Skull Crushers

Dumbbell Skull Crushers
  • Flex your elbows and lower the weight toward the top of your head. Your upper arms should remain relatively perpendicular to your body. This keeps the tension on the triceps versus shifting it to the shoulders.
  • Continue lowering the weight behind the head. The bottom of the dumbbell head should be about in line with the bench’s top, or even a little higher if this feels unwieldy.
  • Reverse the movement until the weight is above the chest in the original starting position. Keep from locking the elbow to maintain tension in your triceps muscle.
  • Repeat.
What Muscles Do Skull Crushers Work?

The lying triceps extension is an isolation exercise designed to target the triceps, the muscles at the back of the upper arm. Often referred to as the “skull crusher,” it earned this name because improper form can pose a risk to your head. This exercise is commonly included in upper-body strength training routines.

Benefits of Skull Crushers

The skull crusher is a push exercise that isolates the triceps brachii, targeting its three heads from the elbow to the latissimus dorsi. It can be used to address triceps imbalances, aid in injury rehabilitation, or as part of a bodybuilding routine. Strengthening the triceps is beneficial for everyday activities like pushing or pulling. While there are other triceps extension variations, such as the overhead extension, the lying triceps extension is preferred by some because it avoids placing pressure on the wrists.

What Are Variations of Skull Crushers?

 Barbell Skull Crushers: Some people find lying triceps extensions easier with a barbell rather than a dumbbell. However, using a barbell, including an EZ curl bar, can put more strain on the wrists, so it’s important to be mindful of this. Strengthening your wrists beforehand may be beneficial if you choose to use a barbell.

Source:

Verywell Fit. (n.d.). Doing the triceps extension (skullcrusher). Verywell Fit. Retrieved January 28, 2025, from https://www.verywellfit.com/doing-the-triceps-extension-skullcrusher-3498313