Barbell Skullcrusher
A lying elbow-extension lift on a flat bench, lowering a barbell toward the forehead then pressing it back to lockout.
How to do it
- Lie on a flat bench with both feet on the floor and a barbell held over the shoulders.
- Grip the bar overhand at about shoulder width, palms facing away.
- Lock the upper arms vertical so the elbows point toward the ceiling.
- Bend only the elbows and lower the bar in an arc to about an inch from the forehead.
- Extend the elbows and return the bar over the shoulders without locking out hard.
- Keep the head, back, and hips on the bench for every rep.
Key technique cue
Keep the upper arms vertical, elbows in — bar arcs toward the forehead and stops short.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Flaring the elbows out so the shoulders and chest take over.
- ✕ Lowering the upper arms toward the chest, which turns the lift into a press.
- ✕ Bouncing the bar off the forehead instead of stopping short.
- ✕ Locking the elbows hard at the top and dumping tension off the triceps.
Benefits
- ✓ Isolates elbow extension with a barbell that is easy to load.
- ✓ Keeps the upper arms still so the triceps, not the chest, do the work.
- ✓ Pairs with pressing days as a direct arm accessory.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Barbell Skullcrusher
- Dumbbell Skullcrusher
- EZ Bar Skullcrusher
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Step 2 - Step 3
About the exercise
The barbell skullcrusher is a lying triceps extension. You lie on a flat bench, hold a barbell over the shoulders with a close overhand grip, and bend only the elbows so the bar travels in an arc toward the forehead, then extend back to a straight-arm start. It is an isolation lift, target triceps, intermediate, with no secondary muscles if the upper arms stay vertical. EMG work on common triceps drills included lying barbell triceps extensions; kickbacks and triangle push-ups ranked higher, but the lying extension remains a reliable mass-builder. It is the bench triceps exercise, not a close-grip press, and it suits arm-day isolation work with a fixed-elbow arc.
Updated
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