Most tricep exercises are boring. You extend the elbow, you lower the weight, you extend again. The Tate press breaks that mold by forcing the dumbbells to travel in a semi-circular path while your elbows flare outward. The result is a tricep burn unlike anything else in the dumbbell rack — deep, stretched, and impossible to cheat.
Dave Tate built this exercise as a bench press assistance move. The geometry is unusual on purpose — flaring the elbows while keeping the dumbbells together forces the triceps to work through a range of motion they don't normally see. If your bench press stalls at lockout, this is the move that fixes it.
Quick Facts
| Movement Type | Isolation (single-joint, push) |
| Primary Muscles | Triceps (all three heads) |
| Secondary Muscles | Anterior Deltoids, Pectoralis Major (stabilizer) |
| Category | Strength — Upper Body |
| Equipment | Pair of dumbbells + flat bench |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Rep Tempo | 2-3 seconds down, 1 second squeeze, 1-2 seconds up |
Step-by-Step: How to Do a Tate Press
- Set up on the bench. Lie flat on a bench with your feet firmly planted and your back flat. Don't arch. Press two dumbbells up over your chest with a pronated grip (palms toward your feet). The dumbbells should be touching each other.
- Start the descent. Bend your elbows and begin lowering the dumbbells. Here's the key: your elbows move out to the sides, not toward your ribs. The dumbbells should stay touching or almost touching the whole way down.
- Target mid-chest, not your face. Lower the dumbbells until they're aligned with your mid-chest, not your face. This is the biggest difference from a skull crusher. Keep the path short and clean.
- Press back up and squeeze. Extend your arms and drive the dumbbells back together at the top. Squeeze your triceps hard for a full one-count at the top. This is where the muscle actually grows.
- Breathe with the movement. Inhale as you lower. Exhale forcefully as you press back up and squeeze at the top.
Common Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
Elbows Pulling Toward the Ribs
What it looks like: Elbows drifting inward toward your chest during the descent, turning the Tate press into a close-grip dumbbell press.
Why it's a problem: It loses the unique stimulus of the exercise. The whole point is that the elbows move out to the sides. Pulling them in turns it into a pressing movement and takes the load off the long head of the triceps.
The fix: Actively push your elbows out to the sides as you lower. Imagine you're trying to point them at the walls, not at your feet.
Letting the Weights Separate
What it looks like: Dumbbells drifting apart during the lift, one head at a time.
Why it's a problem: You lose the squeeze component that makes the Tate press what it is. Separated dumbbells turn the movement into a lazy pressing pattern.
The fix: Drive the dumbbells together the whole time. Think about trying to crush a walnut between them at the top. Keep the heads touching.
Going Too Low (Toward the Face)
What it looks like: Letting the dumbbells travel all the way down to forehead level like a skull crusher.
Why it's a problem: Beats up the elbows and misses the point of the exercise. The Tate press targets mid-chest, not your face.
The fix: Align the dumbbells with your chest, not your face. If you want a full skull-crusher range of motion, do skull crushers instead.
Using Way Too Much Weight
What it looks like: Grabbing 40-pound dumbbells and turning every rep into a grinding mess.
Why it's a problem: The Tate press rewards tempo and squeeze, not load. Heavy weight kills the control, breaks form, and makes the elbows angry.
The fix: Start lighter than you think. 15-25 pounds is plenty for most people. If the weight feels easy, slow the tempo down before adding load.
Get this exercise in a personalized workout
FitCraft's AI coach Ty programs Tate presses into plans built for your fitness level, equipment, and goals.
Take the Free Assessment Free • 2 minutes • No credit cardVariations
Easier (Regression)
- Dumbbell Skull Crusher. A simpler path — straight down to the forehead, straight back up. Learn the tricep isolation pattern here first before attempting the Tate press.
- Overhead Tricep Extension. Trains the long head without the elbow-flare pattern, so it's easier on the joints while you build strength.
Harder (Progression)
- Paused Tate Press. Hold the bottom position for 2 full seconds before pressing back up. Brutal. This is how strength coaches use the movement.
- Incline Bench Tate Press. Set the bench to a 30-45 degree angle. The slight incline increases the stretch on the long head of the triceps.
Alternative Exercises
- Tricep Kickbacks. Another dumbbell tricep isolation move, though lighter and more rep-focused.
- Overhead Tricep Press. Vertical pressing pattern that also trains the long head of the triceps.
- Bench Dips. Bodyweight tricep compound if you don't have dumbbells that day.
Programming Tips
- Sets x Reps: Intermediate: 3x10-12 / Advanced: 4x8-12 / Advanced paused: 3x6-8 with a 2-second bottom pause
- Rest Period: 60-90 seconds — this is an accessory movement, not a max lift
- Frequency: 1-2 times per week. Let the triceps recover fully between sessions.
- When in your workout: After your main pressing work (bench press, overhead press) as an accessory. Not a lead-off exercise.
FitCraft's AI coach Ty automatically programs Tate presses into your personalized plan based on your fitness level and equipment. The app includes interactive 3D demonstrations so you can see exactly how the elbows should flare and where the dumbbells belong — no guesswork about the arc.
When to Use Tate Presses
Use the Tate press if you're an intermediate or advanced lifter chasing tricep size, your bench press stalls at lockout, or you need a change from skull crushers. It's also a great pick if your elbows hate heavy skull crushers — the mid-chest path is often more forgiving.
Skip it if you're new to lifting. Build your base with bench dips, kickbacks, and standard skull crushers first. The Tate press is an accessory move that assumes you already know how your triceps feel under load.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does the Tate press work?
The Tate press is an isolation exercise that primarily targets all three heads of the triceps, with a bias toward the long head because the shoulder is in a flexed position. Because the elbows flare out and the dumbbells travel in an arc, the long head ends up stretched and loaded heavily — which is exactly what makes this move hit so hard.
Who invented the Tate press?
The Tate press is named after elite powerlifter Dave Tate, who popularized it as a bench press accessory for building triceps and lockout strength. It's a staple in Westside Barbell-style training programs and has been used by strength athletes for over two decades.
Is the Tate press hard on the elbows?
It can be if you go too heavy or let the dumbbells drift down to your face like a skull crusher. Used with moderate weights and strict form, the Tate press is actually less abusive on the elbows than heavy skull crushers because the angle keeps the load off the olecranon. If you feel sharp elbow pain, drop the weight and slow down the tempo.
Tate press vs skull crusher — which is better?
Both train the triceps. Skull crushers train more knee-bent elbow extension at the long head. Tate presses add a squeeze-the-dumbbells component that also trains adduction at the shoulder. Most lifters rotate them through their programs — skull crushers for range, Tate presses for that mean lockout squeeze.
How heavy should I go on Tate presses?
Much lighter than you think. This is not a heavy tricep movement. Most intermediate lifters work with dumbbells in the 15 to 30 pound range for sets of 8 to 12. The goal is strict form and a hard squeeze at the top, not a PR. If you can't control the lowering phase, the weight is too heavy.