Skull Crusher Mistakes to Avoid
Lowering to the nose/face instead of forehead/behind — aim for the forehead or just behind it. This gives more long head stretch. Lowering to the nose shortens the range.
Elbows flaring wide — keep them pointing at the ceiling, roughly shoulder-width. Flaring reduces tricep isolation.
Upper arms moving — the defining feature is STILL upper arms. If they swing forward and back, you're losing the isolation.
Ignoring elbow pain — skull crushers can irritate the elbow tendons over time. If elbows hurt, switch to cable overhead extensions or reduce frequency.
Skull Crusher FAQ
Why are they called skull crushers?
Because you lower the bar toward your skull. The name is dramatic but accurate. Use controlled form and you'll never actually crush anything.
EZ bar or straight bar?
EZ bar is strongly recommended — the angled grip reduces wrist strain significantly. Straight bar can cause wrist pain, especially at heavier weights.
Do skull crushers hurt elbows?
They can over time — the combination of heavy load and deep elbow flexion stresses the tendons. Solutions: use moderate weight, don't go too heavy, limit frequency to 1-2x per week, and switch to cable overhead extensions if pain develops.
Lower to forehead or behind the head?
Behind the head (slightly past the forehead) gives more long head stretch and is slightly more effective. To the forehead is the classic version and is fine too. Don't lower to the nose — that's too short.