VARIATIONS
Incline Single-Arm Skullcrusher
This unilateral movement isolates the triceps by extending the elbow against gravity while stabilizing the shoulder. The incline places the working arm behind the torso line, so the long head of the triceps is stretched further at the bottom of each rep, and the shoulder must work harder to stay locked in place. It corrects strength imbalances between arms and allows for a deep stretch under load.
HOW TO DO IT
- Set an adjustable bench to roughly 30 to 45 degrees of incline and sit back with your head and upper back supported.
- Hold one dumbbell in a neutral grip and press it up so the arm is vertical over the shoulder, elbow fully extended.
- Angle the upper arm slightly back toward the floor behind the line of your torso, keeping the elbow pointed at the ceiling.
- Lower the dumbbell by bending only the elbow, bringing it toward the top of your head or just behind it.
- Pause briefly at the point of deepest comfortable stretch without letting the upper arm drift.
- Press the dumbbell back up until the elbow is fully locked out.
- Complete all reps on one side, then switch arms.
COMMON MISTAKES
- Flaring the elbow outward instead of keeping it tucked.
- Letting the upper arm swing forward or backward during the rep.
- Dropping the weight too fast and bouncing it off the head.
- Using shoulder extension to help lift the dumbbell up.
- Setting the incline too steep, which turns the movement into a pullover-style shoulder extension rather than a triceps extension.
- Letting the torso slide down the bench or rotate toward the working arm.
TIPS
- Keep the upper arm perpendicular to the floor and slightly behind the torso line throughout the set.
- Grip the bench or brace your free hand on the frame to stop the torso from sliding or rotating.
- Imagine pushing the ceiling away rather than just lifting the weight.
- Lock the shoulder in place so it does not drift forward as you press.
- Control the eccentric; the extra stretch makes a fast descent harder to stop.
SAFETY
- Ensure the dumbbell path clears your face and head, especially since the incline changes where the weight travels.
- Do not hyperextend the elbow joint at the top of the movement.
- Keep the load light enough that you can stop the descent under control at the stretched position.
DETAILS
- Muscles
- Triceps
- Equipment
- DumbbellAdjustable BenchIncline Bench
- Type
- Strength Training
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Tracked as
- Weight & Reps
TECHNIQUE
- Arms
- One
- Hand orientation
- Neutral (palms facing each other)
- Body position
- Seated
- Bench angle
- Incline
SIMILAR EXERCISES
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