The Behind-The-Noggin Barbell Annihilator: Flat-Back Arm Smashers

Pressure Cascade · Mechanism

Hold onto your skulls, folks, because we're about to lower a barbell behind our heads while lying flat on a bench, and yes, it sounds as terrifying as it feels. The lying close-grip barbell triceps extension behind the head is an intermediate move that targets the long head of your triceps with the kind of focused aggression usually reserved for removing stubborn jar lids.

You lie on a flat bench holding a barbell with a close grip — hands about shoulder-width apart — arms extended straight up toward the ceiling. Then you bend your elbows and lower the bar behind your head, past your noggin, until you feel a deep stretch in your triceps. Then you press it back up. The behind-the-head position stretches the long head of the tricep more than the standard skull crusher, which is fitness code for "it hurts more but works better." Your elbows should stay pointing straight up the entire time — no flaring outward like you're trying to signal a rescue helicopter. Keep them pinned, keep them strict, and let your triceps do the heavy lifting.

This exercise is the secret weapon for building the long head of the tricep, which is the part that gives your arm that coveted horseshoe shape when you flex. You know the one — it's the shape that makes people do a double-take and wonder if you're a professional arm wrestler or just really dedicated to tricep training. The barbell allows you to go heavier than dumbbells, and the behind-the-head position provides a superior stretch. Lie down, lower behind the head, and smash those triceps into submission. Your arms will thank you every time you wear a sleeveless shirt, which will be often, because you'll refuse to wear anything else.