Arms · Cable
Cable Overhead Triceps Extension Straight Bar
How to do the cable overhead triceps extension straight bar, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set a cable to a low pulley and attach a straight bar. Face away from the machine, press the bar overhead, and keep your upper arms beside your ears. Lower the bar behind your head by bending your elbows, then extend back up to full lockout, keeping your elbows pointed forward.
- 1A stretch in your triceps as the bar lowers behind your head
- 2Your upper arms staying fixed beside your ears
- 3A hard triceps squeeze as you lock out overhead
Common mistakes
- Letting your elbows flare wide as you extend
- Arching your lower back to press the bar up
- Dropping your upper arms forward instead of keeping them vertical
Muscles worked
The cable overhead triceps extension straight bar mainly works the triceps.
- TricepsPrimary
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the cable overhead triceps extension straight bar for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More triceps exercises
- How to do the bent-over tricep extension
- How to do the crossbody tricep extension
- How to do the cable katana tricep extension
- How to do the cable single arm tricep extension
- How to do the kickback
- How to do the lying tricep extension
Last reviewed June 2026.