your arms straight up towards the ceiling, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension
95.4% 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 a 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 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 Tricep Extension -Pronated Grip
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
- The palms of your hands should be facing forward, and your elbows should be tucked in. This will be your starting position.
- 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.
- Then, exhale and use your triceps to return the weight to the starting position.
7. Dumbbell Tate Press
95.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, then rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing away from you.
- Press the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended, then lower them back down to shoulder height.
- Rotate your wrists back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension
94.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
- Once you are laying down, move the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width. The palms of the hands should be facing each other and the arms should be perpendicular to the floor and fully extended. This will be your starting position.
- As you breathe in and you keep the upper arms stationary (and elbows in), bring the dumbbells down slowly by moving your forearms in a semicircular motion towards you until your thumbs are next to your ears. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
- Lift the dumbbells back to the starting position by contracting the triceps and exhaling.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
9. Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension
93.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench.
- 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.
- 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.
- Lift the bar back to the starting position by contracting the triceps and exhaling.
- Repeat until the recommended amount of repetitions is performed.
10. Dumbbell Incline Triceps Extension
93.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards.
- Extend your arms fully overhead, keeping your elbows close to your head.
- Lower the dumbbells behind your head by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
- Pause for a moment, then raise the dumbbells back to the starting position by extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension Alternative
You might substitute the decline EZ-bar triceps extension because of shoulder pain, lack of a decline bench, or personal preference for different loading patterns. A decline angle changes shoulder position and alters long-head length-tension, so alternatives can restore desired stretch or reduce shoulder stress. For example, cable overhead extensions let you maintain constant tension and protect the long head if you keep the elbow high and scapula stable. Close-grip presses add compound overload and change torque at the elbow, favoring overall triceps force production. Pick a substitute that preserves elbow-extension mechanics and targets the same heads while avoiding your limiting factor.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Choose a substitute based on equipment, pain history, and whether you need isolation or compound overload. Prioritize exercises that reproduce the elbow-extension moment arm and allow progressive overload. Technique cue: keep upper arms vertical during overhead work to maximize long-head activation; for presses, tuck elbows to bias lateral and medial heads. Assess biomechanics—if shoulder mobility is limited, use cables or machine variations to control range of motion and tension. If hypertrophy is the goal, select movements that allow slow eccentrics and time under tension; for strength, choose compound presses with heavier loads and full lockout to train force production.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension work?
The exercise primarily targets the triceps brachii—lateral, medial, and long heads—through elbow extension. The decline bench alters shoulder angle, which affects long-head length-tension, but elbow-extension drives most of the load across the lateral and medial heads.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension?
Decline diamond push-ups are an effective bodyweight substitute; elevate your feet and keep hands close to form a diamond. Cue: keep elbows tucked and lower with control to emphasize triceps peak contraction and replicate elbow-extension loading.
Can I build muscle without doing EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension?
Yes. Progressive overload through alternatives like close-grip bench press, cable extensions, skull crushers, and weighted dips will build triceps size. Focus on gradual load increases, strict elbow-extension mechanics, and adequate volume for hypertrophy.
More Exercise Alternatives
Find Alternatives for Any Exercise
Use our free tool to discover the best substitute exercises based on your available equipment and goals.
Try the Exercise Substitution Finder →