Skull crushers, also known as lying triceps extensions and French extensions or French presses are great workouts for building up triceps. It is not a beginner exercise but more for the intermediate bodybuilder. It uses the barbell or the dumbbells or a weight bench as the type of equipment and is performed while lying down on the bench flat on your back. This isolation exercise is performed overhead while you lay down and works to build the muscles in the upper arm known as the triceps muscles.
This workout has the nickname “skull crusher” because if this exercise is performed incorrectly or with improper form the person performing the exercise to injure their skull. It is typically used as part of an upper body workout that strengthens and builds muscles.
About Lying Triceps Extensions
This workout is what is known as a push exercise, and it works the muscles around the upper arm from the elbow to the back. There are a few varieties that are used for different muscles in this area.
It’s a great workout for a person who needs to fix an imbalance in the triceps muscles, also to help repair and rehab injuries in this area. This type of exercise is but one kind of triceps extension, but there are more. Lying triceps extensions are an excellent exercise for those wanting to reduce the strain on their wrists.
How To Do Skull Crushers
Skill crushers have a variety of ways to perform it. You can use a different kind of benches such as angle bench or various lifting equipment like cables, by doing this it will provide a variety of ways that if effects the bodies muscles and how it feels while doing the overall exercise.
Skull Crusher Workout Tips
- The core of this exercise is the elbow extension, that is the base of every variation. You will want to avoid what is termed elbow flare which takes away the tension you want on the triceps area.
- If you decide to use what is called an EZ Bar, you will not want to use a close grip, instead of keeping it approximately at your shoulder width area. Using this type of bar can provide a person with ease in the wrist area. Since you are gripping it at the shoulder area, it also makes for smoother balancing and less of the unwanted shoulder flare.
- When you decide to use dumbbells, each of your arms will move independently of the other. There will be a short change in the amount of weight you can hold because the dumbbells are not as easy to control; this can be good or bad.
- Should you decide to use a long bench instead of the flat bench you don’t want the incline to be too high, this type of bench will give you more target on the long head.
Whichever equipment you decide to use and however you perform the skull crusher, you will always want to consult another bodybuilder and possibly spot each other to ensure proper form so as not to damage that precious skull. Don’t forget to maximize your reps and increase your strength with the CrazyMass Strength Stack!
Gary David is the founder and CEO of CrazyMass, one of the nation’s leading supplement companies. Before starting CrazyMass in 2006, Gary was a bodybuilder and personal trainer for several gyms throughout Northwest Michigan, helping clients meet their fitness goals. Gary happily worked in this profession for over 15 years. He saw that most weight gaining products to increase muscle were made with ingredients that were dangerous or of poor quality. He knew there was a safer and healthier way to do this, so he created a special blend of herbs, amino acids, and nutrients to help bodybuilders slim down and gain muscle.
Although Gary no longer participates in bodybuilding competitions, he continues to be involved in the community, helping others prep for shows and attending events where he can advertise CrazyMass products. When Gary isn’t working long hours, he likes to spend his time working out at the gym, boating on Lake Michigan, traveling the trails around Northern Michigan by four-wheeler, and spending time with his family. He also loves to take a yearly trip to Europe with his wife and children.
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