Triceps
Cable Rope Skull Crusher
The Cable Rope Skull Crusher is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your triceps. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: triceps (long head) 38%, triceps (lateral head) 28% and triceps (medial head) 22%.
Also known as: cable skull crusher (rope), rope skull crusher
How to do it
- Set a pulley at its lowest position, clip on a rope and place a flat bench lengthwise with the head end toward the machine.
- Hold the rope and lie back on the bench with your arms straight above your chest, angled slightly toward your head.
- Bend the elbows to lower the rope ends beside your head, upper arms fixed.
- Go down until the elbows are fully bent and you feel a stretch in the back of the arms.
- Straighten the elbows to bring the rope back up, spreading the ends slightly at the top.
Tips
- Keep a slight backward tilt in the upper arms so the cable pulls all the way to the top.
- Keep the palms facing each other throughout.
Common mistakes
- Letting the upper arms swing toward the ceiling on each rep.
- Lifting the head off the bench to follow the rope.
Muscles worked by the Cable Rope Skull Crusher
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Lowering the weight to the head with the shoulder flexed near 90 degrees trains all three heads with the long head partly lengthened, between a pushdown and an overhead extension.
Cable Rope Skull Crusher alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Cable Rope Skull Crusher work?
Mainly the triceps (long head) and triceps (lateral head). The triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Cable Rope Skull Crusher good for beginners?
Yes. The Cable Rope Skull Crusher is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Cable Rope Skull Crusher?
For example the Cable Skull Crusher, Seated Overhead Cable Extension and Crossbody Dumbbell Extension. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Cable Rope Skull Crusher harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Crossbody Dumbbell Extension and Dead Stop Skull Crusher.
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