Barbell Decline Skull Crusher

Setup

1. 01Set a bench to a slight decline and hook the feet under the pads.
2. 02Lie back holding a barbell or EZ bar with a shoulder-width grip.
3. 03Press the bar up so it sits over the face with the upper arms angled slightly back.

Execution

1. 01Bend only at the elbows to lower the bar toward the forehead or just behind it.
2. 02Keep the upper arms locked in place as the bar descends.
3. 03Stop when the forearms pass parallel and the triceps are fully stretched.
4. 04Extend the elbows to drive the bar back to the start without flaring.

Checkpoints

• -Upper arms stay still; only the forearms move.
• -Elbows point at the ceiling rather than flaring wide.
• -The bar path drifts slightly behind the head, not toward the chest.
• -The descent is slow enough to control the bar near the face.

Common mistakes

• -Turning it into a close-grip press by moving the shoulders.
• -Flaring the elbows out to shorten the range.
• -Bouncing the bar out of the bottom stretch.
• -Using a load too heavy to lower safely past the face.