10 Best Lying Triceps Press Alternatives for Limited Equipment
If you can't perform the Lying Triceps Press, use close-grip bench press, dumbbell skull crushers, or overhead rope extensions to target elbow extension. Cue a controlled eccentric: keep elbows tucked, lower under tension, and extend through the triceps to emphasize long-head and lateral-head activation for hypertrophy.
Original Exercise: Lying Triceps Press
How to Perform Lying Triceps Press
- Lie on a flat bench with either an e-z bar (my preference) or a straight bar placed on the floor behind your head and your feet on the floor.
- Grab the bar behind you, using a medium overhand (pronated) grip, and raise the bar in front of you at arms length. Tip: The arms should be perpendicular to the torso and the floor. The elbows should be tucked in. This is the starting position.
- As you breathe in, slowly lower the weight until the bar lightly touches your forehead while keeping the upper arms and elbows stationary.
- At that point, use the triceps to bring the weight back up to the starting position as you breathe out.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Push
- Movement type: Isolation
Best Lying Triceps Press Alternatives
1. Ez Barbell Decline Triceps Extension
93.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
2. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension
93.7% 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 Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
93.7% 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.
4. Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher
91.3% 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.
5. Dumbbell Tricep Extension -Pronated Grip
90.4% 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.
6. Dumbbell Incline Two Arm Extension
89.9% 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.
7. Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension
89.7% 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.
8. Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension
89.3% 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.
9. Dumbbell Tate Press
89.1% 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.
10. Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension
88.9% 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.
Why You Might Need a Lying Triceps Press Alternative
You might substitute the Lying Triceps Press for several reasons: lack of an EZ-bar, elbow or wrist pain from the supinated grip, or a need for unilateral work to fix imbalances. Altering shoulder angle changes long-head length-tension, so switching to overhead extensions increases long-head stretch while close-grip presses shift load toward the lateral and medial heads. Use cues such as keeping the elbows stationary on skull crushers or driving through the palms on close-grip presses to control triceps activation and reduce joint stress.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute by matching your goal, equipment, and joint tolerance. For hypertrophy with limited gear, pick dumbbell skull crushers and use a 3–4 second eccentric to increase time under tension; keep elbows fixed to maximize triceps isolation. If you need strength and higher loading, choose close-grip bench press and cue a tight scapular pack and full elbow lockout to load the triceps and chest safely. Prioritize exercises that let you control elbow torque and maintain consistent range of motion for progressive overload.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Lying Triceps Press work?
The Lying Triceps Press primarily targets the three heads of the triceps—long, lateral, and medial—through elbow extension. The long head receives extra tension when the shoulder is extended, while the lateral head contributes to lockout force during the concentric phase.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Lying Triceps Press?
A diamond (triangle) push-up is the top bodyweight substitute: place hands under the sternum forming a diamond, keep elbows close, and lower until elbows reach 90° to bias triceps activation. For higher intensity, perform decline diamond push-ups to increase long-head stretch and loading.
Can I build muscle without doing Lying Triceps Press?
Yes. You can achieve comparable triceps hypertrophy with exercises like close-grip bench press, dips, overhead extensions, and skull crushers by applying progressive overload and strict technique. Cue full lockout, controlled eccentrics, and consistent range of motion to ensure effective triceps recruitment.
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