Have you ever thought about cruising your skull with an exercise that is worthy and has benefits? Well, if you dream of it, Skullcrusher is there for you.
Focusing on the triceps and biceps the Ez Bar Skullcrusher is an excellent exercise to add to your arm day.
Many people get scared by seeing how it is done and think that it can cause serious injuries to their necks.
Skullcrusher might sound painful, but if performed in full cation and perfect form, it shouldn’t be a thing.
Can You Use an Ez Bar for Skullcrushers?
The EZ bar is well-regarded for its ergonomic design, specifically tailored to provide a comfortable grip during various exercises. This design feature makes it particularly advantageous for skull crushers, a challenging exercise aimed at strengthening the triceps.
The EZ bar’s unique grip not only enhances comfort but also improves stability and control throughout the movement. This allows you to maintain proper form and focus on effectively targeting the triceps muscles without unnecessary strain on your wrists or elbows.
Whether you’re aiming to build strength, improve muscle tone, or enhance overall fitness, the EZ bar’s ergonomic benefits make it a preferred choice for executing skull crushers with confidence and efficiency.
Ez Bar Skullcrusher Muscles Worked
The skullcrusher has a unique movement that lets you target your muscles from different angles.
While the triceps might be the primary muscle worked during the exercise, that doesn’t mean the biceps don’t get any activation.
The muscle work could differ if you use other bench angles or different hand positions, like a supinated hand position with a close grip width.
Either way, the exercise provides variable muscle work that helps you grow your upper arm size and overall strength in lifting.
How to Do EZ Bar Skullcrusher
Equipment: Ez bar, Bench
Grip: Pronated Grip
Primary Muscle Work: Triceps Brachii
How to Do
- Position your feet flat on the floor. When lying back on the bench, squeeze your glutes as hard as possible.
- Keep your abs tight. Drive your shoulder blades into the bench, making it easier to press them into the floor and keep your upper arms in a safe position.
- Angle your arms slightly back to about 91 or 92 degrees. Keep your wrists strong and maintain the 91-degree angle throughout the entire set so that only your elbows move.
Pro Tips
- Some people place the EZ bar in front of the bench, then lift it from behind when lying down. This can risk dislocating your shoulders.
- Don’t begin with your arms straight up over the bench. Instead, bring the bar slightly behind your head without bending your elbows. This puts your arms at an angle and your shoulders more flexed, which gives your triceps and biceps more tension.
- While you can use a barbell or dumbbell for skull crushers, using an EZ bar puts less stress on your wrists.
EZ Bar Skullcrusher Benefits
The EZ bar Skullcrusher has many benefits packed into its wing.
Increased Muscle Mass
The skullcrusher is a slow-movement exercise, unlike many other resistance exercises that are usually done at a normal speed.
The slow movement gives your muscles more time under tension, which helps promote muscle growth and hypertrophy.
Additionally, the controlled pace can help prevent injuries by reducing the risk of sudden, jerky movements.
Improve Elbow Flexibility
The overhead extension of the skullcrusher helps you improve your flexibility.
As you extend your arms and bend your elbows to reach the bottom over your head, your elbows extend more than usual, which leads to more flexible and stronger joints.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that using too much weight can have the opposite effect.
Excessive overload can strain or displace your joints, and in the worst-case scenario, you could seriously injure your arm.
Also, avoid excessively reaching the bottom to maintain proper form.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I bet 99.9% of people make mistakes when they first perform Ez bar Skullcruher, which leads them to get injured and not perform this exercise for good.
Gripping Too Narrow
The close grip is one of the variations of the skullcrusher that targets your arms differently.
However, some lifters might mistakenly grip the bar too closely, making it harder to control, especially when lifting heavier weights.
Additionally, a narrow grip can lead to imbalanced muscle development by not optimally targeting the triceps.
This can affect the overall symmetry and strength of the arms, reducing the effectiveness of the exercise
Inconsistent Range of Motion
In the world of fitness, it’s super common to see people not moving the same way each time.
Lifters should aim to maintain a steady and controlled movement throughout the exercise.
Changing movement throughout each rep won’t get you the result you’re looking for in your biceps and triceps.
To fix inconsistent movements, try doing a few reps each set at a time. That way, your arms will get used to the exercise.
Moving Head or Torso
Usually, the bench helps you stay in one place and maintains your body in a stable position.
However, two main reasons can disrupt this stability: lack of core engagement and improper setup.
Engaging your core not only stabilizes your body but also enhances muscle activation.
Proper bench setup is crucial for this exercise; ensure the bench is correctly positioned and level.
Also, maintain proper body alignment on the bench without being too far forward or backward on the bench.
Final Thoughts
Well, the Ez Bar Skullcrusher indeed sounds terrifying, but it’s an effective exercise to do when you’re trying to grow your triceps.
It may seem simple, but doing them correctly requires more than just strength. Without proper form and arm angle, this exercise won’t work your triceps effectively.
But not to worry; not everything is perfect. Just follow the steps and keep practicing skullcruders, and soon you’ll see your triceps and biceps popping out!
Speaking of biceps popping out, take a look at our 13 EZ bar exercises focused on building big biceps!
Featured image by Origym Personal Trainer Courses/YouTube edited by SA
