Decline Close-Grip Bench To Skull Crusher

What it is

This compound movement effectively targets your triceps. You'll also engage your chest and shoulders as you perform both the pressing and extending phases. This exercise combines two powerful push movements into one fluid motion, using a barbell on a decline bench.

Technique tips

• Use a close grip, slightly narrower than your shoulders.
• Keep your elbows tucked in throughout both movement phases.
• Lower the barbell slowly to your lower chest, maintaining control.
• Keep your upper arms still during the skull crusher portion.
• Exhale as you press and extend, inhale during the descent.
• Consider using a spotter to safely unrack the barbell.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.