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Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press animation

How to do the Barbell Decline Close Grip To Skull Press

TricepsBarbellIntermediate

The barbell decline close grip to skull press is a brutal triceps compound that combines two elite movements into one continuous rep, loading the long head through a massive range of motion. Master this and you will build the kind of thick, horseshoe triceps that define serious upper arm development.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Triceps
Secondary
Front deltsChest

Step-by-step

  1. Set up on a decline bench at 15 to 30 degrees, grip the barbell with hands 8 to 12 inches apart, and unrack with locked wrists directly over your chest
  2. Lower the bar toward your forehead in a skull press arc, keeping elbows pointed forward and upper arms stationary throughout the descent
  3. At the bottom, transition smoothly into the close grip press by driving your elbows back slightly and pressing the bar back up along a diagonal path toward lockout
  4. Squeeze the triceps hard at full extension before immediately initiating the next skull press descent without losing bar control

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows wide during the press portion, which shifts load to the chest and off the triceps, so consciously keep elbows tracking inward throughout
  • Using too much weight and shortening the skull press arc, which kills the long head stretch that makes this movement valuable, so reduce load and own the full range
  • Losing wrist neutrality by letting the bar roll back, which stresses the joints and reduces force transfer, so actively flex the wrists forward and grip the bar tight

Pro tip — On the descent of each skull press, allow a deliberate one second pause just above the forehead to eliminate momentum and force the long head into a fully loaded stretch before you press, this is where real hypertrophy gains are built.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

More Triceps exercises

Barbell Close Grip Bench PressBarbell Close Grip Bench PressBarbell Incline Reverse Grip PressBarbell Incline Reverse Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip Triceps ExtensionBarbell Lying Close Grip Triceps ExtensionBarbell Lying ExtensionBarbell Lying ExtensionBarbell Seated Overhead Triceps ExtensionBarbell Seated Overhead Triceps Extension
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