10 Best Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin Alternatives for Elbow Pain

If you can't do the lying close-grip EZ-bar triceps press-to-chin, use skull crushers, close-grip bench press, rope pushdowns, dumbbell lying extensions, or bench dips. Focus on driving through the elbow joint, keep elbows tucked, and control the eccentric to maintain triceps activation and limit shoulder involvement.

Original Exercise: Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin

Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin
Primary Muscle
Triceps
Equipment
Ez-barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
How to Perform Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin
  1. While holding a barbell or EZ Curl bar with a pronated grip (palms facing forward), lie on your back on a flat bench with your head off the end of the bench. Tip: If you are holding a barbell grab it using a shoulder-width grip and if you are using an E-Z Bar grab it on the inner handles.
  2. Extend your arms in front of you as you hold the barbell over your chest. The arms should be perpendicular to your torso (90-degree angle). This will be your starting position.
  3. As you inhale, lower the bar in a semi-circular motion by bending at the elbows and while keeping the upper arm stationary and elbows in. Keep lowering the bar until it lightly touches your chin.
  4. As you exhale bring the bar back up to the starting position by pushing the bar up in a semi-circular motion. Contract the triceps hard at the top of the movement for a second. Tip: Again, only the forearms should move. The upper arms should remain stationary at all times.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Isolation

Best Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin Alternatives

Best Match
Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

1. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

99.2% 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.
Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher

2. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher

99.2% 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.
Ez Barbell Decline Triceps Extension

3. Ez Barbell Decline Triceps Extension

97.9% 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.
Dumbbell Incline Triceps Extension

4. Dumbbell Incline Triceps Extension

96% Match
Triceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards.
  2. Extend your arms fully overhead, keeping your elbows close to your head.
  3. Lower the dumbbells behind your head by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
  4. Pause for a moment, then raise the dumbbells back to the starting position by extending your arms.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension

5. Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension

96% 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 Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

6. Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

95.3% 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.
Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension

7. Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension

95.2% Match
Triceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Lift the dumbbells back to the starting position by contracting the triceps and exhaling.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press

8. Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press

95% 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.
Dumbbell Tate Press

9. Dumbbell Tate Press

94.7% 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.
Dumbbell Tricep Extension -Pronated Grip

10. Dumbbell Tricep Extension -Pronated Grip

94.4% 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.

Why You Might Need a Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin Alternative

You may swap this exercise for several reasons: lack of an EZ-bar, wrist or elbow pain, limited bench access, or a desire for different triceps emphasis. The lying close-grip press emphasizes horizontal elbow extension and loads the medial/lateral heads; overhead or rope variations shift load toward the long head and reduce wrist torque. If the EZ-bar aggravates your wrists, switch to neutral-grip dumbbells or a rope while keeping your elbows tucked and stopping short of hyperextension. Substitutes let you preserve triceps hypertrophy while managing joint stress, equipment limits, or training variety.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Choose a substitute based on the triceps head you want to target, available equipment, and joint tolerance. For long-head emphasis pick overhead extensions (dumbbell or cable) with the shoulder flexed; cue a vertical upper arm and full but controlled elbow extension. For heavy compound capacity use close-grip bench press and keep the bar path over the sternum while tucking elbows to reduce shoulder torque. If you have unilateral weakness, pick dumbbell lying extensions and use strict tempo (2-3s eccentric) to reinforce balanced activation. Prioritize a movement you can load progressively while maintaining clean elbow tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin work?

It primarily targets the triceps brachii through elbow extension, stressing the medial and lateral heads via horizontal elbow extension. The shoulders act mainly as stabilizers, so keep your scapula pinned and drive from the elbow to maximize triceps recruitment.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin?

Bench dips or parallel-bar dips are the best bodyweight swaps; they load the triceps through elbow extension and allow progressive difficulty. Keep your torso vertical to emphasize triceps and avoid excessive shoulder flexion to protect the long head and anterior shoulder.

Can I build muscle without doing Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin?

Yes. You can achieve triceps hypertrophy with alternatives like skull crushers, rope pushdowns, close-grip bench press, and overhead extensions by matching tension, volume, and progressive overload. Maintain strict elbow-driven reps and controlled eccentrics to ensure equivalent muscle activation.

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