Muscles Used • Exercise Type • Form Instruction • Tips and Techniques • Recommended Reps • Common Variations • Substitutions • Equipment Needed
 |  |
| Bottom | Top |
Primary Mover(s) | Muscles Used: | Secondary Mover(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Triceps |  | None |
| Other Mover(s) | ||
| Delts (F), Pecs, Delts (R), Lats |
See all the exercises at the:
Weight Training Exercises Database
– Skull Crushers –
AKA: French Curls, Lying Triceps Extensions, Lying Triceps Press
Exercise Type:
Isolated Exercise, Push Movement
Form Instruction:
Lying on bench (or floor), grasp barbell with a narrow overhanded grip (slightly less than shoulder width). Hold barbell over chest and bending at the elbow lower barbell back to forehead or just beyond the top of the head. Raise back up.
Tips and Techniques:
Positioning your arms back a bit so that the top of the exercise has the barbell back over the head as opposed to the chest, and then moving the barbell slightly beyond the head at the bottom of the exercise (as opposed to bringing it down to the forehead) can give a better stretch and improve the effectiveness of the exercise.
This can also be accomplished by allowing the upper arms to move back and up just a bit during the course of the movement to allow the barbell to clear the head (may be the technical description of Lying Triceps Extensions).
But, for the most part, the upper arms should stay still and the forearms are the only body part moving. A common error is allowing the elbows to drift apart. Keep the elbows in and in-line with the shoulders throughout the exercise, don’t let them flail out. Flailing out brings in the pecs and limits the triceps involvement.
Do not completely lock the elbows at the top of the exercise, keep the pressure on the triceps. Squeeze the triceps at the top of the exercise.
An EZ-Curl bar can be an asset for this exercise because it allows the arms to move in a mare natural and comfortable way.
This exercise is named “Skull Crushers” for a pretty apparent reason. Be safe and have a spotter, especially on heavier lifts.
Recommended Reps For Muscle Building:
6-12 the majority of the time, trying higher or lower reps on occasion.
Common Variations:
- Decline Skull Crushers or Decline Lying Triceps Extensions – Save movement done on a decline bench.
- Incline Skull Crushers or Incline Lying Triceps Extensions – Same movement done on an incline bench.
- Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions – Same movement with dumbbells and palms pointing in.
- Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
- Machine-Based Extensions – Cable machines allow you to do a variation of skull crushers.
Substitutions:
The Dumbbell Triceps Extensions would be your best bet beyond using the variations above. Bench Dips and Close-Grip Bench Presses are very solid compound exercises for triceps development.
Bodybuilding Equipment:
Bench, Barbell or EZ Curl Bar and Weights
Couple more articles you may like…
The Muscle Building Programs
More than 50 of the top programsreviewed and rated. Find out which ones build muscle and which ones are just talk.
The Bodybuilding Tips Checklist: 21 Tips for Bigger Results
Check your program against this checklist and see if you are doing as much right as possible and getting the best possible results.
