Triceps · Isolation movement
Decline Skull Crusher
An isolation exercise for the triceps. You need a barbell and a flat bench.
Primary muscle
Triceps
Secondary muscles
–
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Beginner
How to perform the Decline Skull Crusher
- Lie on a flat bench and press the load to lockout directly over the shoulders, not over the face.
- Keep the upper arms angled slightly back toward the head so tension stays on the triceps rather than at the bottom of the rep.
- Lower the load by bending the elbows only, bringing it to a point just above the forehead or just behind the head.
- Extend the elbows to drive the load back up along the same arc; the upper arms stay in their fixed angle for the entire set.
- Avoid drifting into a close-grip press by letting the upper arms straighten vertically. That recruits the chest instead.
Suggested working range: 8–12 reps. Default progression: double progression.
Common mistakes
- •Letting the upper arms straighten vertically through the rep, which turns the lift into a close-grip press.
- •Lowering the load to the forehead and stopping there reflexively, the bar should reach a useful range, not a fear distance.
- •Flaring the elbows out wide on the descent.
- •Pressing back to lockout with the chest instead of extending the elbows.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.
Use this exercise in a program
The Decline Skull Crusher fits into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize triceps volume.
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