Skull Crusher
TricepsBarbellIntermediate
A classic triceps builder that rewards elbow control and punishes sloppy lowering.
Muscle worked
Triceps
Equipment
Barbell, Dumbbells
Difficulty
Intermediate
Time per set
30-60s
How to perform
Step by step, every rep
01
Lie and stack arms
Lie on a bench with weight above shoulders and elbows pointing up.
02
Angle arms slightly back
Let upper arms lean a little toward your head to keep triceps loaded.
03
Bend elbows
Lower the weight toward forehead or just behind the head with control.
04
Extend hard
Straighten elbows without letting them flare wide.
Common mistakes
Avoid these
✕
Elbows flaring
Shoulders take over and elbows feel worse. Fix: Keep elbows pointed mostly forward.
✕
Dropping too fast
The name becomes too literal. Fix: Lower slowly and use a weight you own.
✕
Moving upper arms too much
It becomes a pullover instead of triceps extension. Fix: Keep upper arms nearly fixed.
Progressions
Scale it up or down
Make it easier
- Cable overhead triceps extension
- Dumbbell skull crusher
- Tricep pushdown
Make it harder
- EZ-bar skull crusher
- Paused skull crusher
- Incline skull crusher
How to program it
Sets, reps, rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest | Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build Strength | 3-4 | 6-8 | 90-120s | Heavy enough to need focus, light enough to control. |
| Build Muscle | 3-4 | 8-15 | 60-90s | Moderate. Last 2 reps should burn without breaking form. |
| Build Endurance | 2-3 | 15-25 | 45-60s | Lighter. Smooth tempo and constant tension. |
Want this exercise programmed into a full plan?
Learning the form is step one. Fitting it into a plan built around your body, your equipment, your schedule and your food is what actually changes things. Fuel your sessions with enough protein using the Indian Food Database.
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