How to Do Tate Presses: Form, Mistakes and Progressions

The Tate press looks odd the first time you see it. The dumbbells stay close together or a little apart, the elbows point out to the sides, and the weights come down toward the chest instead of the forehead.

That unusual path is what makes it a Tate press. Your upper arms stay mostly still while your elbows bend and straighten, so your triceps do the work.

Muscles Worked

Primary mover: the triceps (triceps brachii), the muscle on the back of your upper arm. It straightens your elbows as you press the dumbbells back up over your chest, and it lengthens under control as your elbows bend and the dumbbells come down toward your chest. Because your upper arms stay mostly still, the bending and straightening happen at the elbow, which is the triceps' job.

Research: no published study of the Tate press itself was found, so this guide describes what the movement does instead of borrowing findings from a different triceps exercise.

Step-by-Step: How to Do a Tate Press

1. Set up on the floor. Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Press two dumbbells over your chest with palms facing your feet, close together or a little apart, and rest your head, back and hips on the floor.
2. Start the descent. Keep your upper arms mostly still and bend your elbows, letting them point out to the sides, so the dumbbells come down toward your chest. Form tip: rest your head on the floor instead of lifting it to watch the dumbbells.
3. Stop just above your chest. Lower until the dumbbells are just above your chest, anywhere from the middle to the top of it. Never let them drift toward your face or drop onto your chest.
4. Press back up. Straighten your elbows to press the dumbbells back up until your arms are straight or nearly straight over your chest, without snapping your elbows.
5. Breathe with the movement. Inhale as you lower. Exhale as you press. Lower over about a second or two and press back up smoothly, so every rep follows the same path.

Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Elbows Pulling Toward the Ribs

What it looks like: your elbows drift inward during the descent and the rep turns into a close-grip dumbbell press.

Why it is a problem: you lose the elbows-out path that makes the Tate press distinct.

The fix: lower slowly and let your elbows point outward. Use a lighter load if your body keeps turning the rep into a press.

Letting the Dumbbells Drop onto Your Chest

What it looks like: the dumbbells fall the last few inches and land on your chest, or rest there between reps.

Why it is a problem: the dumbbells are out of control right above your body.

The fix: lower slowly and stop the dumbbells just above your chest. The dumbbells can touch each other or stay a little apart; what matters is that they stop above your chest under control.

Lowering Toward the Face

What it looks like: the weights travel toward your forehead like a skull crusher.

Why it is a problem: that changes the exercise and puts the dumbbells over your face.

The fix: aim the bottom position just above your chest, anywhere from the middle to the top of it. If you want a forehead path, use skull crushers instead.

Stopping Short at the Top

What it looks like: each rep ends with the elbows still clearly bent.

Why it is a problem: you skip the last part of the elbow straightening that the triceps do.

The fix: press until your arms are straight or nearly straight over your chest, without snapping your elbows.

Lifting Your Head or Arching Your Back

What it looks like: your head lifts to watch the dumbbells, or your lower back arches off the floor as you press.

Why it is a problem: your neck and lower back lose the relaxed, supported position the floor gives them.

The fix: rest your head on the floor and keep your back and hips down with your feet flat.

Going Too Heavy

What it looks like: the tempo speeds up, the dumbbells wobble, and every rep becomes a grind.

Why it is a problem: you lose control of the dumbbells near your chest and face.

The fix: start with light dumbbells until the path feels smooth. Add load only while you keep full control down to just above your chest.

Tate Press Variations: Regressions and Progressions

Dumbbell Skull Crushers (Regression)

Use skull crushers first if the Tate press path feels confusing. The FitCraft app rates them Intermediate, one level below the Tate press.

Overhead Triceps Extensions (Another Triceps Option)

Overhead extensions train the triceps with your arms overhead instead of lying down. They are useful if you need simpler loading before adding the elbows-out Tate press path.

Lighter, Shorter-Range Tate Press (Easier)

Use lighter dumbbells, or stop the dumbbells a little higher above your chest for a shorter range, until the movement feels smooth. Without dumbbells, hold two filled water bottles or other light objects you can grip firmly and do the same movement.

Bench Tate Press (Same Movement)

On a flat or slightly inclined bench the movement is the same: head, back and hips on the bench, feet on the floor, elbows out to the sides, and the dumbbells coming down to just above your chest.

Slower or Heavier Tate Press (Progression)

Lower more slowly than usual, keeping full control and your elbows out, then press back up smoothly. Heavier dumbbells are the other way to progress, only as long as you keep full control down to just above your chest.

When to Avoid or Modify Tate Presses

Tate presses are safe for healthy lifters who can control light dumbbells, but the elbow path is not beginner-friendly. If any joint hurts during a Tate press, stop and have it checked by a doctor or physical therapist before you do it again. Always consult your physician or physical therapist for personalized guidance.

• Elbow pain or elbow tendinopathy. Tate presses load the elbow as it bends and straightens. Skip them while your elbow hurts and have it checked by a doctor or physical therapist before you return to them. During any set, elbow pain means stop right away.
• Recent elbow, shoulder, or wrist surgery. Get clearance from your surgeon or physical therapist before you return to the Tate press, and follow the plan they give you.
• Shoulder impingement or unstable shoulders. Have your shoulder checked by a doctor or physical therapist before you try the Tate press. During any set, shoulder pain means stop right away.
• Wrist pain. Your wrists hold the dumbbells over your chest. Skip Tate presses while your wrist hurts and have it checked by a doctor or physical therapist before you return to them. During any set, wrist pain means stop.
• Brand-new strength training. Build control first with tricep kickbacks and the overhead tricep press, then skull crushers, before adding the Tate press.

Related Exercises

If Tate presses fit your routine, these exercises also train the triceps, from easier options to bigger pressing moves:

• Same target muscle: Triceps Kickbacks and Overhead Triceps Presses train elbow extension with simpler paths.
• Regression pattern: Skull Crushers teach loaded elbow extension, with the elbows pointing up, before the elbows-out Tate press angle.
• Compound that includes the triceps: Bench Dips, Close-Grip Push-Ups, and Chest Presses build pressing strength with more total upper-body involvement.
• Antagonist and shoulder balance: Bicep Curls train the opposite side of the elbow, while Lateral Raises support shoulder development around pressing work.

How to Program Tate Presses

Tate press programming follows the same broad progression principles as other resistance-training accessories. The American College of Sports Medicine position stand recommends matching sets, reps, rest, and frequency to training level while progressing gradually over time (Ratamess et al., 2009).

Where in your workout: place Tate presses late in an upper-body or push session, after bench press, chest press, overhead press, or other main pressing work. They are accessory isolation work, so doing them first can fatigue the triceps and reduce output on bigger lifts.

Form floor over rep targets: stop the set when you can't control the dumbbells on the way down or the rep turns into a chest press. Any elbow pain means stop right away. Fewer clean reps beat a target number reached with sloppy mechanics.

How FitCraft Programs This Exercise

FitCraft uses your assessment answers to build a training plan that matches your level, goals and available equipment. The app has one Tate press, the floor version with dumbbells, rated Advanced, and its 3D demonstration shows the elbows pointing out to the sides as the dumbbells come down to the chest.

Because the app rates it Advanced, learn the pattern with light dumbbells first and use it as an accessory after your main pressing exercises.