EZ French Press VS Skull Crushers (the Difference)

[@Criticalbench]

𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘!! 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓! 𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐎𝐋𝐃 - 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡: www.criticalbench.com/arnold/

[@itsyaboysaber784]

I have been training for years (with no coach) I never understood the difference between French press and skull braker, so thank you for the very detailed explanation

[@Criticalbench]

You're welcome!

[@ciprianolopez7559]

I get to much tendinitis doing these movements I had to cut them out of my routine miss them

[@Criticalbench]

That's pretty common IF you have tight triceps, wrists, if you overuse the muscles and don't use proper warm-up techniques.

[@GibetTheCatFOURTWENTY666XXX69]

@@Criticalbench what are the proper warm up techniques?

[@Criticalbench]

@@GibetTheCatFOURTWENTY666XXX69 honestly, the best warm up for these Exercises is nothing more than a few very light sets to lubricate the elbow joint and warm up the elbow extending muscles. Some push ups can also help.

[@GibetTheCatFOURTWENTY666XXX69]

@@Criticalbench thanks man ..ill definitely give both a try . u got yourself a new subscriber 💪😁

[@AD-ui6sk]

@@GibetTheCatFOURTWENTY666XXX69 I like them at the end of the workout because like he said the elbows are warmed up but also you don’t have to go as heavy to get a strain since they’re sore exhausted so they’re a lot more comfortable

[@mkkravist11]

Seated or standing Presses, French or any flavour you like, tend to give me lower back pain. I much prefer lying presses, either a skullcrusher (down to forehead) or the 45 degree to lockout presses. Massive pump combining these two.

[@Criticalbench]

Thanks for sharing that with us

[@SHARIEFFM]

Thanks sir people always think skull crushers and French press are the same thanks for clearing the confusion

[@Criticalbench]

You're welcome!

[@randyglennclarkjr]

They are , he is doing a lying French press not a skull crusher …

[@haloandfable]

When you do the lying overhead extension you still have the majority of the weight on the joint during the concentric phase. You need to push out more not up because you're not getting the full tension on the triceps at the top of the movement due to how gravity works.

[@JanElsperman]

Can you do this skull crusher with the tricep/forearm at a 90 degree angle?

[@Criticalbench]

You can but the optimal position is just past vertical so the arm is angled back towards the head about 10 degrees creating tension on the muscles the entire time....versus having tension on the joint while at 90 degrees.

[@zalapski9399]

Please call the French Press the Freedom Press from now on

[@Criticalbench]

Freedom fries, Freedom toast.... I see where you're going with this!

[@damianloder6080]

Will it make any difference if you do the French press standing opposed to sitting?

[@Criticalbench]

Standing requires more core strength

[@Singletracklover]

Nice demo Chris. Any reason you could not do both of these on tricep day? Also I really liked the tips you gave on the bar hangling. So many of us get hurt setting up to get the weight in place and putting it down.

[@Criticalbench]

Oh yeah, you totally can do both on the same day. 3-4 sets of each would be fine on a designated arm training day, especially if you're really going for bigger, stronger arms fast.

[@KeithOYS]

Are the muscles worked the same? Do both exercises activate all three heads of the triceps?

[@Criticalbench]

Same muscles but the weight distribution is different so you're going to get different muscle activation with each. Both GREAT movements

[@abprepboy33]

Criticalbench- Are there any strong upsides to one vs the other. Most people I know do skull crushers- but I strongly prefer french press. I feel like its too easy to cheat on skull crushers and use arm momentum. I also like to make sure my elbows arent flaring out while using a mirror when i french press.

[@Criticalbench]

This really comes down to what you like doing, what is the best fit for you

[@Adam-do8ny]

I got shoulder pain doing this. Any idea what I might be doing wrong?

[@Criticalbench]

Do you have or have you recently injured your shoulder? What other movements bother your shoulder?

[@ryguy6969]

You shouldn’t move your elbows, it’ll really isolate your triceps more that way if you keep your elbows as still as possible and rotate

[@junkyard-p1s]

Great video! Easy to understand. Good camera angles. But best of all no stupid loud annoying music🎶 drowning out your voice!😅😅😅🤦‍♂️👍🏋‍♂️

[@chriswilson5471]

Gotta love Arm training #FlexFriday

[@zerox6420]

Getting elbow pain with these exercises

[@Criticalbench]

If these are causing you pain, then you should not do them.

[@wick3dwick]

Try doing them with a slow negative. I do skullcrushers with a 3-5 second negative and it really helps with elbow irritation/pain.

[@RuiOrmonde]

For the skull crusher, push the bar away from the body (as recommended by Scott Herman). Don't bring it all the way directly over your head (as shown here by Chris Wilson). Pushing the bar away from the body takes away tension out of the elbows so as to not damage the joints. Should help with tendonitis too. Besides, if you bring the weight vertically over your head, you're breaking continuous tension (similar to letting the weights touch the resting stack on every rep in machine exercises). With your arms extended vertically and the weight directly overhead, gravity isn’t applying much force in a way that challenges the triceps; instead, the load is simply aligned with the bones and joints. By keeping the bar slightly forward (i.e. away from your head), you're working against gravity more effectively, which keeps your triceps engaged, i.e. it keeps them under load. You thus achieve continuous tension on the muscle (while eliminating or mitigating tension on the elbow joint). See here this technique as recommended by Scott Herman: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpCui6uhjsRjma8 Granted, to Chris's point in other comment threads where others also report elbow pain, warm-up is important as well, but I think the main culprit here is that the moment as shown here isn't ideal from a joint conservation perspective to begin with.

[@m.g.8897]

Ty u

[@mfaroq8]

Elbow pain during this exercises

[@Adam-do8ny]

Mohammad Faroq if possible tilt your elbows back more, so that they aren't vertical to your body

[@perarnewinge7123]

When i've had elbow pain during french press it's been because of too little warm up and too much weight on the bar. This in turn gave me tendonitis in the elbow which forced me away from french press for a full year..

[@abprepboy33]

@@perarnewinge7123 100%- neither of these should be done early in a workout. triceps should be warmed up with 2-3 sets of light weight cable pushdowns like 20 reps IMO

[@davidross8730]

JM Press...

[@bertrandcharlet7162]

Where did you get that French press name from? Silly americans.

[@Criticalbench]

We got it from the Chinese.

[@kingadjust6201]

What underdeveloped country are you from Bertrand?

[@suprlite]

Only recently have i heard the term "skullcrusher" about this excersise. In all the literature and all the gymrats that i've been been around it has always been called french press.

[@Criticalbench]

🏋️‍♂️ yeah!

[@mikehawke2172]

French press are the GOAT

[@Criticalbench]

💪

[@kingadjust6201]

Agreed the 🐐 like Ronaldo