Arms · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Seated Bench Extension
How to do the dumbbell seated bench extension, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Sit on a bench holding a dumbbell overhead with both hands, arms extended. Keeping your upper arms vertical and close to your head, bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head, then extend back up to lock out. This seated overhead extension isolates the triceps.
- 1Feel your triceps stretch at the bottom and contract as you extend
- 2Keep your upper arms vertical and your elbows pointing forward
- 3Drive to a full lockout, then lower slowly behind your head
Common mistakes
- Don't flare your elbows out wide as you press up
- Avoid arching your lower back to heave the weight overhead
- Don't let your upper arms drop forward; only your forearms move
Muscles worked
The dumbbell seated bench extension mainly works the triceps, with the forearms assisting.
- TricepsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell seated bench extension 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.