TRX Tricep Extension
The TRX triceps extension is a bodyweight exercise on a suspension trainer where you lean forward holding the handles above your head and bend and straighten your elbows to move your body. It works the triceps, with the arms raised so the long head is trained at a longer length than in a pushdown.
Also called: Suspension Tricep Extension, TRX Skull Crusher, Suspension Triceps Extension, Suspension Trainer Triceps Press · Equipment: suspension · Pattern: isolation
Step by step
- Set the straps to mid length and stand facing away from the anchor, holding a handle in each hand with your palms facing down.
- Raise your arms in front of you to about head height and walk your feet back until the straps are tight and your body leans forward in a straight line.
- Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes so your body stays one straight line from head to heels.
- Keeping your upper arms still, bend your elbows so your head travels forward towards the handles and your hands finish beside or just above your forehead.
- Straighten your elbows to push your body back to the start, moving only at the elbows.
- Keep your elbows pointing forward and about shoulder-width apart throughout the set.
- After the last rep, walk your feet forward until you are standing upright, then release the handles.
- Elbows point forward and stay still
- Body in one straight line
- Head travels towards your hands
- Straighten your arms to push back
- Walk your feet back to make it harder
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Triceps brachii: long head | Prime mover | C |
| Triceps brachii: lateral head | Prime mover | D |
| Triceps brachii: medial head | Prime mover | C |
| Rectus abdominis | Stabiliser | D |
| Latissimus dorsi | Stabiliser | D |
| Serratus anterior | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Elbows flaring out
Fix: Keep your elbows pointing forward and about shoulder-width apart.
Hips sagging
Fix: Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes before each rep.
Upper arms dropping
Fix: Hold your upper arms at head height and move only at the elbows.
Body angle too steep
Fix: Step your feet forward until you can bend your elbows fully with control.
Partial range
Fix: Bend your elbows until your hands reach your forehead on each rep.
What the research says
Muscle growthGeneral fitnessEndurance
- Arm position — A 12-week trial found more triceps growth when the arm was trained overhead than by the side, driven by the long head. This exercise raises the arms in front of the head but was not tested in that trial.
- Load and effort — Research finds muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure, and true failure adds only a small extra benefit, so bodyweight sets can build muscle.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns.
- Progression — Common ways to progress are walking the feet further back or slowing the elbow bend. There is no research comparing these options.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the trx tricep extension in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.