Skull Crusher help

[ZenMachine]

I tried skull crushers this morning. I am not really sure that I have the correct form down.

I use the EZ bar and use about a shoulder width grip. Arms are extended straight above me, essentially perpendicular to the bench that I am lying on. I bring the weight down to my forehead/bridge of the nose bending only at the elbow. I keep my upper arm as close to that perpendicular position as possible.

Does that sound about right?

Also, any idea why I got a shooting pain through the back part of my left shoulder when doing them?

Thanks,
Zen

 

[Fuel_90]

Bro, skullchrushers are great for triceps; however, you may experience pain in your shoulder or even at the back of the elbow at the bottom of your triceps. The pain in the elbow is usually caused by too much weight; the pain you are experiencing, I believe, is to do your grip. When I do them, I take an inside grip. If you notice the contour of the grip is more natural this way on the negative motion; taking a wide grip can put unwanted strain on the shoulders.

Try the inside grip and keep your elbows from bowing outwards.

Hope this helps.

 

[FatRat]

That’s an excellent exercise for Tri's, one of my favourites. The way you describe it sound about right. I like to angle my upper arms back towards my head a bit and bring the bar down slightly behind my head / upper forehead. I find this angle helps keep tension on the muscle at the top.

Try varying your grip as Zen suggests and make sure you warm up properly. You may be swinging the weight using your shoulders rather than concentrating on only using your Tri's, which might mean you are using to much weight.

 

[The mann]

hey dude also try em' with the straight bar,kind of hard on the wrists,but a different feel.also try hittin' different spots when you bring the bar down,chin.nose,forehead,throat................PEACE

 

[gymtime]

Sounds about right, only I'll use the close grip, not the shoulder, but either/or I guess.

Trick to skull crushers is keeping your upper arms perfectly straight throughout the movement and squeezing the tris at the top of the exercise. A lot of guys end up swinging the weight up like a pullover movement; very bad.

One thing I've tried lately is skull crushers with a reverse grip, but exact same movement. It's a killer, like a completely different exercise almost. Might give that a shot.

 

[ZenMachine]

I will try the closer grip and see if that alleviates the shoulder pain.

I have lowered the weight to avoid the pullover like tendency.

I may have to give the reverse grips a try as well

Thanks.

Zen