Skullcrushers are a fantastic exercise for building mass in the triceps and shaping up for that perfect ‘horseshoe’ look on the upper arm. There are a number of variations on this classic exercise, but the first question is what type of bar to use: a straight barbell, E-Z curl bar, or dumbbells?
The best option for which type of bar to use for skullcrushers will, of course, vary from one person to the next according to their goals and limitations. The straight bar will allow for the best contraction, but if you experience discomfort in your wrists or elbows, you may find that the E-Z bar is a better choice. Dumbbells will help even out imbalances between your arms and allow for more planes of movement, which may be helpful if you have shoulder discomfort. Start light, and experiment to see which is best for you.
Each of these choices presents advantages and shortcomings, so let’s discuss each one a little further.
How To Perform Skullcrushers
Skullcrushers are performed by lying supine (on your back) on a bench with the weight pressed out over your chest, then, keeping your upper arm in a fixed position, lowering the bar towards your forehead bending only at the elbows. Carefully you will then raise the bar back up until your arms are fully extended, using the triceps to achieve this. It is a great way to isolate the triceps using only free weights. If you need to swing the upper arms to raise the bar at the bottom of the movement to get it up – you are using too much weight.
This exercise has a pronounced resistance curve so you will be far stronger at the top of the movement when your arms are nearly extended than at the bottom when the elbow is fully flexed. So you’ll need to use a weight which is appropriate for this weaker range. Use a spotter, especially if you are inexperienced, although you shouldn’t be using a weight that you cannot comfortably lift off of yourself in a pullover motion.
Straight Bar Skullcrushers
Straight bar skullcrushers will position your wrists in such a way that you will get the deepest possible contraction while doing this exercise. This will typically allow for relatively heavy weights to be used. Inherently more stable than dumbbells, the barbell will put more of the emphasis on the triceps and less on the supporting and stabilizing muscle groups. There will be a temptation to cheat by pulling the elbows toward the waist, in a pullover motion, so be sure to focus on keeping the shoulders in a fixed position and keeping all the movement restricted to the elbows.
E-Z Curl Bar Skullcrushers
The E-Z curl bar will be a great choice for anyone who experiences discomfort in their wrists or elbows while using the straight bar. The E-Z curl bar is available in both Olympic and Standard sizes. The angled grips on the E-Z curl bar will put your wrists in a more neutral position, making the movement much more comfortable. Even if the straight bar is fine for you, you may find that you can handle a little more weight while using the E-Z bar. The only real tradeoff is that the triceps contraction at the top of the movement will not be quite as deep due to the altered wrist position, however this should not really make a noticeable difference to most people in the long run.
Dumbbell Skullcrushers
Dumbbells present a few advantages and tradeoffs. First, dumbbells force each arm to work independently, so if you have a weaker arm it will not be able to gain assistance from your stronger side, so with time any strength imbalances between your right and left arms will get ironed out. Secondly, dumbbells allow for multi planar adjustments in wrist and shoulder position, allowing you to position yourself in the most comfortable way for optimal joint conditions, and the deepest possible contraction.
However, using dumbbells will typically mean you’ll be using less weight, so the mass gaining effects may be slightly diminished.
Why Do Skullcrushers?
Skullcrushers are a great triceps builder and should be a staple in anyone’s arm routine that wants to get bigger arms. They are especially useful if you cannot get to a gym to do cable exercises like pushdowns, or machine triceps extensions. Having only free weights to work with limits your choices of triceps isolation exercises, and the skullcrusher is much more stable than standing overhead extensions – which allows you to lift heavier with greater confidence. One great approach is to do your first few sets of skullcrushers with the barbell or E-Z bar, then finish with some lighter dumbbell sets.
If this is a new exercise for you, start very light, get used to the movement and how to balance the weight, and work your way up gradually. Higher reps is going to be more beneficial than heavy weight.
It is important to track your progress with other metrics besides just weight and what you look like in the mirror. The scales will not tell the full story of what’s going on with your body composition. I highly recommend you track your body fat using a body fat monitor, and use a retractable tape measure to keep track of the size of your waist, hips, arms, and legs. This will give you a more complete picture of your progress.
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