10 Best Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher Alternatives for Triceps Size

The Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher is done lying on your back with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension, the Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin and the EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension. A harder version, the Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press, is listed below as a progression rather than a swap.

A straight bar and a bench are all the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher asks for: you lie down, hold the bar overhand, and lower it toward your forehead while your upper arms stay still. The Barbell Lying Triceps Extension is the closest swap because it uses the same bar and the same lying position, so almost nothing about the setup changes. If a straight bar feels awkward in your hands, the Ez-bar Skullcrusher moves the same lowering onto an angled grip.

Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull CrusherWatch the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher

The steps for the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Triceps, with shoulders · Barbell · Intermediate · Isolation

  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
  2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment when the barbell is just above your forehead, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Barbell Lying Triceps ExtensionPlay demonstration

    1. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

    99% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Isolation

    It uses the same equipment and still works the triceps.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
    2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
    3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: extension, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
  2. Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin

    2. Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin

    99% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Isolation

    A good swap when you have an EZ bar to work with, and it still works the triceps.

    • Ez-barbell
    How to perform it
    1. While holding a barbell or EZ Curl bar with a pronated grip (palms facing forward), lie on your back on a flat bench with your head off the end of the bench. Tip: If you are holding a barbell grab it using a shoulder-width grip and if you are using an E-Z Bar grab it on the inner handles.
    2. Extend your arms in front of you as you hold the barbell over your chest. The arms should be perpendicular to your torso (90-degree angle). This will be your starting position.
    3. As you inhale, lower the bar in a semi-circular motion by bending at the elbows and while keeping the upper arm stationary and elbows in. Keep lowering the bar until it lightly touches your chin.
    4. As you exhale bring the bar back up to the starting position by pushing the bar up in a semi-circular motion. Contract the triceps hard at the top of the movement for a second. Tip: Again, only the forearms should move. The upper arms should remain stationary at all times.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
  4. Barbell Reverse Grip SkullcrusherPlay demonstration

    4. Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher

    96% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Isolation

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the triceps.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
    2. Hold the barbell with a reverse grip, palms facing towards your face, and your hands shoulder-width apart.
    3. Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping your elbows in and your wrists straight.
    4. Slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
    5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
  5. Olympic Barbell Triceps ExtensionPlay demonstration

    5. Olympic Barbell Triceps Extension

    95% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Isolation

    The same equipment, taken with a narrow grip.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the barbell with an overhand grip.
    2. Raise the barbell above your head, fully extending your arms.
    3. Keeping your upper arms close to your head, slowly lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
    4. Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: extension, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
  7. Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull PressPlay demonstration

    Progression

    7. Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press

    94% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the triceps.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie on a decline bench with your head lower than your feet and hold a barbell with a close grip.
    2. Lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
    3. Pause for a moment, then extend your arms to press the barbell back up to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher

Why You Might Need a Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher Alternative

The Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher needs a straight bar and a free bench, so a busy rack or a barbell already loaded elsewhere leaves you with nothing to work with. A straight bar can also feel awkward in your hands on a heavy day, and an EZ bar bends that angle away from your wrists. Nearly every alternative keeps you on a bench with your upper arms still while your elbows do the lowering, whether the bar is straight or angled; the one exception is the Olympic Barbell Triceps Extension, which you do standing with the bar lowered behind your head. Some swaps use a barbell like the original, others move to an EZ bar for a friendlier grip, and a few move the same lowering onto a decline bench with your head below your feet.

How to Choose the Right Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher Substitute

If you already own a straight bar and a bench, the Barbell Lying Triceps Extension is nearly identical: same bar, same bench, same lowering to just above your forehead. A grip that feels awkward on a straight bar often sits better on an EZ bar: the Ez-bar Skullcrusher keeps the same forehead target on an angled grip, while the Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin takes the inner handles and lowers the bar to your chin instead of your forehead. The Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher changes only the grip: palms facing your face, wrists straight. If you want the same lowering from a decline bench, the Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press has you lie head-down with a close grip, lower the bar toward your forehead with your upper arms still, and press it back to the start.

Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher FAQ

Do I need a bench and a barbell to do this exercise at home?

Yes, a barbell and a flat bench cover the original move and most of the alternatives here. A few swaps ask for an EZ bar instead of a straight one, which changes the angle in your hands but not the equipment list. Three of the swaps need a decline bench rather than a flat one, and without a straight bar or an EZ bar none of them will work for you.

Which alternative works standing instead of lying down?

The Olympic Barbell Triceps Extension. Its steps have you stand with the bar held overhead, then lower it behind your head by bending your elbows before pressing back up. The overhand grip carries over from the original, but you do the whole movement on your feet instead of on a bench.

How can I make the exercise harder once it starts to feel easy?

The Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press changes the setup rather than the movement: you lie on a decline bench with your head lower than your feet, take a close grip, and lower the bar toward your forehead with your upper arms still before pressing it back up. Otherwise add weight or reps to the original.

Which alternatives swap the straight bar for an angled EZ bar?

The EZ Barbell Decline Triceps Extension, the Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension and the Ez-bar Skullcrusher are written for an EZ bar; the Lying Close-grip Barbell Triceps Press To Chin and the Lying Triceps Press take either an EZ bar or a straight bar. Most still lower the bar toward your forehead the way the original does; the Close-grip version starts the same way, arms extended over your chest, but lowers the bar to your chin instead.

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