SKULL CRUSHERS/ to the head or slightly in abck of

[punch]

I have tried both and it seems that bringing the bar slightly in back of the head and raising wieght from that position puts more stress on the Tricep. What do you all think??

 

[TheOak84]

i bring it behind my head and get a nice stretch... i feel when i bring it to my head, i dont feel it as much untill half way up..

 

[punch]

A friend of mine suggested trying this movement on a decline bench. Despite my skepticism it worked very well. I have to do a huge warm up before doing skulls otherwise my elbows hurt big time.

 

[TheOak84]

ya i do 3 progressive warmups something like:

(with a curl bar) dimesx15, 25x10, 35x8
then workset, 45x8, 45 and a dimex8..

so, 3 warmups, but, if i do chest or delts first, just 2 warm ups

 

[louden_swain]

I go behind the head because it is more comfortable for me. I feel that I can get a deeper stretch. The convential skull crusher is garbage to me since in places negative stress on the elbow, plus it doesn't feel natural. I will never force my body to do a movement that it rejects.

I keep my upper arm angled and stationary at 60 degrees.

I love to perform this exercise on an incline. I feel that it is easier to control the movement.

 

[Thaibox]

The best thing about seated skull crushers is that when your elbows are pulled back over your head, your tris are stretched, therefore creating a full range of motion that you can't get out of other tri lifts. So, if done seated upright or inclined, the bar should touch behind your head. Laying of course would be different.

 

[R CRUSHER]

hmmmm...i do them behind my head, to my nose, and to my neck(kinda like a tate press). they all feel different.

 

[gymtime]

Are you talking seated, upright tri extensions? or regular flat bench skulls? It seems like two different excercises are being discussed here.

 

[baza]

I agree with thaibox, I found that if you go to your eyes or forehead, you triceps aren't perpendicular to your body, so it's not hitting them properly. When they are angled it doesn't seem to be working as good, and seems as though you are cheating. Just my opinion. Angled I mean away from your body, not the other way, which Thaibox is talking about.

The best thing about seated skull crushers is that when your elbows are pulled back over your head, your tris are stretched, therefore creating a full range of motion that you can't get out of other tri lifts. So, if done seated upright or inclined, the bar should touch behind your head. Laying of course would be different.

 

[Thaibox]

Are you talking seated, upright tri extensions? or regular flat bench skulls? It seems like two different excercises are being discussed here.

Seated upright extensions: The best way would be to have your elbows above your head do to the stretch, so you'd want to hit(or go toward) the back of your head

Flat skulls: Your upper arms should be at slightly less than 90 degrees from your body(to avoid lockout stress release), and remain stationary throughout the entire movement. So, it would only be possible to touch the front of your head. Am I right in my thinking?