Band Skull Crusher
Trains the Triceps.
- Equipment
- A resistance band and either a flat bench or an adjustable bench
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
- Anchor a band low behind a flat bench and lie back on it, head toward the anchor.
- Take an end in each hand and press up until the arms are straight over your chest.
- Tip the upper arms back slightly toward the anchor and keep them there.
- Bend the elbows to let the band draw your hands down toward your forehead.
- Straighten the arms back to the start against the band.
- Keep the upper arms still — only the forearms move.
Common mistakes
- Letting the upper arms swing back and forth. The upper arm is the fixed part; if it moves, this becomes a band pullover with the triceps assisting.
- Anchoring the band where it can slip. A band released behind your head while your arms are bent travels toward your face.
- Expecting the band's curve to match a bar's. A band is lightest where the elbows are bent and hardest at lockout, which is the opposite of a barbell skull crusher — easiest exactly where a bar is hardest.
- Lying too far from the anchor. Too far and there is no slack anywhere in the range; a step closer keeps the bottom of the movement usable.