# Looking for an Alternative to Skull Crushers



## pjreiff (May 17, 2012)

Have an injury causing pain in my left elbow that really flairs up when I do skull crushers or similar movements like lying DB extensions.  Doesn't bother me with close grips, bench, etc...  Any thoughts on an alternative exercise while I try to heal?


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## theCaptn' (May 17, 2012)

The simple answer is experiment!


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## ctr10 (May 17, 2012)

I think the Captn' summed it up


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## tinyshrek (May 17, 2012)

Captn I was wondering I want big legs but I don't want to squat and I want a big back but don't want to deadlift... Any alternatives??? Geez...


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## tinyshrek (May 17, 2012)

pjreiff said:


> Have an injury causing pain in my left elbow that really flairs up when I do skull crushers or similar movements like lying DB extensions.  Doesn't bother me with close grips, bench, etc...  Any thoughts on an alternative exercise while I try to heal?



It's called rest brother. Do heavy chest movements and don't train ur tris at all till the elbow feels better. U won't lose size long as ur still training the rest of ur body heavy


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## natural1 (May 17, 2012)

Try some Dips or Dips or maybe even try some Dips


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## indrox1 (May 17, 2012)

tinyshrek said:


> It's called rest brother. Do heavy chest movements and don't train ur tris at all till the elbow feels better. U won't lose size long as ur still training the rest of ur body heavy



This^^^  Any pushing movement will stimulate the tricep. Be patient and let it heal or like me you will tear something and be out for months... or longer.


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## tinyshrek (May 17, 2012)

natural1 said:


> Try some Dips or Dips or maybe even try some Dips



Dips r absolutely the worst exercise for elbow issues, period


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## Manny1983 (May 17, 2012)

Reverse grip bench press is honestly your best bet it's kind of a weird movement so it takes a little getting used to but you shouldn't get any pain from it. Make sure you either have some unrack it for you, or what I do is hang my head completely off the end of the bench so I can unrack it myself. Also make sure your elbows are tucked in all the way throughout the movement


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## PushAndPull (May 17, 2012)

Drop the isolations and stick with compound presses (floor press, close grip bench, incline & flat bench , etc...) Like tinyshek said, you need rest.


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## bjg (May 17, 2012)

where does it hurt ? is it at the tip of the elbow when you stretch your elbow backwards?   ( i had that) this is your solution:
close grip bench press but don't bring your hands up towards your face so not to over stretch the triceps and you might also not go all the way down. cable pull downs and reverse cable pull downs ( again don't flex your arms all the way). these should not hurt , but don't use very heavy weights. workout triceps once a week either with chest , or shoulders or alone but 3 days after chest or shoulders. At night as you watch TV stick your elbow in a bucket of ice for 15-20 mns for the next 2 weeks. Ice is very helpful in this case because the injury is not too deep like in the case of a shoulder injury. You will be fine sooner than you think if you are careful.


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## tinyshrek (May 18, 2012)

Dude another idea don't know if u do this already, but get some deep tissue, ART work done on the area. Had some serious tendinitis going on when training back, bis etc on the inside of my elbow. Therapist found a huge knot in my brachiradialis took 3 sessions to get it out but the tendinitis was absolutely gone when done.


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## the_predator (May 18, 2012)

tinyshrek said:


> Dips r absolutely the worst exercise for elbow issues, period



^On Point! Op have you seen the doc yet? Considered some HGH/peptides or if joint pain...deca? Or if juice isn't your thing then OTC stuff like glucosimine/chondrotin(spell) or MSM?


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## bdeljoose (May 18, 2012)

exercises  with cables


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## vindicated346 (May 18, 2012)

For Tri's I really like floor presses, reverse cable extension, and this new one I found Dave tate doing, it looks funny, but after heavy floor presses this kills as a finisher, I dont use the ball though


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## pjreiff (May 18, 2012)

Appreciate the feedback here.  Tinyshrek, funny you should mention some deep tissue work...  Actually had a session this morning and got some pretty decent relief after feeling like I got the hell beat out of me.  A lot of information out there on trigger point therapy that I've come across so gonna' give that a shot and see what happens.  Thanks again all for the ideas.  Will plan to incorporate some different tri exercises as well.


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## stfuandliftbtch (May 19, 2012)

pjreiff said:


> Have an injury causing pain in my left elbow that really flairs up when I do skull crushers or similar movements like lying DB extensions.  Doesn't bother me with close grips, bench, etc...  Any thoughts on an alternative exercise while I try to heal?



Do you not know any other tri exercises or something?


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## PreMier (May 19, 2012)

JM's


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## Ezskanken (May 19, 2012)

vindicated346 said:


> For Tri's I really like floor presses, reverse cable extension, and this new one I found Dave tate doing, it looks funny, but after heavy floor presses this kills as a finisher, I dont use the ball though



That is a very interesting movement!  I like it!


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## sassy69 (May 20, 2012)

^^ Cool idea!


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## jimm (May 20, 2012)

tinyshrek said:


> Captn I was wondering I want big legs but I don't want to squat and I want a big back but don't want to deadlift... Any alternatives??? Geez...




synthol


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## OTG85 (May 22, 2012)

French presses


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## aminoman74 (May 23, 2012)

Try reverse pushdowns or standing pushdaowns and see how that goes.All you can do is try different exercises.


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## Roaddkingg (May 23, 2012)

One that I like real well is in the standing position on the cable cross over machine use the two foot short bar and kick out. 
It's about the same move as skull crushers but not as much stress.
Another one is the rope push downs again on the cable cross over. Start a little high and in the finish of the move kick them both out. It works the rear head of the tricep very well.
Then there is always the V-bar push downs again with the cable cross over. This keeps you'rarms closer to you'r body and you can do bigger weight with this move.
After I do light close hand benches I like these three moves to hit all angles.  
I dont like skull crushers per se on the flat bench for the exact reason you mentioned. To much stress on the elbows.
Give these all a try and I bet you'll get a great pump and like the variations.


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## bjg (May 23, 2012)

skullcrushers should not be a heavy exercise it should be performed with perfect form , i do the close grip bench heavy but not skull crushers.
i found that skullcrushers are very effective when performed as follows. i slide back letting my head almost be out of the bench leaning it slightly backwards ( the edge of the bench is at the base of my head), my elbows are close and parallel and slightly pushed backwards right above my eye level in a way that as i lower the bar it will reach right behind my head or maybe it will touch the top of my forehead. As i push up,, my elbows should not move. i do them on a flat bench and sometimes on a declined bench and sometimes on a slightly inclined bench.. each will put slightly different emphasis on different parts of the triceps but in general they are the same.  lowering the weight is done slowly and lifting the weight is fast but not too fast.(lowering 2-4 seconds and lifting 1-2 seconds something like that)


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