Triceps
Skull Crushers
The Skull Crushers is a strength exercise with a barbell 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: barbell skull crusher, ez bar skull crusher, lying tricep extension, lying triceps extension, skull crusher
How to do it
- Lie on a flat bench, feet flat on the floor, and hold a barbell with palms facing your feet, hands about shoulder-width.
- Press the bar up so your arms are straight above your forehead, upper arms tilted slightly back.
- Bend the elbows to lower the bar toward your forehead, upper arms fixed.
- Stop when the bar is just above the forehead and the elbows are fully bent.
- Straighten the elbows to press the bar back up.
Tips
- Lower slowly and press with control: the elbows do all the work.
- Keep the wrists straight over the bar.
Common mistakes
- Letting the elbows flare out to the sides.
- Moving the upper arms so the bar path turns into a press.
Muscles worked by the Skull Crushers
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.
Skull Crushers alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Skull Crushers work?
Mainly the triceps (long head) and triceps (lateral head). The triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Skull Crushers good for beginners?
Yes. The Skull Crushers is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Skull Crushers?
For example the Cable Rope Skull Crusher, Cable Skull Crusher and Crossbody Dumbbell Extension. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Skull Crushers harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Crossbody Dumbbell Extension and Dead Stop Skull Crusher.
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