Barbell Skull Crusher
Barbell Skull Crusher Exercise Description
The barbell skull crusher is a lying triceps isolation that trains pure elbow extension. You perform it on a flat bench, lowering a bar toward the forehead by bending the elbows while keeping the upper arms relatively still. The primary movers are the triceps brachii (long, lateral, and medial heads), with the anconeus assisting; the forearm flexors/extensors and shoulder girdle musculature stabilize the wrists and shoulders. A solid setup—neutral spine, feet planted, light scapular retraction and depression, wrists in line with the forearms—supports a controlled bar path and limits unwanted shoulder motion. The objective is smooth, controlled elbow flexion and extension while avoiding excessive elbow flare and preventing the bar from drifting over the face or toward the neck. Many lifters maintain a slight backward angle of the upper arms (bar tracking over the forehead to above the crown) to keep tension on the triceps without turning it into a shoulder-dominant movement.
- Muscle Groups: Triceps
- Target Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Long Head
- Assisting Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Lateral Head, Triceps Brachii - Medial Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: Extensor Carpi Ulnaris, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Rhomboid Major, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Arms, Upper Arms
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Barbell
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Elbow Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Inner Tricep
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Barbell Skull Crusher Exercise
‘- Lie supine on a flat bench with feet firmly planted; maintain a neutral spine and slight scapular retraction/depression.
– Grip the barbell with a pronated grip slightly narrower than shoulder width; wrists straight, knuckles toward the ceiling.
– Start with arms straight and the bar aligned above the shoulder joints; eyes roughly under the bar. Use a spotter for the handoff when appropriate.
– Inhale, brace, keep upper arms mostly vertical; point elbows toward the ceiling without flaring excessively.
– Flex the elbows to lower the bar in a controlled path toward the forehead or just above the crown, keeping upper arms stationary.
– Stop before the bar touches; maintain wrist neutrality and shoulder position.
– Exhale and extend the elbows to return the bar to the start, achieving full elbow extension without hyperextending or snapping.
– Keep the bar over the shoulder line throughout; avoid letting it drift toward the face or neck.
– After the final rep, stabilize the bar and rerack with control (use a spotter when needed).
Barbell Skull Crusher Tips
‘- Lie with a neutral spine, feet firmly planted, and maintain slight scapular retraction and depression.
– Use a pronated grip slightly narrower than shoulder width with wrists straight and knuckles pointed toward the ceiling.
– Start with arms straight and the bar directly above your shoulder joints, with your eyes roughly under the bar.
– Keep your upper arms mostly vertical and elbows pointed toward the ceiling, avoiding excessive elbow flare.
– Maintain a slight backward angle of the upper arms so the bar tracks from over the forehead toward above the crown to keep tension on the triceps.
– Lower the bar in a smooth, controlled path toward your forehead or just above the crown, keeping your upper arms stationary.
– Stop the descent before the bar touches your head while maintaining wrist neutrality and stable shoulder position.
– Extend the elbows to return the bar to the start with full elbow extension, avoiding hyperextending or snapping at lockout.
– Keep the bar over the shoulder line throughout the set and avoid letting it drift toward your face or neck.
– Use a spotter for the handoff and rerack when needed, and control the bar as you rack it after the final rep.
Barbell Skull Crusher Beginner Introduction
In the barbell skull crusher, the lifter lies on a flat bench while the triceps control the bending and straightening of the elbows. The barbell starts above the shoulders and movement happens mostly at the elbow joint, so the upper arms remain largely in the same position. This highlights the back of the upper arm, while the forearms, wrists, and muscles around the shoulders contribute stability and help manage the bar’s position through each set.
During each repetition, the bar travels in a controlled arc toward the head and back up again, typically hovering near the forehead or slightly behind it. Many lifters position the upper arms at a subtle backward angle so tension stays directed into the triceps rather than shifting into the shoulders. Stable wrists and a steady shoulder girdle help create a smooth path for the bar over the shoulder line, with minimal side-to-side motion or drifting toward the face or neck. The overall theme is deliberate, steady elbow action and calm body positioning on the bench.