Bodyweight skull crushers are a triceps exercise unique the calisthenics community.
When done right – bodyweight skull crushers work all 3 heads of the triceps!
Unfortunately this exercise is done incorrectly, leaving out the long head of the triceps in the bargain.
In this article I’ll show you:
- The SECRET to perfect bodyweight skull crusher from.
- The BENEFITS of bodyweight skull crushers.
- The BEST equipment for the exercise.
- My TOP Bodyweight Skull Crusher Variations.
How To Do Bodyweight Skull Crushers With [PERFECT] Form:
The best way to do bodyweight skull crushers is to add some range of motion from the bodyweight triceps extension:
1. Place your outstretched hands on a bar, ledge or gymnastics rings.
2. Walk your feet back until you are in a plank position with your arms stretched out in front of you, as opposed to beneath you.
3. Assume a shoulder width stance, this creates a stable base to push from. This is the “start position” for bodyweight skull crushers.
4.Take a deep breath and squeeze your abs, glutes and quads. This will prevent your hips from sagging.
5. Bend your elbows, and allow your head to sink between your elbows.
6. Stop when you feel a deep stretch in your triceps. This is the “end position” for bodyweight skull crushers. Notice how my head is placed between my elbows.
7. Push yourself back to the starting position by straightening your arms, this will contract your triceps.
8. Breathe out.
9. Take a deep breath in again, brace your abs, glutes and quads and perform another repetition.
Triceps skull crushers can be done for 3 – 4 sets of 8 – 15 repetitions.
Start with 8 repetitions and work your way up to 12. Once you’re able to do 15 repetitions of bodyweight skull crushers, you can make the exercise harder.
Bodyweight Skull Crusher Mistakes:
The biggest mistake when doing bodyweight skull crushers is trying to isolate the triceps by cutting down range of motion.
Calisthenics exercises aren’t very good at isolating muscle groups, but this isn’t a bad thing.
Intentionally reducing range of motion when trying to “isolate” the muscles is.
The wrong way to do bodyweight skull crushers is to bring the “skull” to the hands and stop there, instead of increasing the range of motion by bringing the “skull” between the elbows.
Bringing the head between the elbows takes the muscles through a longer range of motion and involves shoulder flexion as well. This forces the use of additional muscle mass in the movement while strengthening the triceps through it’s full range of motion.
Doing bodyweight skull crushers with shoulder and elbow flexion increases recruitment of the long head of the triceps and involves the lats as well.
As you’ll see below the long head of the triceps makes the arm look bigger from the side.
Benefits Of Bodyweight Skull Crushers:
1. Bodyweight skull crushers work the long head of the triceps.
Most people think that the biceps contribute most to arm size, but the triceps actually account for 60% of arm development.
Working all 3 heads of the triceps therefore of prime importance for those who want massive arms using just their bodyweight.
Bodyweight skull crushers are a compound exercise that works the long, medial and lateral heads of the triceps along with the lats and abs.
You’ll typically see bodyweight skull crushers done as an isolation exercise. This common mistake is a cardinal sin that reduces activation of the long head of the triceps.
The long head of the triceps is an important muscle for calisthenics athletes. This is because the long head of the triceps is often left out during bodyweight exercises.
Training the long head improves overhead pushing strength for handstand push ups. The long head of the triceps also makes the arm look bigger from the side.
Unfortunately, reducing the range of motion of the skull crusher by turning it into an isolation exercise, severely reduces long head activation.
If you’re looking for complete triceps development, make sure to do your bodyweight skulls with the form described above.
2. Bodyweight skull crushers also work the lats and abs.
The abs are forced to work hard to stabilize the trunk when doing bodyweight skull crushers. This strengthens the core and carries over to other calisthenics movements.
The lats also enter the picture when doing bodyweight skull crushers as described above. This is because the lats aid in shoulder extension.
Involvement of the abs and the lats in the exercise, make bodyweight skull crushers a powerhouse of a movement. This allows the generation of additional force, thereby involving more muscle mass and increasing overall strength.
Bodyweight Skull Crusher Variations:
You can increase the difficulty of bodyweight skull crushers by either adding weight to a dipping belt or by raising the level of your feet.
The most common way to progress with bodyweight skull crushers is by changing the angle your body makes with the ground.
The higher up your feet are in relation to your hands, the harder bodyweight skull crushers become.
But, the best way to make progress with bodyweight skull crushers is by adding weight.
To perform weighted bodyweight skull crushers, you will need a good quality dipping belt. Strap the belt on with some weights attached to the belt. Take up the starting position of the exercise and get your reps in.
Weighted calisthenics makes you stronger as a function of adding more weight over time. Add 40 kilos to your bodyweight skull crushers for reps and tell me you don’t have big triceps!
Doing bodyweight skulls with a dipping belt will improve your core stability as you’re performing a moving plank while training your triceps.
Once you reach 10-15 reps with your bodyweight, add more weight and continue building massive triceps.
Best Piece Of Equipment For Bodyweight Skull Crushers:
The best way to perform bodyweight skull crushers is with gymnastics rings.
Gymnastics rings adapt to your bodies leverages and produce the best ergonomics for bodyweight skulls.
Doing bodyweight skull crushers on a bar or flat ledge causes wrist pain, rings allow the wrists to be placed in a neutral position alleviating wrist pain.
Conclusion:
Bodyweight skull crushers are the best triceps builder in the calisthenics community.
In fact, they far outperform most of the dumbbell and cable skull crushers performed in the gym.
If done right they will build significant size and strength in the triceps. Along with full body control and strength!