Tate Press

How to do the Tate Press

1. Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
2. By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width. Note: when holding the dumbbells in front of you, make sure your arms are wider than shoulder width apart from each other using a pronated (palms forward) grip. Allow your elbows to point out. This is your starting position.
3. Keeping the upper arms stationary, slowly move the dumbbells in and down in a semi circular motion until they touch the upper chest while inhaling. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times and do not move the upper arms nor rest the dumbbells on the chest.
4. As you breathe out, move the dumbbells up using your triceps and the same semi-circular motion but in reverse. Attempt to keep the dumbbells together as they move up. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down again slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
5. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions of your training program.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	triceps
Secondary	chest, shoulders
Equipment	dumbbell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	isolation

No dumbbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Bench Dips Bodyweight Close-Grip Push-Up off of a Dumbbell Bodyweight Dips - Triceps Version Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Close-Grip Bodyweight Push-Ups - Close Triceps Position Bodyweight Body-Up Bodyweight

Easier than the Tate Press

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension beginner · Dumbbell Standing Bent-Over One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension beginner · Dumbbell Standing Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension beginner · Barbell

Harder than the Tate Press

Bench Press with Chains expert · Barbell

Superset the Tate Press with

Opposing biceps work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Dumbbell Prone Incline Curl biceps Standing Dumbbell Reverse Curl biceps Standing Inner-Biceps Curl biceps Zottman Curl biceps

Common questions

What muscles does the Tate Press work?

The Tate Press primarily works the triceps, with the chest and shoulders as secondary movers. Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension, Standing Low-Pulley One-Arm Triceps Extension, and Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Tate Press?

Dumbbells. Without dumbbells, Bench Dips, Close-Grip Push-Up off of a Dumbbell, and Dips - Triceps Version train the same muscle, and 11 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Tate Press suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension, Standing Bent-Over One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension, and Standing Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension and work up.

Where should the Tate Press go in a workout?

Late — the Tate Press is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Dumbbell Prone Incline Curl and Standing Dumbbell Reverse Curl cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension Dumbbell Standing Low-Pulley One-Arm Triceps Extension Cable Machine Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension Dumbbell Standing Bent-Over One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension Dumbbell Standing Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension Barbell Bench Dips Bodyweight