How to perform the Dumbbell Skullcrusher
- 1Lie on a bench (or the floor) on your back, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms straight above your chest, palms facing each other, and keep your feet flat and your wrists straight. Gently pull your shoulder blades down toward the bench so your shoulders feel stable and your elbows are pointing up, not flared out wide.
- 2Keeping your upper arms almost still, slowly bend your elbows to lower the dumbbells toward your forehead or just behind your head for about 2–3 seconds, stopping before they touch. Press the dumbbells back up by straightening your elbows in about 1–2 seconds, breathing in as you lower and breathing out as you push back up.
Coach tips
- Use a weight you can control smoothly so the dumbbells never crash down toward your head.
- Keep your elbows pointed up and close to your body instead of letting them flare out to the sides; this keeps the focus on your triceps and protects your shoulders.
- Keep your wrists straight, not bent back, and stop the set if you feel sharp pain in your elbows or shoulders.
Train triceps smarter
One rep, one set. Hypro turns the Dumbbell Skullcrusher into measurable progress, week after week.
The right weight, every set
Hypro suggests your next Dumbbell Skullcrusher weight and reps based on what you actually lifted, your rest, and your fatigue. Choose weight-first or reps-first. The more you log, the sharper it gets.
See exactly how much triceps you train each week
Every set you log counts toward weekly volume per muscle group. Spot imbalances, avoid junk volume, and program the same way IFBB Pros do.
Use this exercise inside an IFBB Pro plan
Pick a coach-made program, get a plan matched to your goals, and message your coach for form checks. The Dumbbell Skullcrusher fits right into proven hypertrophy and strength templates.
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