How To Do Skull Crushers (2024)

FAQs

How To Do Skull Crushers? ›

Lie on your back as you bring the weight up to a position over your collarbone. Keeping your shoulders stable, slowly bend your elbows, bringing the weight down to just past your head. Keep your elbows pointing straight ahead as you lower the weight. Hold for 1–2 seconds.

Skull crushers work all three heads of the tricep but the medial head is the main driver. This exercise can be performed with dumbbells barbells, EZ bar, and the cable machine, and can be done on a bench or on the floor.

The Skullcrusher exercise traditionally uses a barbell or an EZ Curl bar. Does one work better than the other? Not really. Theoretically, neither bar is better when it comes to the movement itself or the way they work the triceps.

Another fairly common in our list of skull crusher mistakes is going too heavy or too light on this exercise. “As long as you're getting a good burn in your triceps, as long as your pec and shoulder stability isn't what's making you give out, there's really no such thing as too high of reps,” Israetel says.

To start you'll need to use a flat gym bench, lying on your back with legs to either side or resting comfortably on the footrest. Get into your starting position by holding a dumbbell of your preferred weight in both hands, extended straight up above your chest and with your fists in a vertical position.

Skull crushers are an excellent exercise to build mass and strength in your triceps. They're also an excellent way to work on stability in your shoulders. Remember: The name of the exercise sounds painful, but if you do it correctly, it shouldn't cause you harm. Always perform the movement slowly and with control.

"Push exercises" like skull crushers can trigger or worsen elbow pain because the exercise impacts the forearms, triceps, and elbow tendons. The repetitive use of the elbow joint during skull crushers can strain and inflame the forearm and triceps tendons, leading to acute elbow pain after the exercise.

STOP TOUCHING THE BAR TO YOUR HEAD ON SKULLCRUSHERS — In order to get a proper rom and maximize tension on the triceps, it's best to clear the bar over your head and extend with ~120 degrees shoulder flexion — this means keeping the bar beyond your head at all times #fyp #fitness #gym #bodybuilding.

For one thing, it's important that you don't use too heavy of a weight when trying skull crushers, which can compromise your form. “Ten to 12 reps, three times through is ideal when performing this exercise,” says Tunde. “All but the last two reps should feel smooth.

Common Skullcrusher Variations

Don't use a very close grip on a bar; take it with a grip of about shoulder-width. Using the EZ-bar can be more comfortable for your wrists, compared to a barbell, and the wider grip will be easier to balance in your hands and reduce elbow flare.

Are skullcrushers enough for triceps? ›

If you want to build an impressive pair of arms while improving your upper-body strength, then you cannot neglect your tris. The skull crusher is one of the best exercises for improving your triceps.

Skull crushers are an excellent exercise to build mass and strength in your triceps. They're also an excellent way to work on stability in your shoulders. Remember: The name of the exercise sounds painful, but if you do it correctly, it shouldn't cause you harm. Always perform the movement slowly and with control.

As long as you execute the movement with proper form and an appropriate amount of weight, the move is safe and effective for targeting the triceps. To make the most of the exercise in your workout routine, it's helpful to understand the benefits of the move and how to perform skull crushers correctly.

The best way to modify a skull crusher? Perform the move on the floor — not on a bench — with your knees bent and holding just one light dumbbell with both hands, says Bollig, who demonstrates the exercise below.