Skullcrusher.
The EZ-bar skullcrusher trains the triceps through elbow flexion and extension with the upper arms vertical. Lying flat on a bench, the bar descends from overhead to just above the forehead while the upper arms stay perpendicular to the floor, loading the long head of the triceps under stretch.
Step by step.
Lie flat on a bench with your feet planted and your back in contact with the pad. Grip the EZ bar on the inner handles with a semi supinated grip about shoulder width apart.
Press the bar up until your arms are straight and the bar sits over your face. Tip the upper arms back a touch so the load is held over your forehead rather than straight over your chest. This is your start.
Point your elbows at the ceiling and keep them there for the whole set. Bend only at the elbows and lower the bar in an arc toward a spot just above your forehead.
Lower under control until you feel the triceps stretch, with the upper arms staying vertical and still. Do not let the elbows flare out or the upper arms drift back toward your head.
Drive the bar back up by straightening the elbows, keeping the upper arms locked in place. Stop just short of a hard lockout to keep tension on the triceps.
Pause briefly at the top, then begin the next rep. Keep the eccentric slow, around 2-3 seconds, especially as the set gets harder.
Elbow flare is the thing that turns skullcrushers from a productive tricep exercise into a shoulder problem. When the elbows drift outward during the descent, the load shifts off the triceps and onto the lateral shoulder structures. The elbows should point toward the ceiling for the entire set, not inward (which compresses the wrist), not outward (which unloads the target). Straight up. If you watch someone do skullcrushers from the side and their elbows are moving laterally, the form is broken regardless of how controlled the bar path looks.
The other specific issue is the upper arms tipping back as weight gets heavy. The upper arms should stay perpendicular to the floor, vertical, pointing at the ceiling. When fatigue kicks in, the upper arms start leaning back toward the head, which turns the bottom of the movement into a pullover and the top of the movement into a partial press. The bar is no longer moving purely by elbow extension. This is a very easy thing to miss in the mirror because it looks similar to the correct position. Video yourself from the side if you're not sure.
The EZ bar grip gives a semi-supinated wrist angle, which reduces the rotational stress on the forearm that a straight bar creates. Use the inner (closer) handles. The wider handles change the angle too much and shift the emphasis away from the long head.
Long head of the triceps is the target here. The long head is unique in that it crosses both the elbow and the shoulder joint, so it's only fully stretched when the arm is overhead. Skullcrushers, overhead tricep extensions, and overhead cable extensions are the exercises that load the long head through its full stretch. Pushdowns and close-grip bench do not. The long head is the largest portion of the triceps. Neglecting stretched-position exercises leaves a significant amount of tricep development on the table.
Common questions.
To just above the forehead, which is where the exercise gets its name. The bar descends in an arc as the elbows flex, and at the bottom position it's roughly over the nose or forehead while the upper arms remain vertical. Some lifters lower slightly past the forehead toward the top of the head for a larger range; this is fine if elbow stability permits it. What you don't want is lowering the bar to the neck or chest. That changes the upper arm angle and takes the movement out of pure elbow flexion.
Yes, and dumbbells have some advantages. Each arm works independently, which prevents the stronger side from compensating. The grip can fully supinate at the top, which may feel more natural. The tradeoff is that coordinating two dumbbells while lying down is harder to set up and get into position, especially at heavier weights. EZ-bar skullcrushers are easier to load and tend to be the default for intermediate and advanced lifters. Dumbbell skullcrushers are a good variation when one tricep is lagging behind the other.
Usually one of two things: elbow flare (elbows drifting outward, loading the lateral elbow structures) or excessive weight creating tendon stress at the bottom. Check elbow position first. They should point straight up throughout. If the elbows are tracking correctly but the pain persists, the load is likely too heavy for the connective tissue at that joint angle. Skullcrushers place the tricep tendon at the elbow under significant stretch at the bottom, particularly with a full range. Reduce weight, control the eccentric to 3 seconds, and don't lock out hard at the top. Elbow tendinopathy from loaded extension work is slow to recover and worth taking seriously early.
Flat or very slightly arched, no pronounced lumbar arch. This isn't a pressing movement where leg drive and arch help. The bench is just a stable surface to lie on. Feet flat on the floor, back in contact with the bench, no bridging. The only exception would be if someone has a pre-existing lower back issue that makes a small rolled towel under the lumbar more comfortable.
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