Single-Arm Overhead Cable Extension
A standing single-arm cable extension with the handle held overhead, straightening the elbow against constant tension.
How to do it
- Attach a single handle to the low pulley of a cable stack and select your weight.
- Take the handle in one hand and turn to face away from the machine.
- Raise the working arm overhead so the upper arm sits beside your head.
- Bend the elbow to let the handle travel down behind your head under control.
- Extend the elbow to press the handle back overhead, stopping short of a hard lockout.
- Complete the set, then swap hands and repeat on the other side.
Key technique cue
Upper arm beside the head and still — extend only the elbow, no leaning forward.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Letting the upper arm swing forward and back, which turns the lift into a shoulder movement.
- ✕ Snapping into lockout, which unloads the triceps and irritates the elbow.
- ✕ Standing too close to the stack, so the cable angle pulls the arm out of position.
- ✕ Leaning far forward to shift the weight, which recruits the torso rather than the arm.
Benefits
- ✓ Cable tension stays on the triceps through the whole range, including lockout.
- ✓ The overhead position loads the long head of the triceps under stretch.
- ✓ Training one arm at a time makes side-to-side differences visible.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here - Single-Arm Overhead Cable Extension
- Single-Arm Tricep Extension
About the exercise
The single-arm overhead cable extension loads elbow extension from a low pulley. You stand with your back to the stack, take a single handle, raise the working arm overhead so the upper arm sits beside your head, then bend and straighten the elbow while the cable pulls down and behind you. Unlike a dumbbell, the cable keeps tension on the triceps at every joint angle, including lockout, which is why a hard lockout is best avoided. The overhead position emphasizes the long head of the triceps.
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