Alternative to Skullcrushers?

[Majestyc]

Is there an alternative exercise to skullcrushers?

[willldabeast]

dips, pushdowns, kickbacks, behind head extensions, rope pushdowns, close grip bench, or any of the other many tricep exercises.

[Beast Genetics]

Check this site out go to the desired muscle group click on an exercise and it gives you a slide show on the proper technique for it. http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exercise1.htm

[in10city]

Is there an alternative exercise to skullcrushers?

Plenty of other options. Lateral or long head emphasis with the SC's ?

[Gaskicker]

Why do you ask?Are you just looking for alternative exercises or do you have an injury if some sort?

[Majestyc]

I'm having some trouble isolating my triceps and feeling the burn when I do EZ-bar skullcrushers.

[hulkinout]

Skullcrushers on a decline always worked better for me than flat bench. Also, Tate presses. Love 'em!

[in10city]

Skullcrushers on a decline always worked better for me than flat bench. Also, Tate presses. Love 'em!

Yeah... Or on an incline so you can elevate your arms overhead ... the continuous tension just makes them melt

[shay14]

overhead dumbbell extensions

[Warrior9]

Flat bench dumbell extensions doing it with both hands.. perform like a skullcrusher but with dumbells

[shay14]

Flat bench dumbell extensions doing it with both hands.. perform like a skullcrusher but with dumbells

tried that, its fukin hectic

[hulkinout]

Flat bench dumbell extensions doing it with both hands.. perform like a skullcrusher but with dumbells

I've done those on the floor. A powerlifter taught me. You use a pause in between each rep when the bell touches the floor. Eliminates all momentum, which your elbows will thank you for. Great for building up strength in the part of the tricep nearest the elbow.

[Juggernaut33]

overhead dumbbell extensions

I agree with these. They've added a lot of mass to my tris.

[Pairunoyd]

do everything you do when performing skull crushers but replace the bar w/ 2 DBs. The only time i ever see anyone doing tri work w/ 2 DBs is on kickbacks. I have well developed tris and do tons of DB work on tris, always using both DBs. My fav is overhead DB extensions (on a high incline bench) w/ the DB handles vertical. Awesome stretch and free, unrestriced motion. Also removes the pain of heaving up one giant DB.

Overhead DumbellS Extensions are AWESOME!!!

[willldabeast]

have you tried skull crushers with a straight bar? i feel that much better in the tris, EZ doesn't do it for me either

[Radok]

Overhead extensions with a straight bar is the most intense triceps exercise I've ever used. It really sets the long heads on fire.

[Creature83]

I started doing Larry Scotts a couple of weeks ago and they KILL the tri's. Dips work good too. http://www.larryscott.com/bio/newsletter/97summer_2.cfm "Triceps that hang down like loves of bread" LOL.

[Pairunoyd]

Overhead extensions with a straight bar is the most intense triceps exercise I've ever used. It really sets the long heads on fire.

Try it w/ DBs a few times. You can do them just like BB ext. or you can tweak the movement to hone in on the most effective technique. I'm tellin ya, it does everything the bb variation does plus any other variation you wish to apply.

It'll probably feel awkward and weird the first few times you do them simply because youre not used to them. Give it time...

[Pairunoyd]

I started doing Larry Scotts a couple of weeks ago and they KILL the tri's. Dips work good too. http://www.larryscott.com/bio/newsletter/97summer_2.cfm "Triceps that hang down like loves of bread" LOL.

and using 2 DUMBELLS AT A TIME allows you to train the 'big long head' of the tri without 'wrecking your elbows'. Using a single DB or a BB fixes your position, whereas allowing the arms to work independently via 2 DBs avoids this elbow wrecking dilemma.

One of these days someone is going to listen to my dual dumbell tricep training advice!

[Creature83]

I didn't say there was anything wrong with the 2 DB exercise i just said that I've gotten some good workouts from Larry Scotts. It really makes it easier to stretch your arms back behind you to get full ROM. I'll give the 2 DB exercise a try too.

[Pairunoyd]

I didn't say there was anything wrong with the 2 DB exercise i just said that I've gotten some good workouts from Larry Scotts. It really makes it easier to stretch your arms back behind you to get full ROM. I'll give the 2 DB exercise a try too.

oh, i know you didnt criticize dual db work. sorry i implied that. i read the article you posted and referenced the 'good mass builders but elbow wreckers'.

yea, you gotta stay w/ the 2 db work. you just keep twisting, turning and adjusting until it really nails them. it also feels much better on my shoulders doing overhead db's w/ two 35's instead of one fat 100.

when i grip them i grip them so that when the DBs are vertical overhead, my hands are right against the bottom bells. This causes the dbs to be top-heavy, which gives a nice backward pull on my tris when lowering the dbs. But whatever suits you. You can also hold them so that the handles are horizontal, like a barbell. Or anywhere in between. I like the vertical hold but change it to horizontal every once in a while just to mix things up.

When i reach the contracted position, it feels better to me if my upper arms are angled slightly back and the dbs nearly behind my head. This seems to make the tricep ache more continuous and also seems to play some role in 'saving' the elbows.

[Pairunoyd]

tried that, its fukin hectic

thats good. means you need to tame it. stick w/ it and youll see the light civilization can endow you w/.

[solecrazed]

i've been trying out decline db ext lately (hammer grip) and it's pretty good

[hulkinout]

Oh right, I forgot about the Larry Scott overheads. Those are fantastic. I like them with a rope, but also try a V handle from time to time.

[iliketojuggle]

Oh right, I forgot about the Larry Scott overheads. Those are fantastic. I like them with a rope, but also try a V handle from time to time.

After someone posted a thread about them Ive been using these every arm day and ive got to say its my favorite tri exercise by far.. also before doing these I wasnt really doing anything that really hits the long head like this.. my arms have gotten noticeably bigger after just doing this every arm workout for about a month now.. right where he says how they hang like a loaf of bread lol.. last arm day I switched from using the rope (since the gym has no grip like he says to use) to the metal straight bar and wow! the straight bar really works great, maybe even better than the rope with a pretty narrow grip on it..