Cobra Triceps Extension

Equipment

Also known as

How to do it

Lie face down with your legs straight and the tops of your feet on the floor. Place your hands flat on the floor beside your chest, fingers pointing forward and elbows pointing back.

1. 1.Keep your elbows tucked close to your sides.
2. 2.Press through your palms and straighten your arms to lift your chest off the floor, keeping your hips down.
3. 3.Lift until your arms are straight or until you reach a comfortable bend in your back.
4. 4.Pause briefly at the top with your shoulders pulled down away from your ears.
5. 5.Bend your elbows to lower your chest back to the floor under control.

Common mistakes

• Flaring your elbows out wide.
• Lifting your hips off the floor, which turns the movement into a push-up.
• Throwing your head back at the top.
• Dropping to the floor instead of lowering.

Variations

Paused cobra extension

Hold the top position for two seconds on each rep to spend longer with the triceps working.

Partial-range cobra extension

Press only halfway up if the full range feels like too much bend in your lower back.

Alternatives

• Push-up: A full bodyweight press for the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
• Triceps Dip: A bench dip that trains the triceps with your body weight.
• Tricep Pushdown: A cable exercise that isolates the triceps with adjustable weight.
• Dumbbell Tricep Extension: An overhead dumbbell extension for the triceps.

Related exercises

Pike Push-upFront delts, Side delts, TricepsHandstand Push-upFront delts, TricepsTricep StretchTricepsWeighted Push-upChest, TricepsArnold PressFront delts, Side delts, TricepsClose Grip Bench PressTriceps