Avoid Skull Crushers

PREVENT THE SKULL CRUSHER



Know the benefits to combining lying triceps extensions with close-grip bench presses

November 30, 2009
FLEXONLINE.COM
FLEX Senior Science Editor Jim Stoppani, PhD:

Skull crushers, the gym-lingo name for lying tricpes extensions, got its name for a reason. When your triceps fail and the barbell is over your head... you get the picture.

A great way to prevent the lying triceps extension from turning into the skull crusher is to superset lying triceps extensions with close-grip bench presses using the same bar with the same weight. This combines both the high-intensity technique of supersets with pre-exhaust training, as you perform the single-joint lying triceps extensions first, followed by the multijoint close-grip bench presses.

i prefer a variation which i've gotten much greater results....2 part movement called the "pullover and press".....keeping the bar close to the body during the entire pullover, then close grip press it up and back down, then back into a pullover......less elbow stressn and you're working both the stretched and midrange with moderate to heavy weights

this is the number 1 gym injury and what tre my tricep. fuck that exercise!

Had to stop doing them myself after I kept getting really bad tendonitis from them.

Same problem .. I start off light but as time goes on and the endorphins kick in I do that one set too heavy and then I kill my tendons .. sucks because I love that exercise

I do mostly cable work for tri's now a days

I've done skull crushers ever since I started lifting. Love the pump I get from these. I do know alot of people that have gotten hurt from them, but I doubt i ever stop doing them. All my workouts are mostly freeweight movements. Only use cables for finishing moves.....

They fuck up my elbows to much I don't really do em n e more I do mostly cabels. There's a lot of different tri exercises the cabels allow u to do. I really can get a good pump

The only way I can do them it has to be my last set.. My eblows have to be warmed up !!

These killed my elbows when I used to do them