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Reverse-Grip Barbell Skull Crusher

Turning the palms up on a skull crusher changes the pull on the triceps and lights up the medial head while still loading the long head in the lengthened position. The underhand grip is less secure, so this is a controlled, moderate-load movement for experienced lifters who want a fresh medial-head stimulus. Keep the reps deliberate and never chase a one-rep max here.

Equipment
Barbell, Bench
Body part
Triceps
Type
Strength
Browse by movement
Elbow Extension
Muscles worked
Target
Triceps Brachii Medial Head, Triceps Brachii Long Head
Secondary
Triceps Brachii Lateral Head
Tertiary
Extensors

How to do it

  1. 1

    Lie flat on a bench and take a shoulder-width underhand grip on a barbell, palms facing you.

  2. 2

    Press the bar to lockout over your chest with the upper arms angled slightly back.

  3. 3

    Keeping the elbows pointing forward, bend them to lower the bar toward your forehead.

  4. 4

    Descend under full control until the triceps stretch, watching the grip stays secure.

  5. 5

    Extend the elbows to press the bar back to lockout and squeeze.

  6. 6

    Inhale on the way down and exhale as you press up.

Tips

  • Use a lighter load than an overhand skull crusher because the supinated grip is less stable.
  • Keep the wrists firm so the bar does not roll back out of your hands.
  • If the underhand grip bothers your wrists or elbows, use an EZ bar or drop the weight.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Setting the hands wider than shoulder width with the palms up, which cranks the wrists and pulls the elbows out of line. Keep the grip at shoulder width or slightly narrower.
  • Unracking overhand and then rotating the hands underneath while the bar is already over your face. Take the supinated grip before the bar leaves the rack, or use a handoff.
  • Letting the elbows drift wide, which the palms-up position quietly encourages. The bar starts to wobble and the medial head loses the line, so keep the elbows pointing forward and the forearms parallel.
  • Taking the last set to failure. There is no safe way to dump a bar you are holding palms-up, so end every set two or three reps short and never test a maximum here.
  • Copying the behind-the-head range of an incline version. With this grip the bar comes to the forehead and no further, because the extra range is not worth the loss of control.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the reverse-grip skull crusher are safe to do?
Three sets of 10 to 12, always finishing with reps to spare. Use noticeably less than your overhand skull-crusher load, since a supinated grip on a straight bar is the least secure hold in the triceps toolbox. Add reps rather than plates for several weeks, and if the bar ever starts to roll in your hands, that set is over. Once a week is plenty; this variation exists for the stimulus, not for tonnage.
What can I do instead of the reverse-grip barbell skull crusher?
A reverse-grip cable pushdown gives the same medial-head emphasis with none of the risk of a loaded bar over your face, and it is the version most lifters should use. A one-arm reverse-grip dumbbell extension is another option, because a single dumbbell can be dropped safely. If you want the barbell version but your wrists object, an EZ bar taken on the inner angles keeps the supinated feel at a friendlier wrist angle.
Is the reverse-grip barbell skull crusher worth the risk?
For most lifters, no. The medial-head emphasis it offers is available from a reverse-grip pushdown without holding a loaded bar over your face palms-up. It earns a place only for experienced lifters who want a new stimulus and are content with moderate loads and deliberate reps. It is a poor choice for beginners, for anyone who trains to failure, and for anyone with wrist or elbow pain in supination. If you run it, use collars, a spotter, and a load you could hold all day.

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