Skull Crushers: Elbow-Friendly Ways to Train Your Triceps
Skull crushers, or lying triceps extensions, are one of the best exercises for the triceps because they load the muscle in a lengthened position. They also have a reputation for sore elbows. Most of that comes from three things: lowering the weight to the forehead with the upper arms vertical, using a straight bar that twists the wrists, and going too heavy for too few reps. The elbow-friendly version lets the upper arms angle back slightly, lowers the weight behind the head rather than to the face, uses dumbbells or an angled bar, and stays in the 10 to 15 rep range. If elbows still complain, a floor version or a cable overhead extension does a similar job with less strain.
Why the triceps respond to this exercise
The triceps make up most of the muscle at the back of the upper arm. One of their three heads, the long head, crosses the shoulder as well as the elbow, which means it is stretched most when the arm is raised overhead. Exercises that work it in that stretched position, like skull crushers and overhead extensions, train a part of the muscle that pushdowns tend to underload.
That is why skull crushers persist despite their reputation. They are not a curiosity. They fill a gap that pressing and pushdowns leave. Our post on the close-grip bench press covers the heavier compound option for the same muscle; skull crushers sit alongside it, not instead of it.
Why they hurt some elbows
The elbow is a hinge with a lot of tendon packed into a small area, and skull crushers ask it to bend fully under load, then straighten against resistance. Several common habits make that harder:
- Vertical upper arms. With the arms pointing straight at the ceiling, tension disappears at the top and returns suddenly at the bottom, right where the elbow is most bent.
- A straight bar. It forces the palms to face fully away, which many wrists and elbows dislike.
- Elbows flaring out. This shifts load unevenly through the joint.
- Heavy, low-rep sets. Triceps extensions rarely suit sets of five. The muscle grows well with moderate loads, and the joint is happier.
- Bouncing at the bottom. Using the stretch reflex to throw the weight back up loads the tendon sharply.
The elbow-friendly setup, step by step
- Choose dumbbells or an angled bar. Dumbbells with palms facing each other are the kindest starting point.
- Lie on a flat bench. Feet planted, lower back in its natural arch, not flattened or exaggerated.
- Press the weights up, then let the arms drift back. Angle the upper arms back towards your head by around 15 to 20 degrees from vertical. This keeps tension on the triceps at the top.
- Lower behind the head. Bend at the elbows and let the weights travel back past the top of your head, not to your forehead. Two to three seconds down.
- Stop at a comfortable depth. Deep enough to feel a stretch, not so deep the elbow aches.
- Extend smoothly. Straighten the arms back to the start without snapping the elbows into lockout.
Keep the elbows roughly shoulder width and pointing at the ceiling or slightly behind you. A little natural flare is fine; deliberate flaring is not.
Variations that are easier on the joint
| Variation | How it differs | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral-grip dumbbell | Palms face each other | More natural wrist and elbow position |
| Floor skull crusher | Lie on the floor; upper arms stop on the ground | The floor limits depth, so the elbow never reaches the most bent position |
| Cable overhead extension | Standing, facing away from a low or mid pulley, rope behind the head | Smooth, constant tension and easy to adjust range |
| Lying cable extension | On the floor or a bench with the cable from behind the head | Same pattern as a skull crusher with steadier tension |
| One arm at a time | Single dumbbell, free hand supports the working elbow | You can find the most comfortable angle for each side |
The floor version is underrated. It needs no bench, is hard to bounce, and makes depth self-limiting. For the cable versions, our guide to triceps and curl technique on the cable stack covers attachments and stance.
Sets, reps and placement
Two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps, with one or two good reps left in reserve, suits most people. Place skull crushers after your main pressing, when the triceps are already warm. A light first set of 15 to 20 is a sensible warm-up for the elbow even if the rest of the session has warmed you up generally.
Once or twice a week is plenty, particularly if you also bench press or do push-ups, which already work the triceps. More isolation work is not always better. If you are unsure how much to include, our piece on compound versus isolation exercises explains how to balance them.
Signs to back off
- Pain at the elbow that lasts into the next day, rather than ordinary muscle soreness.
- A sharp sensation at the bottom of each rep.
- Pain that is worse on the first set and “warms up” each session; it is often a sign of an irritated tendon.
- Grip or wrist pain alongside elbow pain.
If you notice these, swap to a cable or floor version, reduce the load, and give it a week or two. Check with your GP or a physiotherapist first if you have had an elbow injury, ongoing tendon pain or recent surgery, and seek advice if pain persists despite rest. The NHS page on tennis elbow gives a sensible overview of overuse elbow pain and when to see someone.
Training triceps in a private studio
Our basement studio on Archway Road has a dumbbell rack and a two-stack cable station, which covers the dumbbell floor and cable versions above. The studio is booked to you alone during your session, so if one variation irritates your elbows we can switch to another straight away, test the angle, and keep the session moving. You can read how 1-1 personal training at The Highgate House works and see the current training options, or start on the homepage.
Questions we get asked
Are skull crushers bad for your elbows?
Not inherently. Most elbow pain comes from a straight bar, vertical arms, heavy low-rep sets or bouncing. Adjust those first.
Should I lower to my forehead or behind my head?
Behind the head for most people. It lengthens the triceps more and is usually more comfortable.
EZ bar or dumbbells?
Dumbbells let each wrist settle naturally. An EZ bar is a reasonable middle ground. A straight bar is the one most people should avoid.
Can I train triceps without skull crushers?
Yes. Cable overhead extensions and close-grip pressing cover the same ground well.
Book with The Highgate House
Ready to start training properly? Email us at [email protected] with the service and the day that suits you, and we will come back to you with times.
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