triceps with EZ-bar
5 exercises for triceps you can do with EZ-bar.
The triceps make up roughly two-thirds of your arm's muscle mass, but it's easy to underestimate how much your choice of equipment matters. The EZ-bar's angled grip positions your wrists in a more neutral position than a straight barbell, reducing stress on joints and tendons without compromising resistance.
The five exercises on this page hit your triceps from different angles—from bodyweight movements to pressing work. You can run them as a dedicated triceps session or place them at the end of a pressing or arm day when the muscle is already warmed up.
Pick Your Starting Point
Bodyweight dips are a natural choice to begin with. This movement requires no bar at all, but it teaches you to control the elbow joint in isolation—a skill that transfers directly to your barbell work.
When you pick up the EZ-bar, Close-Grip EZ-Bar Triceps Press is the most straightforward variation: you press vertically, elbows point forward, and your triceps carry the entire movement. It's a solid foundational lift that builds strength without demanding technical precision.
EZ-Bar Overhead Triceps Press is similar but differs in grip angle and bar path—making it a useful complement rather than a duplicate. Try both for a training cycle and feel which one gives you better muscle connection.
Lying Presses—More Muscle Focus
Both lying variations are performed on a bench and isolate your triceps in a way standing presses can't quite match.
Lying Triceps Press is the classic: the bar descends along a controlled path toward your forehead or just above it, elbows stay locked in place, and the full range of motion works all three triceps heads. It's a heavy, direct exercise.
Lying Triceps Press with Close Grip to Chin differs by bringing the bar closer to your chin at the bottom, changing the leverage and emphasizing the long head slightly more. It requires better body awareness but pays dividends for varying stimulus over time.
Form That Holds Up
The most common technical mistake across all these exercises is letting your elbows drift outward during the movement. Keep them locked in place and pointing in the direction of the press—otherwise the load spreads into your shoulders and chest, killing the triceps-specific work.
Progression is simple: choose a weight you can handle for 8–10 reps with full control, then add weight or reps when it starts to feel easy. The EZ-bar rarely allows the same max weight as a straight bar, but that's part of the point—manageable resistance and solid form outlast heavy weight with sloppy technique.