How to do an Incline Barbell Skull Crusher
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About this exercise
- Sets Logged
- 360,747
- Popularity Rank
- 430th
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Triceps Strength
- 86 mSCORE 20th
- Equipment Required
Barbells
Incline Bench
Workouts with Incline Barbell Skull Crusher
Instructions for Proper Form
Incline Barbell Skull Crusher is a variation on the more standard Skull Crusher. Like other Skull Crushers, this is an isolation exercise that primarily targets your triceps. By positioning yourself on an incline, you can get more of a stretch in your triceps which can help improve muscle growth. The use of a barbell helps to add stability to the movement, allowing you to focus more on exertion rather than stabilizing the movement.
- Lie your back onto a bench while squeezing your shoulder blades together and placing your heels firmly on the ground underneath your knees.
- The bench should be at 45-60 degrees and in contact with your head, shoulders, and butt.
- Unrack the barbell with a shoulder-width grip and position it overtop of the shoulders.
- Keep your upper arms vertical with the ground and stationary as you flex your elbows to lower the barbell to just above your forehead.
- Exhale to extend your arms and return the barbell to the starting position.
Common Form Mistakes
Limit Range of Motion at the Top
Make sure you’re keeping tension on your triceps at the top of the movement. Many lifters will lock out their arms with the weight directly over their elbow. This gives your triceps time to rest between reps. Limit your range of motion so there’s always tension on your triceps.
Elbow Drift
Don’t allow your elbows to move much during this exercise. A little movement is fine, but you want the weight to pivot around your elbow as much as possible. Try shifting your mindset from lowering the weight directly onto your forehead, to arcing around towards the top of your head.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Incline Barbell Skull Crusher standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps40lbs1 Rep Max50lbs
- intermediate8reps50lbs65lbs
- advanced8reps65lbs80lbs
Enter your stats to calculate your Reps & Weight
Alternatives & Variations to Incline Barbell Skull Crusher
1. Dumbbell Skullcrusher
98.4 mSCORESWAPPED 1,191 TIMESDumbbell Skullcrusher is an isolation exercise that targets your triceps. Unlike some skull crusher variations, the use of dumbbells prevents you from compensating for any differences in strength between sides, as well as adding some instability to the movement.
2. Skullcrusher
97.2 mSCORESWAPPED 632 TIMESSkullcrushers are an isolation exercise that targets the triceps. By laying back on a bench, you prevent yourself from swaying or leaning into the movement in order to help you move the weight. An EZ-Bar helps you find a comfortable grip, while still adding stability to the movement similar to a barbell variation.
3. Single Arm Dumbbell Tricep Extension
88.5 mSCORESWAPPED 494 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Tricep Extension. Like other tricep extensions, this is an isolation movement that targets your triceps. By performing this exercise with a single arm, you add more instability to the movement, as well as prevent yourself from compensating for any strength discrepancies between sides.
4. Seated Tricep Press
97.4 mSCORESWAPPED 465 TIMESSeated Tricep Press is an isolation exercise that targets your triceps. The positioning of the dumbbell varies from many other tricep exercises, which is great for adding some variety to your exercise selection. By positioning the dumbbell overhead you can ensure that you’re taking your triceps through their full range of motion.
5. Dumbbell Kickbacks
93.7 mSCORESWAPPED 442 TIMESDumbbell Kickbacks are an isolation exercise that target the triceps. The use of dumbbells prevents you from compensating for any strength discrepancies between sides. The movement itself is simple and easy to perform, making this a great exercise for beginners, and plenty of variations exist for more advanced users looking to add more difficulty and complexity to the movement.
6. Cable Tricep Pushdown
97.9 mSCORESWAPPED 399 TIMESThis is an isolation exercise that targets the triceps. This exercise is very similar to other cable tricep exercises with the exception of using a flat bar instead of other handle attachments. This keeps your hands palms down, and reduces the demand for stabilizing your wrist during the movement.
7. Bench Dip
93.8 mSCORESWAPPED 367 TIMESBench Dip is a variation on the standard Dip. Like other Dip variations, this is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your triceps. Because your feet are still on the ground, this tends to be an easier variation, and a great way to build tricep strength as you work towards full bodyweight dips.
8. Cable Rope Tricep Extension
99.1 mSCORESWAPPED 325 TIMESThis is an isolation triceps exercise. The use of cables gives you more control over where the resistance is coming from, allowing you to keep more tension in your triceps compared to equipment like dumbbells. Because you can easily adjust the weight on a cable machine this is also a great exercise for performing drop sets, and burning out your triceps.
- Intermediate
- Triceps
- Rope Cable
9. EZ-Bar Overhead Tricep Extension
89.8 mSCORESWAPPED 297 TIMESLike other Tricep Extensions, this is an isolation exercise that targets the triceps. The use of an EZ-Bar adds some stability to the movement allowing for heavier loads. In addition an EZ-Bar can offer a more comfortable grip compared to something like a Barbell. By performing this exercise while standing you add some instability back into the movement, which makes this a great exercise for developing functional strength.
- Intermediate
- Triceps
- EZ Bar
10. Standing Dumbbell Tricep Extension
77.1 mSCORESWAPPED 288 TIMESLike other Dumbbell Tricep Extensions, this is an isolation movement that targets triceps. By performing this exercise while standing instead of seated, you add a small amount of instability to the movement. In addition, performing this exercise while standing can make this a more beneficial variation for developing functional strength in your triceps.