Triceps Extension (Modified)
The modified triceps extension is performed lying on the floor, where the ground gently caps the range as the elbows travel back, making the movement friendlier for beginners and cranky elbows. Maddy uses it as the entry version before the full lying extension on a bench. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3-4 × 5-6 reps | 90-120 s |
| Muscle | 3 × 9-12 reps | 60-90 s |
| Endurance | 2 × 18-25 reps | 30-45 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
Beginner; the floor removes the riskiest range, so this is where extension technique gets built.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Lie on the floor, knees bent, dumbbells pressed above the chest with palms facing in.
- Angle the upper arms slightly toward your head and hold them still.
- Bend the elbows to lower the dumbbells until the upper arms or dumbbell heads lightly meet the floor.
- Let the floor contact be a soft touch — never a rest stop.
- Extend smoothly back to straight, knuckles finishing over the chest.
Breathing: Inhale on the lower toward the floor, exhale as the arms straighten.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program triceps extension (modified)
| Goal | Phase | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| strength | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 6 | 3-0-1-0 | 90–120 s | 7 |
| strength | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 4 | 5–6 | 3-0-1-0 | 90–120 s | 8 |
| strength | weeks 9–12 · peak | 4 | 5 | 3-1-1-0 | 90–120 s | 8–9 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 12 | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 7 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3 | 10 | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 8 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 9–12 · peak | 3 | 9 | 3-1-2-0 | 60–90 s | 8 |
| endurance | weeks 1–4 · build | 2 | 18, light | 2-0-2-0 | 30–45 s | 6 |
| endurance | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 2 | 22, light | 2-0-2-0 | 30–45 s | 6–7 |
| endurance | weeks 9–12 · peak | 2 | 25, light | 2-0-2-0 | 30–45 s | 7 |
| beginner | weeks 1–4 · learn | 2 | 8, very light dumbbells | 3-0-2-0 | 90 s | 5 |
| beginner | weeks 5–8 · groove | 2 | 10 | 3-0-2-0 | 90 s | 5–6 |
| beginner | weeks 9–12 · load | 3 | 10 | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 6 |
Tempo = eccentric-pause-concentric-pause, seconds (X = explosive intent).
Common questions
Why do this on the floor instead of a bench?
The floor acts as a built-in depth gauge: the elbows can only travel to where the upper arms meet the ground, which removes the deepest, most demanding part of the stretch while you build strength and control. That makes the floor version the sensible starting point at home, and the natural regression whenever the full-range bench version irritates the elbows.
Can I do this with one dumbbell held in both hands?
Yes — holding one dumbbell by the inner plates with both hands is a legitimate variation that stabilises the path and suits anyone with only a single weight at home. The elbows still do all the moving and the same rules apply: upper arms frozen, soft floor touch, smooth extension. Two dumbbells simply add an independent-arm challenge you can graduate to.
When should I move from the modified to the full version?
When three signals line up: you complete your target sets with a one-second floor touch and zero elbow complaints, the dumbbells travel the same path every rep, and the load has progressed at least once. At that point the bench version — where the elbows can travel deeper than the floor allows — gives your triceps new range to grow into.
Is the floor version easier on my shoulders than doing extensions on a bench?
For many people, yes. The floor caps how far the elbows can travel back, which limits the deep stretch position where shoulder and elbow discomfort most often appears. Your upper arms also have a natural end-point of range to work against, making the movement easier to standardise rep to rep. That built-in safety margin is exactly why this version suits beginners and anyone returning after a break. Once full-range floor reps feel strong and comfortable, the bench version becomes the natural progression for extra range.
How do I stop my elbows flaring out to the sides during floor extensions?
Flaring elbows turn the movement into a strange pressing pattern and take work off the triceps. Set your upper arms vertical, squeeze them gently toward each other as though holding a ball between them, and keep that squeeze for the whole set. Lighter dumbbells make this dramatically easier — flare is usually a load problem before it is a technique problem. A slow three-second lower gives you time to notice drift and correct it mid-rep. If they still wander, film a set from the front.
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