10 Best Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher Alternatives for Home Gyms
What can you do instead of Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher? Choose close-grip bench press, dumbbell overhead triceps extension, cable rope pushdown, triceps bench dips, or diamond push-ups to hit the same elbow-extension pattern. Keep your upper arm stationary, tuck the elbows, and control the eccentric phase to maintain triceps isolation and tension.
Original Exercise: Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher
How to Perform Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
- Hold the barbell with a reverse grip, palms facing towards your face, and your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping your elbows in and your wrists straight.
- Slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher Alternatives
1. Ez Barbell Decline Triceps Extension
97.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a decline bench with your head lower than your feet and your feet secured.
- Hold the ez barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Extend your arms fully, keeping your elbows close to your head.
- Lower the barbell slowly towards your forehead, bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back to the starting position.
2. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension Skull Crusher
96.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
- Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell is just above your forehead, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension
96.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
- Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
4. Barbell Lying Back Of The Head Tricep Extension
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your head at the end of the bench.
- Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension
93.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench.
- Using a close grip (a grip that is slightly less than shoulder width), lift the EZ bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked and elbows in. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position. Tip: In order to protect your rotator cuff, it is best if you have a spotter help you lift the barbell off the rack.
- As you breathe in and you keep the upper arms stationary, bring the bar down slowly by moving your forearms in a semicircular motion towards you until you feel the bar slightly touch your forehead. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
- Lift the bar back to the starting position by contracting the triceps and exhaling.
- Repeat until the recommended amount of repetitions is performed.
6. EZ-Bar Skullcrusher
91.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Using a close grip, lift the EZ bar and hold it with your elbows in as you lie on the bench. Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
- Keeping the upper arms stationary, lower the bar by allowing the elbows to flex. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Pause once the bar is directly above the forehead.
- Lift the bar back to the starting position by extending the elbow and exhaling.
- Repeat.
7. Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press
90.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a decline bench with your head lower than your feet and hold a barbell with a close grip.
- Lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
- Pause for a moment, then extend your arms to press the barbell back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Barbell Seated Close Grip Behind Neck Triceps Extension
86.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
- Hold the barbell with a close grip behind your neck, palms facing forward.
- Keep your elbows close to your head and slowly lower the barbell towards the back of your head.
- Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Dumbbell Incline Two Arm Extension
85.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
- Slowly lie back on the bench, keeping the dumbbells close to your chest.
- Once you are fully lying down, extend your arms straight up towards the ceiling, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Dumbbell Tricep Extension -Pronated Grip
85.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie down on a flat bench holding two dumbbells directly above your shoulders. Your arms should be fully extended and form a 90 degree angle from your torso and the floor.
- The palms of your hands should be facing forward, and your elbows should be tucked in. This will be your starting position.
- Now, inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells until they are near your ears. Be sure to keep your upper arms stationary and your elbows tucked in.
- Then, exhale and use your triceps to return the weight to the starting position.
Why You Might Need a Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher Alternative
You might replace the reverse-grip skullcrusher due to wrist discomfort from the supinated grip, past elbow or triceps tendon irritation, or simply lack of a suitable barbell. The reverse grip shifts wrist and forearm mechanics and can increase stress on the medial triceps and wrist flexors; a neutral-grip or cable option reduces that shear. Substitutes let you preserve the key biomechanics—elbow hinge with a fixed upper arm—while changing wrist position, load distribution, or range of motion. For pain management pick neutral-grip options; for hypertrophy prioritize controlled eccentric tempo and full contraction cues (pause at the top and squeeze the triceps).
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute by matching the original movement’s key variables: elbow-extension emphasis, upper-arm stability, and workable range of motion. Prioritize exercises that let you keep the elbows pinned and the wrist neutral if you have wrist pain. For strength choose heavy, compound variants like close-grip bench press with a 2-3 second eccentric; for isolation pick cable rope pushdowns and stop short of full lockout to keep constant tension. Also consider equipment access, your ability to progressively overload, and which triceps head you want to bias—overhead positions preferentially load the long head, while pressdowns target the lateral and medial heads. Cue: keep the elbow tucked and upper arm still.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher work?
It primarily targets the triceps brachii—long, lateral, and medial heads—through elbow extension, with secondary involvement of the anconeus and wrist stabilizers due to the supinated grip. You should feel the triceps contract as you extend the elbow while keeping the upper arm vertical and the elbows fixed.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher?
A diamond push-up is the top bodyweight substitute because it forces elbow-driven extension and high triceps recruitment. Place your hands in a diamond under the sternum, keep elbows close to the ribs, lower under control, and drive the movement with strict elbow extension to emphasize the triceps.
Can I build muscle without doing Barbell Reverse Grip Skullcrusher?
Yes—you can build triceps size using a variety of substitutes like close-grip bench presses, overhead dumbbell extensions, rope pushdowns, and dips while applying progressive overload. Focus on controlled eccentrics (2-3 seconds), maintain elbow stability, and increase load or volume consistently to stimulate hypertrophy.
More Exercise Alternatives
Find Alternatives for Any Exercise
Use our free tool to discover the best substitute exercises based on your available equipment and goals.
Try the Exercise Substitution Finder →