Is the Cable Lying Triceps Extension the same as a cable skull crusher?

Yes, many coaches call it a cable skull crusher, because the bar comes down toward the forehead just as it does in the Barbell Skull Crusher. The difference is that the cable pulls the bar back toward the machine, so the triceps stay loaded at the top of each rep.

How far from the cable machine should the bench be?

Close enough that you can take the bar comfortably, but far enough that the weight stays lifted off the stack when the bar is at its lowest point above your forehead. If the plates touch down at the bottom of a rep, slide the bench a little farther away.

Should I use a straight bar, an EZ bar or a rope?

A straight bar works well for most people. If it bothers your wrists or elbows, an EZ-style cable bar or a rope lets the hands turn to a more natural angle while the movement stays the same.

Can I do it if barbell skull crushers hurt my elbows?

Often, because the smooth cable resistance and lighter loads are easier on the elbows for many lifters. If pain at the back of the elbow continues, switch to the Cable Triceps Pushdown (Rope), which loads the elbow through a less deeply bent range.

How many sets and reps should I do?

As an accessory movement it usually works best for 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 controlled reps. The steady cable tension suits moderate weights and higher reps better than chasing heavy singles.

Cable Lying Triceps Extension

What Is the Cable Lying Triceps Extension?

Cable Lying Triceps Extension is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the triceps, working all three heads of the triceps brachii, while the lats and rear shoulders help hold the upper arms in place. It is an intermediate-level movement performed lying face up on a flat bench with your head toward a low cable pulley, straightening the elbows to press a straight bar from just above the forehead to straight arms over the shoulders.

The exercise is the cable version of the Barbell Skull Crusher. Because the cable runs from behind your head, it pulls the bar back toward the machine as well as down. With a free bar the load hangs straight down, so the triceps get a brief rest once the arms reach vertical; here the angled line of pull keeps them working right through lockout. The weight stack also gives smooth, even resistance, which many lifters find easier on the elbows than a heavy barbell.

With the upper arms held near vertical, the shoulders sit at about 90 degrees of flexion. That puts the long head of the triceps, the only head that crosses the shoulder, on more stretch than a Cable Triceps Pushdown (Straight Bar) does, though less than an overhead movement such as the Cable Overhead Triceps Extension. Tilting the upper arms slightly back toward your head adds to that stretch, and swapping the straight bar for a rope or an EZ-style cable bar lets the wrists turn to a more natural angle.

The movement fits in the accessory part of an upper-body or arm session, usually after compound presses such as the Barbell Bench Press (Close Grip), and suits moderate to higher reps where the steady cable tension pays off. It is a good choice for lifters building arm size and pressing lockout strength. If lying on the bench and controlling the cable feels awkward, build up with pushdowns first, which train the same elbow extension standing.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): Primary
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Primary
Triceps Brachii (Medial Head): Primary
Deltoid: Low
Latissimus Dorsi: Low
Teres Major: Low
Flexor Carpi Radialis: Minimal
Flexor Carpi Ulnaris: Minimal
Pectoralis Major: Minimal

Instructions

Set a cable pulley low, near the height of a flat bench, and attach a straight bar.
Place the bench lengthwise in front of the machine so one end faces the pulley.
Take the bar with an overhand grip, hands about shoulder-width apart, then sit on the bench and lie back with your head toward the machine and your feet flat on the floor.
Point your upper arms straight up from your shoulders with your elbows bent so the bar sits just above your forehead and the weight is lifted off the stack.
Keeping your upper arms still and your elbows pointing up, straighten your elbows to press the bar up.
Continue until your arms are straight over your shoulders, and pause briefly at the top.
Bend your elbows slowly to lower the bar back to just above your forehead, keeping your wrists straight.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.
When the set is done, let the bar travel back toward the pulley under control until the weights rest on the stack before letting go.

Common Mistakes

Upper arms swinging
Letting the elbows swing toward your hips as you extend turns the rep into a pullover and press, taking work away from the triceps.
Elbows flaring out
Letting the elbows drift wide shifts stress onto the shoulders and elbow joints and reduces tension on the triceps.
Dropping the bar
Letting the stack pull the bar down quickly loads the elbow hardest at its most bent position and wastes the controlled lowering phase.
Cutting the range short
Stopping well above the forehead keeps the triceps out of their stretched position and limits what the exercise can build.
Using too much weight
A stack you cannot control forces the shoulders and back to help and tends to end in elbow pain rather than more triceps work.
Bent-back wrists
Letting the wrists bend back under the bar strains them, so keep them straight and in line with the forearms.

Injuries

Cable Lying Triceps Extension is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The weight stack moves smoothly, loads tend to be moderate and you can set the bar down safely by letting it travel back toward the pulley. The main strain points are the back of the elbow, where the triceps tendon is loaded hardest with the elbow deeply bent, the wrists when a straight bar forces them into full pronation, and the front of the shoulder if the upper arms drift far back or flare out.

Warm up the elbows with a few light sets before working sets, lower the bar slowly to a point just above the forehead rather than letting the stack yank it down, and keep the elbows pointing up and about shoulder-width apart. Pick a weight you can control for clean reps, and if the straight bar bothers your wrists, switch to a rope or an EZ-style cable bar.

To make it easier, use a lighter stack and a shorter range, or train the Cable Triceps Pushdown (Rope), which keeps the elbow less deeply bent under load. To progress, add load gradually, slow the lowering phase, or move to free-weight versions such as the EZ Bar Lying Triceps Extension. Stop the set if you feel sharp pain at the back of the elbow or the front of the shoulder, or any numbness or tingling in the forearm or hand, and get persistent elbow pain checked before training through it.

Overview

Primary Focus: Triceps
Equipment: Cable and bench
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Other Names for the Cable Lying Triceps Extension

The Cable Lying Triceps Extension is also known as:

Cable Skull Crusher

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the Cable Lying Triceps Extension the same as a cable skull crusher?: Yes, many coaches call it a cable skull crusher, because the bar comes down toward the forehead just as it does in the Barbell Skull Crusher. The difference is that the cable pulls the bar back toward the machine, so the triceps stay loaded at the top of each rep.
Q: How far from the cable machine should the bench be?: Close enough that you can take the bar comfortably, but far enough that the weight stays lifted off the stack when the bar is at its lowest point above your forehead. If the plates touch down at the bottom of a rep, slide the bench a little farther away.
Q: Should I use a straight bar, an EZ bar or a rope?: A straight bar works well for most people. If it bothers your wrists or elbows, an EZ-style cable bar or a rope lets the hands turn to a more natural angle while the movement stays the same.
Q: Can I do it if barbell skull crushers hurt my elbows?: Often, because the smooth cable resistance and lighter loads are easier on the elbows for many lifters. If pain at the back of the elbow continues, switch to the Cable Triceps Pushdown (Rope), which loads the elbow through a less deeply bent range.
Q: How many sets and reps should I do?: As an accessory movement it usually works best for 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 controlled reps. The steady cable tension suits moderate weights and higher reps better than chasing heavy singles.