Barbell Skull Crusher

Body region

• Arms

Muscles

Main

• Triceps

Helps

• Anconeus

Holds

• Pectoralis Major
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Flexor Carpi Radialis

Equipment

• Barbell or EZ Bar
• Flat Bench

Technique

1. Lie on a flat bench and hold the bar overhand, hands about shoulder-width apart.
2. Press it up so your arms are straight above your shoulders.
3. Bend only at the elbows and lower the bar toward your forehead or just behind your head.
4. Stop when your forearms are about parallel to the floor or slightly lower.
5. Straighten your arms to press the bar back up.

Cues

• Keep the upper arms still and pointing up, tilted slightly back.
• Keep the elbows about shoulder-width apart.
• Lower slowly and keep full control of the bar near your face.

Common mistakes

• Letting the elbows flare wide.
• Moving the upper arms so it turns into a press.
• Using a weight you cannot control on the way down.

Variations

• Close-Grip Barbell Skull Crusher
• Decline Barbell Triceps Extension
• Decline Close-Grip Skull Crusher
• Decline EZ-Bar Triceps Extension
• Incline EZ-Bar Triceps Extension
• EZ-Bar Skull Crusher
• Incline Barbell Triceps Extension
• Smith Machine Incline Triceps Extension
• Reverse-Grip Skull Crusher

Alternatives

• Dumbbell Skull Crusher
• Triceps Pushdown
• JM Press