Dumbbell French Press

The dumbbell French press is an overhead triceps extension that targets the long head of the muscle better than most movements. Seated, you hold a single dumbbell in both hands and lower it behind your head by bending at the elbows, then press it back to lockout. Pressing from that overhead position puts the long head of the triceps — the part that runs up toward the shoulder — under a deep stretch, and stretching a muscle under load is a powerful way to build it, which the other two heads help drive back up. It's quick to set up with just one dumbbell, and the natural wrist angle tends to be easy on the elbows. The catch is that the overhead position only suits light-to-moderate loads sensibly, and balancing a single dumbbell above and behind your head takes some control, especially as you tire. Keep your elbows pointed forward and steady, lower under control, and don't chase weight at the expense of the stretch. For long-head triceps development, it's a standout.