Dumbbell Skull Crusher

Setup

1. 01Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. 02Press the dumbbells up so they sit over the shoulders with a neutral grip.
3. 03Plant both feet on the floor and keep the lower back settled on the bench.
4. 04Angle the upper arms slightly back toward the head to preload the triceps.

Execution

1. 01Bend only at the elbows and lower the dumbbells beside the head.
2. 02Keep the upper arms still as the weights travel toward the ears.
3. 03Stop when you feel a full stretch in the triceps without the elbows drifting.
4. 04Extend the elbows and drive the dumbbells back to the start without pressing.

Checkpoints

• -Upper arms stay fixed at the same angle for the whole set.
• -Dumbbells travel beside the head, not toward the chest.
• -Wrists stay neutral and stacked under the load.
• -Lowering phase is slower than the lift.

Common mistakes

• -Letting the elbows flare wide and turning the rep into a press.
• -Lowering the dumbbells to the forehead instead of beside the head.
• -Using a load that forces the shoulders to help.
• -Bouncing out of the bottom stretch.