Arms
Floor Skull Crusher
Build powerful triceps and explosive lockout strength with this floor-based variation of the classic skull crusher.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent and feet planted, holding an SZ-bar with a narrow, overhand grip.
Press the bar directly above your chest with your arms fully extended and palms facing away from your face.
Lower the bar slowly by bending only at the elbows until the weight nearly touches the floor just behind your head.
Keep your upper arms stationary and tucked in close to your body throughout the entire descent.
Contract your triceps to drive the bar back up to the starting position without locking out your elbows aggressively.
Maintain constant tension on the muscle by stopping just short of a vertical arm position at the top.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Flaring the elbows out to the sides during the lowering phase.
- Allowing the upper arms to move back and forth instead of staying perpendicular to the floor.
- Using momentum to bounce the bar off the floor rather than using a controlled tempo.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.