Wrist Wraps for Skull Crushers and Triceps Extensions

Skull crushers are one of the best triceps builders around, but they can feel awkward at the wrist. You hold a bar above your face with a narrow grip, bend only at the elbows and lower the weight toward your forehead. As the load climbs, many lifters feel their wrists bend back and the bar wobble. That is where wrist wraps for skull crushers come in.

Why Skull Crushers Stress the Wrist

In a lying triceps extension the forearm swings through a big arc while the hand holds the bar. Gravity tries to pull the bar back toward your head, which bends the wrist into extension. With a straight bar, the narrow grip also twists the wrist inward slightly. Put those together with heavier weights and the wrist becomes a weak link before the triceps are fully worked.

A wrap gives the joint a firm collar that keeps the hand more in line with the forearm, so the triceps stay the limiting factor.

Barbell, EZ Bar or Dumbbells?

• EZ bar: the angled grip lets your wrists sit in a more natural position. Most lifters find it the friendliest option.
• Straight bar: the classic version, but the narrow pronated grip is where many people feel wrist strain and like to wrap.
• Dumbbells: a neutral grip is easy on the wrists, though stability is harder.
• Cable extensions: the line of pull changes the feel again. See tricep pushdown for a cable alternative.

Our step-by-step how to do skull crushers explains each variation.

How to Wrap for Skull Crushers

1. Put your thumb through the loop and start on the back of the hand.
2. Wrap around the joint with medium to firm tension. You want the wrist straight here.
3. Keep the wrap centered on the joint so it does not ride down onto your forearm.
4. Secure the hook-and-loop closure and slip off the thumb loop.
5. Grip the bar and check that your knuckles point up and your wrist stays flat.

Technique Tips

• Keep the upper arms still: let them angle slightly back toward your head for constant tension.
• Lower under control: take two or three seconds down to the forehead or just behind the head.
• Do not flare the elbows: keep them pointing toward the ceiling or slightly back.
• Use a weight you own: skull crushers are an isolation movement and do not need ego loads.

Fitting Skull Crushers Into Arm Day

Skull crushers pair well with curls in a superset. Try three or four sets of eight to twelve, then finish with pushdowns. For a complete plan, see our arm day workout. If you train on a push day, they slot in after bench and dips; read the push day workout.

Since you are already working arms, a wrap can also help on curls. Read wrist wraps for curls for more ideas.

Elbows and Skull Crushers

Skull crushers work the elbow through a big range under load. Many lifters like wearing elbow sleeves for a warm, snug feel during triceps work. Ours are 7mm neoprene and cost $49.99 a pair. The elbow sleeves collection has the details, and what do elbow sleeves do explains how they are used.

The Right Wrap for Arm Day

You do not need a giant powerlifting wrap for isolation work. The Bay Gear Co. wrist wraps are 18" long, made from a polyester cotton blend, and use a thumb loop with hook-and-loop closure, for $28.99. They are firm enough for heavy skull crushers but easy to take on and off between supersets. Pick your favorite print, such as Skull and Roses or Diabolic Skeletons, in the wrist wraps collection.

Progressing Skull Crushers Over Time

Because skull crushers are an isolation lift, small jumps work best. Add reps first, moving from sets of eight toward sets of twelve, and only then add a small amount of weight. Micro plates or the next dumbbell up keep progress steady. Track your sets in a notebook so you know exactly when it is time to move up, and keep the wraps for the heavier top sets rather than every warm-up.

When to Skip Wraps

If you use an EZ bar or dumbbells at light weights, you may not need wraps at all. Lifters with no wrist discomfort on these lifts can skip them. Wraps earn their place when the load is heavy enough that your wrist starts to bend back or the bar starts to drift.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Wrapping so tight that your hand goes numb during a long superset.
• Letting the bar roll toward your fingers, which bends the wrist even with a wrap.
• Turning skull crushers into a close-grip press by moving the shoulders.
• Bouncing the bar off your head instead of controlling the bottom.

Shipping and Returns

The Bay Gear Co. promise for Wrist Wraps for Skull Crushers and Triceps Extensions: free shipping on orders over $49 and a 30-day return policy.

FAQ

Do wrist wraps help with skull crushers?

They can help keep the wrist straight when the bar is heavy enough to bend it back.

Is an EZ bar better for my wrists?

Many lifters find the angled grip more comfortable than a straight bar.

How tight should wraps be for triceps work?

Medium to firm, with normal feeling in your fingers.

Can I use the same wraps for bench press?

Yes, one pair works for all your pressing and arm work.