Cable Incline Skull Crusher

1. Set an incline bench in front of a low cable pulley and attach a straight or EZ bar handle.
2. Lie back on the bench and grip the handle with both hands, arms extended toward the pulley.
3. Position your upper arms so they stay still and roughly perpendicular to the floor throughout the set.
4. Bend your elbows to lower the handle toward your forehead, keeping your upper arms fixed in place.
5. Lower until you feel a deep stretch in the triceps without letting your elbows flare out to the sides.
6. Extend your elbows back to the starting position, squeezing the triceps hard at the top.
7. Keep the cable tension constant throughout, avoiding any pause where the weight rests.
8. Perform 10 to 15 reps, adjusting the bench distance from the pulley if the cable angle feels off.

Common Mistakes

• Letting the upper arms drift back: Moving the elbows backward during the lowering phase turns the exercise into more of a pullover. Keep your upper arms stationary and let only your forearms move.
• Flaring the elbows out wide: Letting the elbows point away from your body puts unnecessary stress on the joint. Keep them tracking roughly parallel to each other.
• Choosing a bench angle too steep: A very steep incline changes the cable angle so much that tension drops at the top. A moderate 30 to 45 degree incline usually works best.
• Rushing through the stretch position: Bouncing quickly out of the bottom skips the deepest part of the triceps stretch. Pause briefly before reversing the movement.