Lying Close-Grip Barbell Triceps Extension Behind The Head
This is a lying triceps extension where you lower a close-grip barbell past your forehead toward the floor behind your head, instead of stopping at the forehead like a standard skull crusher. That extra range puts more stretch on the long head of the triceps, the part that crosses the shoulder joint. It's an intermediate isolation move best used once you already handle a regular skull crusher with clean elbow control.
Why it works
The triceps has three heads, and the long head is the only one that crosses the shoulder as well as the elbow. Lowering the bar behind your head, rather than just to your forehead, stretches that long head across both joints at once, which is why lifters use this variation specifically to target it. The close grip also keeps your hands narrow enough that the triceps, not the chest, does the pressing work on the way back up.
Set up
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet planted on the floor.
- Hold a barbell with a close, shoulder-width or slightly narrower grip, arms extended straight up over your chest.
- Have a spotter nearby if you're using a challenging weight, since the bar travels close to your face and head.
- Brace your core so your lower back stays in contact with the bench.
How to do it
- Start with the bar locked out directly above your shoulders.
- Bend only at the elbows, letting the bar travel back and down past your forehead toward the floor behind your head.
- Lower until you feel a firm stretch through the back of your upper arm, keeping your upper arms roughly fixed.
- Reverse the movement by extending your elbows, bringing the bar back up and forward to the starting position.
- Lock out just short of the elbows fully snapping straight.
- Repeat for the set, keeping the motion smooth on both the way down and the way up.
Form cues
- Upper arms stay close to fixed, only the forearms swing.
- Lower under control, don't let the bar drop toward your head.
- Keep your elbows pointed forward, not flared out.
- Stop the stretch the moment your shoulders start to round forward.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower the bar behind your head, exhale as you press it back to the starting position.
Common mistakes
Letting the elbows flare outward as the bar lowers, which shifts stress toward the shoulders.
Fix: Keep your elbows tracking forward and close together throughout the descent.
Dropping the bar too fast toward the head instead of lowering with control.
Fix: Slow the descent down and use a weight light enough that you can stop the bar at any point in the range.
Going for a deeper stretch than your shoulders can handle comfortably.
Fix: Only lower as far as you can while keeping your shoulder blades pinned to the bench; a smaller range with good control beats a painful deep one.
How to program it
- This is a demanding stretch position for the shoulder, so once a week as part of an arm or push day is enough for most lifters.
- Use it after your main pressing work is done, since it's an isolation finisher rather than a strength builder.
- 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps with a weight you can fully control through the deep stretch is a reasonable starting point.
Safety notes
- Have a spotter on hand for anything past a light warm-up weight, since the bar travels near your head.
- Stop lowering the bar the moment you feel pinching in the front of the shoulder rather than pushing for extra range.
- Skip this variation on days your shoulders already feel tight or irritated and use a standard skull crusher instead.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Push
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
How many sets and reps for the lying close-grip barbell triceps extension behind the head?
Three sets of 8 to 12 reps once a week, placed after your main pressing work, is a solid starting point given how demanding the stretch position is.
Is the behind-the-head triceps extension safe for the shoulders?
It's more demanding on the shoulders than a standard skull crusher because of the deeper stretch. Use a lighter weight than you'd use for a regular skull crusher and stop the descent if you feel any pinching.
What can I do instead if a barbell feels awkward behind my head?
A dumbbell skullcrusher lets each arm move independently and doesn't require the bar to travel as close to your head, which many lifters find more comfortable.
Behind-the-head extension vs regular skull crusher: what's the real difference?
A regular skull crusher stops the bar around forehead level. Lowering it further behind the head adds extra stretch specifically to the long head of the triceps, the portion that also crosses the shoulder joint.