Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredEZ Bar
- MechanicsIsolation
- Force TypePush (Bilateral)
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
None
Target Muscle Group
Triceps
Decline Lying Tricep Extension (Skullcrusher) Overview
The decline skullcrusher is a variation of the skullcrusher and an exercise used to isolate the muscles of the triceps.
The decline provides a different angle in which to hit the tricep muscle and increase the range of motion of the exercise.
Tricep isolation exercises such as the decline skullcrusher can help you build bigger arms and improve your strength on lifts that require stronger triceps (such as the bench press and overhead press).
Decline Lying Tricep Extension (Skullcrusher) Instructions
- Select your desired weight and sit on the edge of an decline bench at roughly 20-30 degrees.
- To get into position, lay back and keep the bar close to your chest. Once you are supine, press the weight to lockout.
- Unlock the elbows and allow the ez bar to drop toward your forehead or just above.
- Once your forearms reach parallel or just below, reverse the movement by extending the elbows while flexing the triceps to lockout the weight.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Decline Lying Tricep Extension (Skullcrusher) Tips
- Don’t overextend through the lumbar spine as you lower the weight, keep some tension through the abdominals.
- Exhale as you extend the elbows and lockout the weight overhead.
- Keep the head in a fairly neutral position, focus on a spot on the ceiling and complete all of the assigned repetitions.
- If you experience elbow pain during the movement, consider implementing a slight angle (incline or decline) or adjust elbow position (in versus out).
- You may slightly reduce tension through the ligamentous portions of the triceps during the movement by keeping the bar just above your head and not locking out directly over your line of sight.
1 Comment
what is the recommemnded weight to put when doing this technique