Behind-the-Head Barbell Skullcrusher

Lowering the bar behind your head keeps tension on the long head through the whole range.

• Isolation
• Barbell
• Intermediate

How to do it

• Lying down, lower the bar behind your head
• Elbows fixed, pointing up
• Extend to almost locked out

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 10–15 reps · 0–2 RIR

Tempo: 2 s on the way down, squeeze 1 s at the peak and stay in control, no swinging

Common mistakes

• Flaring your elbows
• Moving your shoulders instead of your forearm

Muscles worked

Primary

• Triceps

Alternatives

• Skullcrusher / Overhead Extension
• EZ-Bar Skullcrusher