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Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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Explore/Triceps

Overhead Cable Extension

CableIsolationEasy to learn
Front
Back
Primary

Works

Triceps

You need

Cable station

Cable station setup →

How to do it

  1. 1Face away from the pulley, rope behind your head
  2. 2Elbows point forward and stay put
  3. 3Get a deep stretch at the bottom

Most common mistake

Elbows drifting down so it turns into a press.

Watch a demo
S
For triceps
#1 of 20
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Research
95
Published rubric
Lifters
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0/10 ratings
Results
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From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 951 study
Target tension · 35%5/5
Loaded stretch · 25%5/5
Progression · 20%5/5
Low cost · 20%4/5

Overhead extensions grew the triceps about 1.4× more than the arm-at-side version in a 12-week study.

  • Maeo et al., 2023: Overhead cable extensions grew the triceps about 1.4× more than the same exercise with the arm at the side, over 12 weeks. (21 untrained adults; one study.)
How scores work

Machine taken? Swap to

  • STriceps Extension MachineMachine
  • SOverhead EZ-Bar ExtensionBarbell
  • AOverhead Dumbbell ExtensionDumbbell
  • SCross-Body Cable ExtensionCable

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