Bodyweight Skullcrusher

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Place your hands shoulder-width apart on an elevated surface like a bench, bar, or sturdy table.
2. Step your feet back until your body forms a straight line from head to heels in a high plank position.
3. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes to create a rigid frame.
4. Position your shoulders directly over your wrists to start.

How to do it

1. Inhale and slowly bend your elbows to lower your forehead toward your hands, keeping your upper arms stationary.
2. Lower yourself until your elbows are fully flexed, ensuring they stay tucked in and pointed forward.
3. Exhale and push through your palms to extend your arms back to the starting position.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-second lowering phase and a powerful 1-second push.

Form checklist

• Keep elbows tucked in and parallel; do not let them flare out to the sides.
• Maintain a perfectly straight spine; do not let your hips sag or your lower back arch.
• Ensure the movement occurs only at the elbow joint, not the shoulders.
• Keep your neck neutral by looking at the space between your hands.

Pro tips

• Think about 'pushing the world away' from you to maximize triceps recruitment at the top of the rep.
• Intentionally squeeze your triceps at full extension to achieve a peak contraction.
• The lower the surface you use, the more bodyweight you transfer to your arms, increasing the load.

Make it harder

• Perform the exercise on the floor from a full plank position to maximize the weight load on the triceps.
• Add a two-second pause at the bottom of the movement to eliminate momentum and increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the bodyweight skullcrusher work?

The bodyweight skullcrusher primarily targets the triceps, and also works the abs, obliques, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the bodyweight skullcrusher?

The bodyweight skullcrusher requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the bodyweight skullcrusher good for beginners?

The bodyweight skullcrusher is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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