Triceps · Dumbbells

Skull Crusher

The incline dumbbell skull crusher is an isolation exercise that emphasizes the long head of the triceps through an extended stretch position. It is suitable for lifters of all levels and works best toward the middle or end of an upper-body workout after compound pressing movements.

Muscles: Triceps
Equipment: Dumbbells
Type: Strength
Animation: Men

How to do it

Lie on an incline bench with your back flat against it.
Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
Extend your arms straight up over your chest, with the barbell perpendicular to the floor.
Inhale and brace your core. As you exhale, slowly bend your elbows to lower the barbell towards your forehead.
Keep your upper arms stationary, moving only your forearms.
Lower the barbell to a point just above your forehead, keeping the movement controlled.
Press the barbell back up to the starting position by extending your elbows, focusing on using your triceps.

Common mistakes

Flaring your elbows out shifts the load onto the shoulders and reduces tension on the triceps.
Swinging your upper arms turns the exercise into a pullover and takes constant tension off the target muscle.
Using excessively heavy dumbbells leads to momentum and strains the elbow connective tissues.
Stopping short of full elbow extension prevents a complete contraction of the triceps.

Tips

Keep your elbows stationary and pointing forward throughout the entire range of motion.
Lower the dumbbells under control behind your head to fully stretch the long head of the triceps.
Use a neutral grip with palms facing each other to minimize stress on the wrists and elbows.

Sets and reps

Perform 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 60–90 seconds of rest between sets for triceps hypertrophy. Heavy, low-rep training is not recommended for this movement due to excessive shear stress on the elbow joints.

Muscles worked

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

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Questions

Why do skull crushers on an incline bench instead of a flat bench?

The incline position increases shoulder flexion, placing the long head of the triceps under a greater stretch and through a larger range of motion.

What should you do if you experience elbow pain during this exercise?

Stop the set immediately, reduce the load, or adjust your arm angle, and consult a specialist if the discomfort persists.

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