The dumbbell lying elbow press is an upper arm exercise targeting the tricep, performed while lying on a bench and pressing dumbbells by extending the elbows.
Also Works
ChestShoulders
How to Perform
1
Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other and arms extended straight up over your chest.
2
Lower the dumbbells towards your shoulders by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
3
Pause for a moment at the bottom, then press the dumbbells back up to the starting position by extending your elbows.
4
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Keep your elbows tight to your sides throughout the press to maximize triceps engagement over chest involvement.
•Lower the dumbbells slowly toward your shoulders, stopping when your elbows reach 90 degrees before pressing back up.
•Maintain the neutral grip (palms facing each other) throughout to keep the emphasis on the triceps rather than shifting to a Chest Press.
Common Mistakes
•Flaring the elbows out to the sides, which turns this into a standard Chest Press and reduces triceps activation.
•Lowering the dumbbells too far past 90 degrees, which puts excessive strain on the elbows.
•Bouncing at the bottom of the rep instead of pausing, which uses elastic rebound rather than triceps strength.