I. Introduction
If you’re looking to build stronger and bigger triceps, then skull crushers might just be the exercise you need to add to your routine. Skull crushers, also known as lying tricep extensions, are a versatile and effective triceps exercise that can help you increase strength and muscle size in your upper arms.
In this article, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide for beginners, tips and tricks for mastering skull crushers with dumbbells, different variations of the exercise, and the benefits it can provide for your overall fitness goals. We’ll also discuss common mistakes to avoid and how skull crushers differ from other tricep exercises.
II. Breaking Down the Skull Crusher: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
Skull crushers are a triceps isolation exercise that targets the three heads of the muscle. To perform this exercise, you’ll need a barbell or dumbbells. Here’s how to do skull crushers:
- Lie on a flat bench with your feet flat on the ground
- Grasp the barbell or dumbbells with an overhand grip, keeping your hands shoulder-width apart
- Extend your arms straight up toward the ceiling
- Lower the barbell or dumbbells toward your forehead by bending your elbows
- Pause when the weight is close to your forehead, then exhale and raise the weight back up to the starting position
- Repeat for your desired number of repetitions
Remember to keep your elbows tucked in and your upper arms stationary throughout the exercise. This will ensure that your triceps are doing the work and not your shoulders.
III. Tips and Tricks for Mastering Skull Crushers with Dumbbells
If you’re using dumbbells instead of a barbell, there are a few extra tips to keep in mind:
- Choose a weight that’s appropriate for your fitness level. You should be able to complete at least 8-10 reps without feeling like you’re struggling or losing control of the weight.
- Try to keep the dumbbells parallel to each other throughout the exercise. If they’re angled too much, there’s a risk of them colliding and causing injury.
- Avoid locking out your elbows at the top of the exercise. Instead, keep a slight bend in your arms to maintain tension in your triceps.
Common mistakes to avoid with dumbbells include letting the weights drift too far back, causing unnecessary stress the shoulders, or not lowering the weights low enough to engage the triceps fully.
IV. How to Properly Execute the Lying Tricep Extension, AKA Skull Crusher
The lying tricep extension, also known as a skull crusher, works by targeting the long head, lateral head, and medial head of your triceps. When performed correctly, this exercise can help build overall triceps strength, increase muscle mass, and improve your lockout strength in exercises like bench press. Here’s how to execute the lying tricep extension:
- Lie down on a flat bench and hold a barbell with an overhand grip, with your hands shoulder-width apart. You can also perform this exercise with dumbbells.
- Extend your arms straight up toward the ceiling, holding the barbell with both hands. Your upper arms should be perpendicular to your torso and your elbows should be pointed up toward the ceiling.
- Slowly lower the weight toward your forehead by bending at the elbows until your forearms are parallel to the ground. Keep your upper arms stationary throughout the exercise.
- Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, then exhale and extend your arms to bring the weight back up to starting position.
- Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.
V. Killer Variations of the Skull Crusher Exercise for Building Triceps
If you’re looking to mix up your tricep routine, skull crushers have a few different variations that can be incorporated. Here are a couple of variations that can help target your triceps differently:
- Incline Skull Crushers: This variation involves performing skull crushers on an incline bench, which places more emphasis on the upper portion of the triceps. Lie on your back on an incline bench with dumbbells in hand. Perform a regular skull crusher but make sure to maintain control of the weight as it passes your face and you lower the dumbbells.
- Close Grip Dumbbell Bench Press: Lie down on a flat bench with your feet planted firmly on the ground, and hold two dumbbells directly above your chest. Turn your wrists inwards so that your palms are facing each other. Lower the dumbbells to your chest while keeping your elbows close to your body, then press the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
Remember to choose a weight that allows you to complete your desired number of reps, with good form and control.
VI. The Benefits of Adding Skull Crushers to Your Upper Body Workout Routine
Skull crushers are an excellent exercise for building triceps strength and size. Here are a few key benefits of incorporating skull crushers into your upper body workout routine:
- Increase Triceps Strength: As a compound exercise, skull crushers engage multiple muscle groups, making them effective for building overall strength in your upper arms.
- Improve Lockout Strength: The triceps muscle is responsible for locking out your elbows during bench press and other pressing exercises. By increasing triceps strength with skull crushers, you’ll be able to improve your lockout, allowing you to lift more weight and build more chest and shoulder strength.
- Prevent Injuries: The triceps are an often-neglected muscle group, and weak triceps can lead to injuries during upper body workouts or everyday activities. By regularly incorporating skull crushers into your routine, you can help prevent injuries and improve overall arm strength.
VII. Common Mistakes to Avoid When Performing Skull Crushers
Like with any exercise, there are a few common mistakes to avoid when performing skull crushers:
- Performing the exercise with too much weight than you can handle, leading to poor form and risk of injury
- Not controlling the weight on the downward phase, which can place stress on the elbow joint
- Allowing the elbows to flare out instead of keeping them tucked in, which takes away from the focus on the triceps
To perform skull crushers safely and effectively, choose an appropriate weight, control the weight throughout the exercise, and keep your elbows tucked in and stationary throughout the movement.
VIII. The Difference Between Skull Crushers and Other Tricep Exercises and Why You Need Them in Your Routine
There are a wide variety of tricep exercises, including cable pushdowns, dips, and close grip bench press. While these exercises can help build triceps strength, skull crushers provide a unique benefit by specifically targeting and isolating the triceps muscles. By adding skull crushers to your routine, you can help build overall triceps strength and improve your ability to perform other compound exercises that require triceps strength like bench press and dips.
IX. Conclusion
Skull crushers offer a versatile and effective way to build triceps strength and size, making them a great addition to any upper body workout routine.
With proper form and technique, you can easily incorporate skull crushers into your routine or try out the various variations to target different areas of the triceps. And by avoiding common mistakes, you can help prevent injuries and maximize the benefits of this exercise.
Start with the basics and work your way up to the more advanced variations to unlock the full potential of the skull crusher exercise. Your triceps will thank you.
