The Top Tricep Exercise You Are NOT Performing For Tricep Gains!

Aug 18

When it comes to building massive arms, most lifters obsess over the biceps. But if you’re truly serious about building sleeve-busting arms, the triceps are where you should put your focus. The triceps make up nearly two-thirds of your upper arm mass, and if you want thick, powerful arms, you can’t afford to neglect them. The problem is, many lifters keep recycling the same old triceps exercises: pushdowns, skull crushers, and close-grip bench presses. While these are great, they often leave out one of the most effective movements for unlocking raw strength and size in the triceps: the Dead Stop Tricep Extension.

This underrated exercise is rarely seen in commercial gyms but is a favorite among powerlifters and strength athletes. It not only helps pack on tricep mass but also directly translates into stronger pressing power for the bench press, overhead press, and even push variations in strongman. In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the dead stop tricep extension, including what it is, why it’s so effective, how to perform it correctly, how to program it, and how it stacks up against more popular tricep movements. By the end, you’ll understand why this might be the missing link in your tricep development and pressing strength.

PS - Did you know, Harvesting Strength provides a specific one-on-one protocol for strength athletes? If you feel you’re looking for more one-on-one focus with programming, click here to learn more about Harvesting Strength!

What is the Dead Stop Tricep Extension?

The dead stop tricep extension is a variation of the traditional lying tricep extension (commonly called the skull crusher). The difference lies in how the movement begins and ends: instead of performing continuous repetitions where the triceps are always under tension, the dead stop variation involves lowering the bar or dumbbells to a fixed surface (usually the floor, a foam pad, or a rack pin) and resetting each rep from a complete stop.

Think of it like the difference between a touch-and-go deadlift and a dead stop deadlift. When you eliminate the stretch reflex and momentum, you force the muscle—in this case, the triceps—to recruit maximum force from the very bottom of the movement. This makes the exercise brutally effective at developing strength at the start of the extension, where many lifters tend to be weakest.

Why the Dead Stop Matters

To understand why this exercise works so well, let’s look at what happens during a typical tricep extension. Most lifters rely heavily on elastic tension from the tendons and stored energy during the eccentric (lowering) phase. When you immediately press back up, your body cheats by using that stretch reflex to help rebound the weight. Over time, this limits true strength development because you’re never fully challenging the triceps to fire from a dead start.

The dead stop variation removes this cheat code. By pausing the bar at the bottom and starting fresh each rep, you:

Eliminate momentum – Every rep is pure tricep strength.
Increase motor unit recruitment – The triceps are forced to contract harder to overcome inertia.
Build strength in the bottom position – This translates directly into pressing power for bench and overhead lifts.
Reduce elbow stress – Surprisingly, many lifters find the pause at the bottom reduces wear and tear compared to continuous skull crushers.

How to Perform the Dead Stop Tricep Extension

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown to ensure proper form:

Set up your surface – Use a flat bench with safety pins in a rack, or simply lie on the floor. If using the floor, the bar should touch your upper arms or just behind your head when lowered.
Choose your implement – A barbell (EZ curl bar is preferred for wrist comfort) or dumbbells both work. Dumbbells allow for a more natural wrist position, while a barbell lets you overload more weight.
Grip and position – Lie flat on your back with the bar extended over your chest. Keep elbows tucked in rather than flared.
Lower under control – Slowly bend the elbows and lower the weight until it touches the floor, pad, or pins.
Pause briefly – Let the weight come to a full stop. Don’t bounce it—this defeats the purpose.
Press up explosively – Drive the bar back to full lockout, squeezing the triceps hard at the top.
Repeat for reps – Every rep should start from a true dead stop.

Benefits of the Dead Stop Tricep Extension

1. Stronger Bench Press and Overhead Press

The dead stop extension strengthens the triceps in the exact position where most lifters fail—the transition from the bottom to the mid-range of the press. This makes it one of the best assistance lifts for lockout strength and pressing power.

2. Greater Hypertrophy Potential

By eliminating momentum, the triceps handle more true tension. This increases time under tension in a way that actually stimulates growth rather than letting momentum carry the load.

3. Improved Joint Health

Continuous skull crushers often aggravate the elbows. The dead stop gives your joints a brief reprieve between reps, often making it more tolerable over the long haul.

4. Better Tricep Recruitment

Because each rep starts from a dead stop, there’s no hiding weak links. All three heads of the triceps—the long, medial, and lateral—are forced to engage.

5. Explosive Power Development

The pause builds starting strength, which carries over into explosive pressing. This is especially useful for athletes who need power in sports beyond lifting.

Programming the Dead Stop Tricep Extension

Like any accessory exercise, the dead stop tricep extension should be programmed with your main goal in mind. Here are some guidelines:

For Strength: 3–5 sets of 4–6 reps with heavier loads. Focus on explosive lockout and controlled lowering.
As Bench Assistance: Perform them after your main press of the day (bench or overhead). They complement pressing strength perfectly.
Frequency: 1–2 times per week is sufficient for most lifters.

Variations of the Dead Stop Tricep Extension

Floor Barbell Dead Stop Extensions – The simplest version, done on the floor. Great for learning the movement and limiting range of motion.
Pin-Set Extensions – Performed in a rack with safety pins set just behind your head. Allows for precise depth control and heavier loading.
Dumbbell Dead Stops – Each arm works independently, fixing imbalances and giving wrists a break.
Incline Dead Stops – Adds a different angle to hit the triceps and increases stretch.
Neutral Grip Swiss Bar Extensions – Fantastic for lifters with elbow pain, since the neutral grip is more joint-friendly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Bouncing off the floor/pins – Removes tension and risks injury.
Elbows flaring wide – Shifts work off the triceps and onto shoulders.
Not pausing long enough – The key is a complete dead stop, not a tap-and-go.
Going too heavy too soon – Form breaks down quickly if overloaded. Master technique first.

Example Tricep-Focused Training Day

Here’s how you might program the dead stop tricep extension into a pressing workout:

Bench Press (Strength Focus) – 4x5 @ 75–80%
Overhead Press – 3x6
Dead Stop Tricep Extensions – 4x8
Dips (Weighted if possible) – 3x10
Cable Rope Pushdowns (Finisher) – 3x15–20

This setup gives you a heavy compound, a secondary press, a tricep strength builder, and some high-rep finishers for volume.

Progression with the Dead Stop Extension

Like any lift, progressive overload is key. You can progress in multiple ways:

Adding Weight – Small increases over time.
Adding Reps – Aim to push the rep range slightly higher before adding weight.
Decreasing Rest – For hypertrophy blocks, shorten rest periods to increase stress.
ROM Adjustments – Start with partial ranges if needed, then increase depth over time.

For long-term growth, cycle between strength-focused (lower reps, higher weight) and hypertrophy-focused (higher reps, moderate weight) blocks.

Why You’re Probably Not Doing This Exercise (Yet)

The dead stop tricep extension isn’t flashy. You won’t see many influencers showing it off. It’s tough, humbling, and forces strict form. That’s exactly why most lifters skip it—and why you shouldn’t. The best strength builders often aren’t glamorous but are brutally effective when applied consistently.

Final Thoughts

If your triceps aren’t growing, or if your bench press lockout feels weak, the missing piece might not be more pushdowns or endless skull crushers—it might be the Dead Stop Tricep Extension. This movement strips away momentum, forces your triceps to do the hard work, and builds the kind of starting strength and size that carry over into every pressing movement you do.

Add it to your training once or twice per week, progress it smartly, and give it time. In a few months, you’ll likely see your pressing strength climb, your elbows feel healthier, and your arms take on that thick, powerful look that only serious tricep development can deliver.

The dead stop tricep extension is, without question, the top tricep exercise you are not performing for tricep gains—but should be.

Joseph Lucero