Bodyweight Skull Crushers
I read somewhere that Skull Crushers is the only exercise that has a “warning” in its name. I can only imagine how the name came to be, but what I do know is that it is probably one of the best triceps exercises you can do. What’s even more amazing about this exercise is that you don’t even need a gym to do them! Bodyweight Skull Crushers can be just as effective and get those shirtbreaker guns you’re looking for!
Bodyweight Skull Crushers
Guys can laugh at most bodyweight exercises because they think they need to lift large amounts of weight to build muscle. This is not really the case and you can visit any cross-training gym or take a circuit / bootcamp style class to see a really attractive physique that was built primarily from bodyweight exercises. For women who are fearless, you won’t get the volume that guys will get anyway for purely genetic reasons, and this is an amazing exercise to help tone your upper arms.
What are bodyweight skull crushers?
They are a variation of the common Skull Crusher Tricep workout. With weights, you are lying on a bench and extending a barbell up to your forehead. With the bodyweight version you are using gravity, positioning and well … your own body weight.
How to make bodyweight skull crushers.
1. At the gym: On a Smith machine or rack set, adjust the bar at waist height or slightly higher. Outside of the gym: You can use almost any stable object that allows you to grip with your hands, such as a counter or a stair railing.
2. Keep your abs tight and form a plank as you grasp the bar from an upright position. (Note: a pair of lifting grips will ease hand fatigue and give you a more stable grip.)
3. Lower your body, bending your elbows until your forehead is about to touch the bar. You’ll want to focus on keeping your elbows tucked to your sides as much as possible. Pause.
4. Return to the starting position, and that completes one full rep!
Tips:
The higher the bar, the less you will work your triceps. The lower the bar, the more you hit the triceps.
This is not just a great Triceps exercise, but it is a good exercise in stability. Since you’re also engaging your core in “planks,” you probably even feel it in your abs!