Band Skull Crusher
A band skull crusher has you lie on your back with a band anchored behind your head, holding it with your arms extended straight up. You bend only at the elbows to lower your hands toward your forehead, then press back to full extension against the band. It isolates the triceps with almost no help from the shoulders once your upper arms are locked in place.
Why it works
The move only works if your upper arms stay still and vertical while your forearms do all the moving, which forces the triceps to handle the entire extension without your shoulders or chest stepping in to help. A band adds tension that grows as you press up toward full extension, which is exactly where a straight-arm lockout is normally easiest, so it keeps the triceps working right through the top of the rep instead of letting momentum finish it.
Set up
- Anchor a band to a low, sturdy point behind where your head will be.
- Lie on your back with your head close to the anchor and the band running back over you.
- Hold the band with both hands and extend your arms straight up above your chest, elbows locked but not strained.
- Keep your upper arms vertical and pointed at the ceiling before the first rep.
How to do it
- Bend only at the elbows to lower your hands toward your forehead, keeping your upper arms still.
- Lower until your forearms are roughly parallel to the floor.
- Press your hands back up by extending your elbows, resisting the band the whole way.
- Keep your elbows tracking straight up throughout, not drifting out to the sides.
- Stop just short of a hard lockout to keep tension on the triceps.
- Reset your upper arm position if it has drifted before the next rep.
Form cues
- Only the forearms move, upper arms stay fixed.
- Elbows stay tucked, pointed at the ceiling.
- Control the lowering phase, do not let the band snap your hands down.
- Stop short of a hard lockout at the top.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower your hands toward your forehead, exhale as you press back up to extension.
Common mistakes
Letting the elbows flare out to the sides during the lowering phase.
Fix: Keep your elbows pointed straight at the ceiling and close together throughout the rep.
Moving the whole upper arm instead of hinging only at the elbow.
Fix: Lock your upper arms in a vertical position and isolate the movement to your forearms.
Letting the band yank the hands down quickly on the way to the forehead.
Fix: Lower at the same controlled pace you use to press back up; the band should never move faster than you can control.
Lowering the hands too far behind the head, past parallel.
Fix: Stop the descent once your forearms reach roughly parallel to the floor to keep the strain off your elbows.
How to program it
- This is a light isolation movement, so 2 to 3 sessions a week works well, spaced so your elbows get a rest day between sets.
- 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps is a solid range for building the triceps without needing heavy load.
- It fits well as an accessory after a pressing movement like a bench press, when your triceps are already warm but not exhausted.
- Add band tension only once you can keep your elbows tracking straight through every rep of a set.
Safety notes
- Keep your elbows tracking straight up rather than flaring, which is the main source of elbow strain in this movement.
- Choose a band you can control through the full range; one that yanks your arms down is more likely to cause a lifted upper arm than a clean rep.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Push
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
How many sets and reps of band skull crushers should I do?
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps works well, since this is a light isolation movement rather than a heavy compound lift.
Band skull crusher vs EZ bar skull crusher, what is the difference?
An EZ bar loads the same weight through the whole rep. A band gets tighter as you press toward full extension, so the resistance grows right at the point where a straight-arm lockout would normally get easiest.
Why do my elbows hurt during skull crushers?
Flared elbows and lowering too far behind the head are the two most common causes. Keep your elbows tracking straight up and stop the descent once your forearms are roughly parallel to the floor.
Can I do a triceps extension like this without lying down?
Yes, a standing overhead triceps extension trains the same muscle with the same elbow-only movement, just anchored differently since you are upright instead of on your back.