Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension

Also called dumbbell skull crusher, lying db extension and neutral grip skull crusher.

Works

Triceps, plus chest and shoulders

Equipment

Dumbbells

Level

Intermediate

Type

Isolation

How to do it

Setup. Lie on a flat bench while holding two dumbbells directly in front of you. Your arms should be fully extended at a 90-degree angle from your torso and the floor. The palms should be facing in and the elbows should be tucked in. This is the starting position.

1. As you breathe in and you keep the upper arms stationary with the elbows in, slowly lower the weight until the dumbbells are near your ears.
2. At that point, while keeping the elbows in and the upper arms stationary, use the triceps to bring the weight back up to the starting position as you breathe out.
3. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Cues

• Palms in, arms over the chest.
• Lower to beside the ears.
• Upper arms stay still.
• Extend to lockout.

Common mistakes

• Elbows flaring.
• Upper arms drifting back.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have a sore elbow. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

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