How to Perform Skull Crushers With a Preacher Curl Bar

Skull Crushers are a great way to develop and define your triceps. They are triceps extensions done while laying flat on a bench. Since the weight is lowered over your skull they are nicknamed skull crushers. You can do them with a straight bar but you will work more of your triceps by using a preacher curl bar.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Get a weight bench and adjust it so that it is flat. When you are on it you should be parallel to the ground.

2. Get a preacher curl bar and add some light weight plates. Remember, you are working your triceps not your chest. You only need a little bit of weight for this small muscle group.

3. Grasp the preacher curl bar with an overhand grip. Your hands should be on the part of the preacher curl bar that angles inward and upward. Your thumb knuckles should be pointed toward each other.

4. Bring the preacher curl bar to your chest as you lay flat on the bench. Your feet should be to the sides of the bench flat on the ground.

5. Raise the preacher curl bar straight up so that your arms are perpendicular to the ground. This is your starting position.

6. Bend your elbows and lower the preacher curl bar toward your head. Stop just before you hit your forehead, then raise the weight to your starting position. This is 1 rep. Do 10 to 12 reps, then rest. Do 3 to 5 sets of skull crushers.

Tips & Warnings

• Perform skull crushers in a controlled fashion. Focus on isolating your triceps and getting them to burn. If your back is lifting off the bench then you are using too much weight.

• Be sure that you can easily handle the weight you are lifting. They are called "skull crushers" because that's exactly what you will do if you try to lift too much weight. Remember, this weight is hanging right over your head. It will seriously harm you if you drop it.