CGP (elbows tucked, suicide grip), In-Human Press (elbows flared some, suicide grip), Smith wide-RGB (DC grip!), Scott Extensions (larry scott), PJR Pullover/extension variant, Board Presses, Neutral Grip DB Presses elbows tucked all the way, Rolling DB floor Extensions, lying EZ extensions bringing the bar down behind the head instead of on the nose/forehead (better on the elbows than regular skulls, but I’d still go for the other exercises), HS dips, …
Come on now, plenty of good tri exercises out there which don’t hurt the elbows as long as you do them right.
I wonder if Skullcrusher-tolerance has something to do with tricep attachment length. Holy Mac has long attachments (or at least his lateral head seems fairly long) if I remember his old avatar right…
Many guys with short or medium attachment length can’t use decent weight on skulls at all without pain, tendonitis or not.
[quote]giterdone wrote:
Hazza1989 wrote:
Leave skulls, or should I say…elbow crushers.
Do: Dips to parallel (don’t go below 90 degrees), CGBP, kickbacks and push downs.
No offense meant by this but you have just started training a few months ago. Do you think that you are in a position to give exercise advice?[/quote]
Yes, I started training two years ago (but had to take time off due to cancer). So, how about you stfu. Also, a friend of mine you is both an avid lifter and an osteopath said to avoid them like the plague.
[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
CGP (elbows tucked, suicide grip), In-Human Press (elbows flared some, suicide grip), Smith wide-RGB (DC grip!), Scott Extensions (larry scott), PJR Pullover/extension variant, Board Presses, Neutral Grip DB Presses elbows tucked all the way, Rolling DB floor Extensions, lying EZ extensions bringing the bar down behind the head instead of on the nose/forehead (better on the elbows than regular skulls, but I’d still go for the other exercises), HS dips, …
Come on now, plenty of good tri exercises out there which don’t hurt the elbows as long as you do them right.
I wonder if Skullcrusher-tolerance has something to do with tricep attachment length. Holy Mac has long attachments (or at least his lateral head seems fairly long) if I remember his old avatar right…
Many guys with short or medium attachment length can’t use decent weight on skulls at all without pain, tendonitis or not.
[/quote]
Great advice as always. I’ll join the chorus and say find something else which works your triceps without setting you up for injury. Neutral grip DB presses are great, been getting good gains on those lately.
This is the bodybuilding forum. Your elbows shouldn’t be tucked in if you want to build your chest when bench pressing.
Drop the skull crushers. Theyre not worth the pain. Plenty of other exercises can provide results without the risk to elbow/forearm tendons. [/quote]
Obviously, if an exercise hurts you, then you should drop it for something else, but I’ve been doing skullcrushers for 20 years with no pain in my elbows whatsoever - clearly it’s a personal thing. I wouldn’t automatically condemn the exercise as useless and/or causing injury, I think it’s up to the individual.
And I bench with my elbows tucked in and not flared - though I did use the flared elbow approach for many years, I find it places a lot less stress on my shoulders if I bench tucked in. Powerlifters generally bench this way, and I think we’ve seen thru guys like Dave Tate that once dieted down, chest development is superlative, so I’m not sure I agree that flared is the only way to go in building a big chest…
This is the bodybuilding forum. Your elbows shouldn’t be tucked in if you want to build your chest when bench pressing.
Drop the skull crushers. Theyre not worth the pain. Plenty of other exercises can provide results without the risk to elbow/forearm tendons.
Obviously, if an exercise hurts you, then you should drop it for something else, but I’ve been doing skullcrushers for 20 years with no pain in my elbows whatsoever - clearly it’s a personal thing. I wouldn’t automatically condemn the exercise as useless and/or causing injury, I think it’s up to the individual.
And I bench with my elbows tucked in and not flared - though I did use the flared elbow approach for many years, I find it places a lot less stress on my shoulders if I bench tucked in. Powerlifters generally bench this way, and I think we’ve seen thru guys like Dave Tate that once dieted down, chest development is superlative, so I’m not sure I agree that flared is the only way to go in building a big chest… [/quote]
It is always up to the individual. I can’t do these without extreme elbow pain. I avoid them and don’t even feel they are necessary.
I flare them out a little. I don’t really get pain in the elbow from these specifically, then again I rotate them in and out of my program sporadically. I’ve noticed better results from CGBP and pressdowns. /this is in my personal experience, not something I read somewhere…
[quote]Hazza1989 wrote:
giterdone wrote:
Hazza1989 wrote:
Leave skulls, or should I say…elbow crushers.
Do: Dips to parallel (don’t go below 90 degrees), CGBP, kickbacks and push downs.
No offense meant by this but you have just started training a few months ago. Do you think that you are in a position to give exercise advice?
Yes, I started training two years ago (but had to take time off due to cancer). So, how about you stfu. Also, a friend of mine you is both an avid lifter and an osteopath said to avoid them like the plague. [/quote]
Well, as long as you have a friend that knows what he is doing then keep that great advice comin’.
BTW, I don’t do them either. They kill my elbows if the reps drop below 15 or so so I don’t bother.
I think making the movement the most naturally possible is the best option.
This comes to mind when I think of past and actual training partners saying ‘elbows in elbows in, come on, it’ll work better…’ and all that shit. Then I recall and their triceps weren’t any big, they barely had any development.
Tricep has to be focused on load rather than ‘fitness magazine form’, or at least IMO. You see many guys in the gym taking the old advice of elbows in who barely go up to more than 25lb a side.
[quote]Hazza1989 wrote:
kaoticz wrote:
what did you replace skull crushers with for triceps just wondering, i dont have access to dips Just dumbells/barbells
Thanks
Yes you do, do dips on two chairs instead. [/quote]
Heck, I used to do them on the kitchen counter top in the corner at home til I bought a dip/chin station.
This is the bodybuilding forum. Your elbows shouldn’t be tucked in if you want to build your chest when bench pressing.
Drop the skull crushers. Theyre not worth the pain. Plenty of other exercises can provide results without the risk to elbow/forearm tendons.
Obviously, if an exercise hurts you, then you should drop it for something else, but I’ve been doing skullcrushers for 20 years with no pain in my elbows whatsoever - clearly it’s a personal thing. I wouldn’t automatically condemn the exercise as useless and/or causing injury, I think it’s up to the individual.[/quote]
I agree, no doubt about that. I guess I just assume that people don’t take a single piece of advice as the be all end all. I do stand behind my opinion that skull crushers do not need to be included for optimal tri development. I hear way too many people complaining of pain from them. I truly think that it is one of the movements that wont be sorely missed if the person ditches them. If there is no pain or structural damage and they work then by all means crush away.
Well you are one of the lucky ones that gets good pec stimulation from flat bb press. I am shoulder dominant. I wouldn’t even do BB press if my school gym had big enough DB’s. I also don’t get any shoulder pain when benching with my elbows around 45 degrees or a bit more. I think you’d have to agree that, even though some may receive adequate pec stimulation with tucked elbows, flaring elbows will place more stress on the pec muscles compared to the shoulders and tris. Of course a balance between pec recruitment and the ability to add weight to the bar has to be considered when chosing the best form.
I use to love this lift. I tried them when I started back and no way. I still have elbow issues from way back due to this lift. I feel like a stupid ass for never connecting this movement to my elbow pain when I was young. Back then, the thinking was skulls were more effective and safer then CGBP and French Curls. I would remove this exercise as soon as I had elbow issues if I could do it again.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
SkyNett wrote:
BONEZ217 wrote:
This is the bodybuilding forum. Your elbows shouldn’t be tucked in if you want to build your chest when bench pressing.
Drop the skull crushers. Theyre not worth the pain. Plenty of other exercises can provide results without the risk to elbow/forearm tendons.
Obviously, if an exercise hurts you, then you should drop it for something else, but I’ve been doing skullcrushers for 20 years with no pain in my elbows whatsoever - clearly it’s a personal thing. I wouldn’t automatically condemn the exercise as useless and/or causing injury, I think it’s up to the individual.
And I bench with my elbows tucked in and not flared - though I did use the flared elbow approach for many years, I find it places a lot less stress on my shoulders if I bench tucked in. Powerlifters generally bench this way, and I think we’ve seen thru guys like Dave Tate that once dieted down, chest development is superlative, so I’m not sure I agree that flared is the only way to go in building a big chest…
It is always up to the individual. I can’t do these without extreme elbow pain. I avoid them and don’t even feel they are necessary.
If you feel fine doing them, then keep doing it.[/quote]
whoa man. You is like well huge, time to cut? How much you weigh?
[quote]Hazza1989 wrote:
Professor X wrote:
SkyNett wrote:
BONEZ217 wrote:
This is the bodybuilding forum. Your elbows shouldn’t be tucked in if you want to build your chest when bench pressing.
Drop the skull crushers. Theyre not worth the pain. Plenty of other exercises can provide results without the risk to elbow/forearm tendons.
Obviously, if an exercise hurts you, then you should drop it for something else, but I’ve been doing skullcrushers for 20 years with no pain in my elbows whatsoever - clearly it’s a personal thing. I wouldn’t automatically condemn the exercise as useless and/or causing injury, I think it’s up to the individual.
And I bench with my elbows tucked in and not flared - though I did use the flared elbow approach for many years, I find it places a lot less stress on my shoulders if I bench tucked in. Powerlifters generally bench this way, and I think we’ve seen thru guys like Dave Tate that once dieted down, chest development is superlative, so I’m not sure I agree that flared is the only way to go in building a big chest…
It is always up to the individual. I can’t do these without extreme elbow pain. I avoid them and don’t even feel they are necessary.
If you feel fine doing them, then keep doing it.
whoa man. You is like well huge, time to cut? How much you weigh?[/quote]
You have a good attitude. You should fit in well around here. Welcome.
edit: that came across as snarky. my bad. I just thought the “time to cut” comment was funny
Start using more than 60lbs for them and your vagina magically becomes a rock hard erect penis. This may cause problems with management what with all of the equipment being knocked over and little old ladies using it as to hang their 2.5lbs plates on, but at least you don’t get cramps once a month!
[quote]Professor X wrote:
horsepuss wrote:
schultzie wrote:
kickbacks?
do you have a vagina ?
Start using more than 60lbs for them and your vagina magically becomes a rock hard erect penis. This may cause problems with management what with all of the equipment being knocked over and little old ladies using it as to hang their 2.5lbs plates on, but at least you don’t get cramps once a month![/quote]
LOL! If you don’t use the baby end of the DB rack they’ll work just fine
I do skull crushers behind my head with elbows tucked in. I’ve been making pretty good progress and never had any elbow pain. I rep with around 50-60% of my bench press for these, but i’ve always been tricep dominant.
Just dumbells/barbells