Arms · Mobility

Overhead Triceps Stretch

The overhead triceps stretch is a standing or seated stretch where one arm goes overhead, the elbow bends and the hand drops behind your head. Your other hand gently presses the elbow back. It lengthens the back of the upper arm and is common after pressing or triceps workouts.

Also known as: Triceps stretch, Behind the head triceps stretch, Overhead arm stretch

Muscle group: Arms
Movement pattern: Mobility
Type: Isolation
Equipment: Bodyweight
Difficulty: Beginner

What muscles does the overhead triceps stretch work?

Primary movers

Triceps brachii (long head)

Assisting muscles

Latissimus dorsi
Teres major
Posterior deltoid

The long head of the triceps is the main target. It crosses both the shoulder and the elbow, so it is stretched most when your arm is overhead and your elbow is bent, which is the position of this stretch.

The lats and teres major lengthen as the arm goes overhead. Leaning slightly to the side adds more of a lat stretch, and you may feel it along the side of your ribs.

The back of the shoulder helps to hold the raised arm in place. If you have tight shoulders, you might feel the stretch there more than in the triceps.

Keep your ribs down and your neck relaxed. Press gently on the elbow, since forcing the stretch can irritate the elbow or shoulder.

How to do the overhead triceps stretch

Setup

1
Stand or sit tall with your feet hip width apart.
2
Raise one arm overhead.
3
Bend that elbow so your hand drops behind your head toward your upper back.
4
Keep your ribs down so your lower back does not arch.

Execution

1
Reach your other hand up and place it on the raised elbow.
2
Gently press the elbow back and toward your head until you feel a stretch along the back of the upper arm.
3
Keep your head up and your neck long.
4
Breathe slowly and hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
5
Lean slightly to the side if you want to add a lat stretch.
6
Release slowly and repeat on the other side.

Common overhead triceps stretch mistakes

Pushing the head forward

It strains the neck and takes the focus off the arm.

The fix: Keep your head up and in line with your spine.

Arching the lower back

The stretch moves to the spine and the ribs flare.

The fix: Keep your ribs down and gently brace your abs.

Pulling hard on the elbow

Too much force can irritate the elbow and shoulder.

The fix: Use gentle pressure and stop if you feel sharp pain.

Holding the breath

It increases tension and makes it harder to relax into the stretch.

The fix: Breathe slowly and exhale as you ease deeper.

How many sets and reps?

Goal	Sets	Reps	Load	Rest
Flexibility	2–3	20–30 s per side	Gentle stretch, no pain	15–30 s
Cool-down	2	20–30 s per side	Gentle stretch, no pain	15 s
Warm-up	1–2	10–15 s per side	Gentle stretch, no pain	None

Do this stretch after pressing or triceps work, when the muscles are warm. Hold it long enough to feel a mild pull without pain, and keep it short before lifting so it does not leave you less stable.

Running the overhead triceps stretch in your next block? Hercules logs every set, shows last session's numbers before you lift, and suggests when to add weight.

Get it on Google Play