Incline Skull Crusher

What is the Incline Skull Crusher?

The incline skull crusher is a lying triceps extension done on an incline bench, so the upper arms angle back further behind the head. That angle deepens the stretch on the long head of the triceps at the bottom of each rep, making it a strong stretch-focused variation of the classic flat skull crusher.

Muscles worked

Primary: Triceps

The triceps extends the elbows to press the bar back up; the inclined bench angles the upper arms behind the head, loading the long head through a deeper stretch than a flat skull crusher.

How to perform the Incline Skull Crusher

1. Set an incline bench to about 30 to 45 degrees and lie back holding an EZ-bar pressed up over the shoulders.
2. The incline angles the upper arms so the triceps long head keeps tension at lockout instead of resting, unlike a flat skullcrusher.
3. Keep the upper arms fixed and angled slightly back, then bend the elbows to lower the bar toward the top of the head.
4. Control the descent and keep the bar path from drifting too far behind the head, which strains the elbows.
5. Stop with the bar near the crown of the head, keeping the elbows from flaring outward.
6. Extend the elbows to press the bar back up, and never bounce out of the stretched bottom.

Suggested working range: 8–12 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Mechanics

A single-joint isolation on an incline bench: elbow extension with the upper arms angled back behind the head. The incline is the point: it lengthens the long head at the bottom, putting the stretched portion of the range under more load than the flat version.

Form cues

• •Set the bench to a moderate incline and lie back with the arms angled overhead.
• •Lower the bar behind your head to a deep stretch, keeping the elbows tucked.
• •Extend by straightening the elbows only, keeping the upper arms fixed.
• •Control the lowering into the stretch rather than dropping the bar.

Common mistakes

• •Letting the bar path drift far behind the head, which strains the elbows.
• •Flaring the elbows out to the sides instead of keeping the upper arms fixed.
• •Bouncing out of the stretched bottom, which spikes elbow-tendon strain.
• •Setting the incline too steep so the long-head tension advantage is lost.

Variations & alternatives

• •Flat skull crusher, the standard version with less long-head stretch.
• •Incline dumbbell skull crusher, the same angle with independent dumbbells.
• •Overhead cable extension, a standing stretch-focused long-head loader.
• •EZ-bar skull crusher, an angled bar that’s gentler on the wrists.

Tricep Pushdown

Triceps · Cable

Overhead Tricep Extension

Triceps · Dumbbell

Skull Crusher

Triceps · Barbell

Tricep Dip

Triceps · Bodyweight

Close-Grip Bench Press

Triceps · Barbell

Programming: sets, reps & when to use it

Program the incline skull crusher in the library’s 8–12 rep range as a stretch-focused triceps builder for the long head, run after pressing. Because the deeper stretch loads the elbow more, keep the load controlled and the elbows tucked, and don’t grind sloppy reps to failure. An EZ bar is often kinder to the wrists.

Frequently asked questions