Skull Crushers: How To, Benefits, & Best Variations

So far as cool train names go, the cranium crusher has the most effective. It definitely sounds extra intimidating than the squat, as an illustration. And whereas we love workout routines that sound superior, we additionally want them to yield massive muscle beneficial properties. The excellent news is that the cranium crusher lives as much as its identify, and when completed appropriately, will assist sculpt the horseshoe-shaped triceps we’re all striving for.

Whether or not you are a powerlifter trying to enhance your triceps extension and lockout or a bodybuilder wanting an superior triceps train to stimulate maximal muscle development, this text has all it’s essential know, together with:

• Clarification of the triceps muscle group
• How one can correctly carry out cranium crushers
• Suggestions and customary errors
• Variations and alternate options to cranium crushers
• Correct programing for the cranium crusher

Overview Of Cranium Crushers

The cranium crusher is typically known as mendacity triceps extensions, which precisely describes the motion. Nevertheless, the time period “cranium crushers” is given because the motion consists of a barbell lowered to the pinnacle when you lie on a bench. In different phrases, you’d crush your cranium should you dropped the load. Yikes.

As a result of the arms and shoulder place are out in entrance of the physique, they require much less mobility within the shoulder joints and usually permit extra weight to be pressed. These two variables make it a favourite within the energy coaching world.

Typically carried out with a straight barbell or EZ-Curl bar, different variations, reminiscent of dumbbell cranium crushers, can be helpful. We’ll talk about this beneath.

Cranium Crushers Muscle mass Labored

The triceps are the key muscle group labored through the cranium crusher, however we would be remiss to not point out the higher arms as effectively, primarily the shoulder stabilizers. These stabilizer muscles hold the arm regular and keep rigidity and kind. Given the muscle tissues labored, cranium crushers might (and will!) be integrated into an arm workout.

Triceps:

Cranium crushers isolate and work the triceps muscle tissues of their entirety. That is fairly apparent given the identify. Because the “tri” in triceps implies, the muscle is made up of three totally different muscle heads. Whereas all are concerned with elbow extension, the first perform of the triceps, every head performs a barely totally different position.

Lengthy Head:

The lengthy head of the triceps is exclusive in that it crosses two joints, the shoulder and elbow, making the triceps a biarticular muscle. Because of this, long head exercises usually contain elbow extension along with shoulder extension. On this position, it’s going to assist to stabilize the shoulder joint throughout isometric and dynamic actions. That is why you’re feeling it in your triceps if you carry out a straight arm entrance pulldown or carry out actions like freestyle swimming.

The lengthy head sits on the inside portion of the arm and runs down all the size.

Lateral Head:

The lateral head sits on the skin of the arm and runs alongside a lot of the arm, solely crossing the elbow joint. Whereas the lengthy head is longer, the lateral head is considerably meatier than the others and is answerable for producing a excessive quantity of drive, significantly throughout lateral head triceps exercises.

Medial Head:

The medial head is the smallest of the three heads and sits in the course of the posterior aspect of the arm. Additional, it lays beneath the lateral and lengthy head, so you do not see it as a lot.

The medial head and medial head exercises are answerable for smaller muscle actions with small quantities of drive.

Advantages Of Utilizing Cranium Crushers

Cranium crushers’ identify is effectively deserved because it gives main advantages when included in your exercise routine. Listed below are a couple of causes you need these in your workout split.

1. Permits a Heavy Load For Stronger Triceps.

Triceps workout routines like kickbacks are nice for including finesse to your exercise, however they merely do not permit for heavy hundreds. For those who take a look at the biomechanics, you discover that the load is way from the elbow and shoulder joints through the kickbacks.

Nevertheless, the cranium crusher locations the load straight above the joints. And the positioning of the arms locations the muscle in a extra eccentric place, that means the muscle is lengthy and in a position to produce extra drive.

All of this results in cranium crushers enabling much more weight for use, that means larger muscle building and a few significantly sturdy triceps.

2. Can Be Carried out At House.

Whilst you’re presupposed to carry out cranium crushers on a flat bench, you’ll be able to simply carry out these laying on the bottom. An alternative choice is to choose out of the barbell and use an simply accessible cranium crusher variation: the resistance band cranium crusher.

3. Builds Greater Arms.

The higher arm consists of two muscle tissues: triceps brachii and biceps brachii.

These are the one two muscle tissues it’s important to work with when constructing a set of spectacular arms. Out of them, the triceps, make up roughly 2/3 of the higher arm’s complete muscle mass.

There’s completely nothing incorrect with coaching the biceps. Nevertheless, many guys solely focus on them when constructing larger arms. In actuality, the muscle tissues labored ought to be the triceps. So do not forget your dumbbell triceps exercises!

4. Generates Large Quantities Of Pushing Drive.

The triceps is one in all three pushing muscle tissues. The opposite two are the chest (pectorals) and medial and anterior shoulders.

The first job of the triceps is elbow extension, and negating to coach this motion will in the end go away you with weak pushing energy. We love resistance band triceps exercises for bettering pushing drive.

5. Strengthens Your Lockout On Urgent Workout routines.

After we consider pushing drive, we typically consider the chest and shoulder muscle tissues pushing barbells within the overhead press and bench press. That is not incorrect, however should you take a look at when most individuals fail throughout these workout routines, it is normally at about that midway mark when the elbow begins to interrupt 90-degrees.

This occurs to be the purpose at which the triceps are taking on to finish urgent workout routines. In different phrases, weak triceps precipitated the elevate to fail. That is why utilizing a triceps train that permits heavy weight is important for all weight lifters.

How To Correctly Carry out Barbell Cranium Crushers

Despite the fact that barbell cranium crushers are an isolation train, the motion may be difficult. As we would like you to get probably the most out of this train, listed here are step-by-step directions for performing barbell cranium crushers correctly. Remember to maneuver slowly and focus on that mind-muscle connection all through the barbell motion.

Set-Up For The Barbell Cranium Crusher:

To arrange, you want a flat bench and a barbell. Consider a barbell doesn’t have to be an Olympic-size barbell. You need to use one, however shorter barbells and even an EZ-bar work wonderful. As you’ll be able to use an angled grip with an EZ bar, we truly favor this because it takes the stress off the elbow joint.

Beginning Place For The Barbell Cranium Crusher:

Sit on the bench and maintain the barbell overhand with a shoulder-width grip. Lay again on the bench together with your complete physique on and ft planted on the bottom.

Elevate the barbell, so it is straight above your higher physique with elbows totally prolonged.

Motion Sample For The Barbell Cranium Crushers:

Conserving your elbows stationary, flex your elbows to permit the load to come back right down to your head. This ought to be completed in a gradual and managed method for apparent causes.

As soon as the barbell comes right down to your head, you’ll prolong your elbow powerfully and elevate the load till your elbow is totally prolonged.

Once more, the elbows stay nonetheless all the motion as that is an isolation train.

Frequent Errors Performing Barbell Cranium Crushers

Whereas cranium crushers are one of many extra difficult isolation exercises, there fortunately aren’t too many steps. That stated, a couple of errors occur extra typically than others. Be careful for these when coaching.

1. Letting The Elbows Flare:

Inexperienced lifters are extra to liable to letting the elbows flare out. If this happens an excessive amount of, you’ll mitigate the involvement of the triceps. Hold them stable and near your physique.

2. Utilizing Too A lot Weight:

For no matter purpose, lifters are inclined to let their egos get one of the best of them. Whereas we now have stated quite a few instances one of many benefits is that cranium crushers permit for heavy weight, that is relative.

Not solely can the shape be a bit difficult, however a variety of stress can be positioned on the wrist (once more, that is why we just like the EZ-bar). Subsequently, hold your ego in examine and give attention to stable kind, emphasizing wrist, elbow, and shoulder stability, particularly as a newbie. The burden will come. So long as you are utilizing appropriate kind and progressively overloading, you will make beneficial properties.

3. The Arm Angle Modifications:

We would like your elbow pointing straight up all the motion. Most individuals can hold carrying out this the primary couple of reps. Nevertheless, after a couple of extra, the arm positioning begins to vary, normally drifting backward.

4. Permitting Too A lot Elbow Motion:

Much like the above two, to be able to get optimum activation out of the triceps, it’s essential hold the elbow as nonetheless as potential. Along with flaring, the elbow can come inwards, towards your ft, or again at your head. Any of those actions can put undue stress on the elbow joint, probably resulting in elbow harm.

This requires vital activation out of your shoulder stabilizer muscle tissues, so go lighter at first. As soon as these muscle tissues are educated, you’ll be able to then give attention to including weight.

Correct Programming

The cranium crusher can work on varied coaching days, relying on the way you program it. Choices for the place to include the transfer embrace an upper body workout, push day workout, or an arm day.

The cranium crusher is a strong isolation train that can be utilized with each heavy and lightweight weight. Listed below are some fundamental parameters to comply with.

Utilizing The Barbell Cranium Crusher For Energy:

Cranium crushers are one of many few workout routines that we wish to go heavier on (relative and absolute). Actually, it is one in all a handful of triceps workout routines we suggest utilizing for improving strength. That stated, you continue to should not max out.

The heaviest it is best to go ought to be across the 6 rep vary with 3-4 units.

Utilizing The Barbell Cranium Crusher For Muscle Hypertrophy:

The first driver for muscle hypertrophy is accumulating quantity, assuming the load is heavy sufficient. To do that, utilizing a lighter weight that permits 3 units of 8-12 reps is perfect.

Whereas utilizing a high-rep burnout set on occasion (15-20+ reps) is a enjoyable tactic, this ought to be completed sparingly. Because the cranium crusher does mean you can use heavier weight, save the ultra-low weight for different workout routines.

Cranium Crusher Variations

Cranium crushers are simply the most effective triceps workout routines you are able to do. However having different workout routines in your instrument belt is at all times a good suggestion. It’s possible you’ll end up in a health club that lacks the identical gear. Or maybe your coaching has grow to be stale, and also you simply need a bit additional selection.

No matter why you might have considered trying a variation, these choices will ship.

1. Dumbbell Cranium Crusher:

The motion sample of a dumbbell cranium crusher is precisely the identical as performing a barbell cranium crusher. This contains the preliminary set-up, beginning place, and full motion.

The one distinction is you’ll use a pair of dumbbells. Additionally, use a impartial grip as an alternative of an overhand one when performing dumbbell cranium crushers. As you come down, the dumbbells will monitor, so that they’re on both aspect of your head. You then energy up precisely the identical.

Dumbbells may be extraordinarily helpful for somebody with any sort of mobility concern of their elbow and shoulder joint. And should you’re not sure the place you stand with mobility, we propose testing your mobility instantly.

As a result of the dumbbell is held in just one hand, you’ll be able to alter your place to coach across the ache. Remember some tricep stretches after your exercise!

2. Rolling Dumbbell Triceps Extensions:

Rolling dumbbell triceps extensions are like cranium crushers on steroids. Other than utilizing dumbbells, these mendacity triceps extensions will seem near the identical train, with the first distinction occurring on the positioning of the elbow joints.

First, it’s essential choose up a pair of dumbbells. From right here, the preliminary set-up is precisely the identical as cranium crushers, together with the beginning place with arms prolonged straight up. The one distinction is you’ll be holding the dumbbells with a impartial grip.

Now you are prepared for the motion sample. You’ll start by permitting the dumbbells to drop again towards your head, similar to barbell cranium crushers. Ideally, you get the dumbbells to take a seat on both aspect of your head with the elbows remaining in the identical place.

As a substitute of performing elbow extension as you do with cranium crushers, you’ll first permit the elbow joints to drop straight again till they’re nearly in step with the pinnacle. From right here, you’ll energy your elbows again ahead to the unique beginning place after which prolong your elbows.

This gives higher muscle activation by enabling extra stretch within the muscle fibers of the triceps, requiring larger involvement from the lengthy head as a consequence of shoulder extension, and permitting the muscle tissues to maneuver heavier hundreds as a consequence of physique motion.

3. Incline Cranium Crushers:

Incline cranium crushers merely contain utilizing an incline bench somewhat than a flat bench, and your arms will not be perpendicular to your physique. Whilst you’ll nonetheless have them prolonged within the air, they are going to be at an incline angle when evaluating them to your torso, just like an incline bench press.

The first profit that some individuals report is the mitigation of elbow ache. This transfer would work effectively in a chest and triceps workout.

4. Resistance Band Cranium Crushers:

This model is nice as a rehab transfer, or for learners or anybody trying to throw in burnout set of their exercise routine. Once more, the fundamental motion sample is precisely the identical, besides you carry out the cranium crusher with a resistance band.

Relying on the size and thickness of your band, you’ll wrap them underneath your flat bench. There are a couple of methods to do that:

• Place all the physique underneath the bench close to your head.
• For shorter or thicker bands, solely place one strap underneath the bench.
• For longer or skinny bands, place the strap underneath the leg and are available up behind the tip close to your head.

It does not matter the way you set it up so long as it really works. Utilizing an overhand grip works greatest.

Cranium Crusher Options

Now maybe for no matter purpose, you’ll be able to’t carry out barbell cranium crushers. Or, perhaps you simply need another workout routines to make use of in your triceps exercises. Listed below are some superior cranium crusher alternate options.

1. Shut Grip Bench Press:

The shut grip bench press is a tremendous train that permits you to place a heavy load on the triceps whereas utilizing deep elbow flexion. Much like the barbell bench press, with this barbell triceps exercise, you will carry your arms in as an alternative of utilizing a shoulder-width grip so that they’re barely narrower than shoulder width.

Then carry the barbell down beneath your nipple, a bit decrease than the standard bench press. As you come down, make sure to hold your elbows tucked. Individuals are inclined to let their elbows flare, which places unneeded stress on the joints.

You may discover your elbows come decrease than regular, offering that deep elbow flexion. Shut grip bench presses are a basic barbell triceps extension motion utilized by energy athletes to construct spectacular pushing energy.

2. French Press:

The French press seems to be just like a cranium crusher however is completed sitting on a bench with the arms prolonged straight up. As a result of this place, the lengthy head is stretched significantly, giving it a bit additional consideration.

For those who like overhead extensions, the French press is an efficient possibility.

3. Triceps Dip:

We love dips. They’re a tremendous train to extend your general pushing energy and athleticism. Additional, you’ll be able to barely alter your motion sample to vary up muscle activation. To hit the triceps extra, you wish to hold your torso upright to lower activation of the chest.

4. Shut Grip Push Up:

The shut grip push-up follows the identical logic because the shut grip bench press. Utilizing narrower hand placement vastly will increase the activation of the muscle within the triceps. Plus, these tricep workout routines are excellent to make use of at house!

5. Cable Machine Overhead Triceps Extension:

Our final favourite triceps extension is completed utilizing the cable pulley and cord attachment to carry out an overhead extension. Aren’t cable arm exercises simply one of the best?

Cranium Crushers: Get Able to Really feel Your Triceps Burn!

Cranium crushers are a hell of a triceps train and may enhance anybody’s exercise program. They construct sturdy triceps for energy athletes and massive triceps for bodybuilders (have you ever seen the tris on Chris Bumstead?!). It might take a little bit of time to get used to the motion, however if you do, your triceps will develop and your main urgent lifts will enhance. Whats up, triceps muscle hypertrophy!

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