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OVERHEAD
TRICEPS (ELBOW) DUMBBELL EXTENSIONS
CORRECT FORM
1)
Sitting or standing, hold a dumbbell in the spaces between your
thumb and first finger.
Your hands should be over-lapping. Raise the dumbbell overhead.
Keep your shoulders straight up over your head. |
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2)
Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head. Bring it down until
your elbows are completely bent.
3) Lift the dumbbell straight up into the air and overhead.
Do not lock your elbows at the top. |
4) Exhale as you lift the dumbbell overhead. Inhale as you lower it.
MUSCLES
USED
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS/PRECAUTIONS
Overhead triceps
extensions should be safe for those without any elbow or shoulder
problems. Be sure that you feel tension and fatigue in the triceps
muscles.
For some, the elbows can become sore because of the deep bend in the
elbows that occurs with this exercise. If you experience pain in the
elbows, try limiting how deep you lower the dumbbell.
The most obvious concern is for the people who don't pay attention
and drop the dumbbell. Be sure to grip it in the manner suggested.
When you are finished, lower it off to the side as opposed to on your
lap orbehind you. Your arms will likely be fatigued.
Also, stop if you have shoulder pain (occurs in some) because this
means you are likely incurring stress under the roof of the shoulder
(the acromion) where the rotator cuff tendons reside. The only place
you should feel tension and fatigue is in the triceps muscle itself.
EFFECTIVENESS
This
exercise ranks lower in terms of effectiveness as compared to other
triceps exercises. Exercises such as lying
triceps/elbow extensions, machine
pressdowns, close-grip
bench, create more significant triceps stress in a safer manner.
You will not be able to train with weight that is very heavy because
of the awkward angle of the arms (shoulders fully raised overhead).
While this is still a very effective exercise for bodybuilders, most
others can train the triceps in less awkward position.
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