To Make Your Rides a Little Easier, Focus on Strengthening Your Triceps Is a Must
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You’ve probably hit a descent and felt your arms tire more quickly than your legs. Those are your triceps you’re feeling. To make your rides a little easier, focusing on your strengthening this group of muscles is a must.
One of the best triceps-building moves you can do at home with no equipment is the classic bodyweight skullcrusher, a move that starts in plank position, then has you essentially straightening your arms to attack your triceps. But if there’s a weakness to the move, it’s this: You don’t get a ton of stretch on your triceps.
There is a fix though. That move comes from Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., and it’s called the rocker bodyweight skullcrusher. With this move, you push your elbow through a greater range of motion, challenging your triceps that much more.
“This bodyweight skullcrusher variation is all about putting the triceps on stretch,” says Samuel, “And we get to do it at both the elbow joint and the shoulder joint.”
[The Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training will teach you all the fundamentals to get the most out of your weight session.]
It’s a perfect move to build your arms and layer on triceps muscle, because it places your triceps under more load than you may think. The rocker bodyweight skullcrusher is exactly like it sounds. It starts out like a standard bodyweight skullcrusher, as you open in a tight plank. But instead of simply straightening your arms, you “rock” your entire torso forward first, lowering toward the ground more.
“This added range of motion is key,” says Samuel. “Suddenly, your triceps have to work that much harder, over greater range and from a more ROM-challenged position, to press your body up.”
That stretch creates more challenge than you think for two reasons. First off, you’re moving over a greater range of motion overall. Secondly, you’re also combining movement ideas.
“The skullcrusher typically involves only elbow extension,” says Samuel. "Here, there’s elbow extension and slight shoulder flexion, movement at two joints done with a very controlled motion.”
It’s okay to actually “rock” out of the rocker bodyweight skullcrusher, too. “You will have to be explosive coming out of the bottom position,” says Samuel. “You almost want to think of ‘loading up’ your triceps when you rock forward, pausing for a second, then exploding upward.”
The best part about the move is that it requires zero equipment and can be done anywhere. “It’s the perfect triceps move for a home workout,” says Samuel.
Read the step-by-step instructions on how to do the move below, or refer to the video above.
Start in plank position, elbows directly below your shoulders, core and glutes tight.
Shift your entire torso forward, bringing shoulders in front of elbows and lowering your torso to the ground as far as you can while keeping your forearms on the ground. “This will be different for everyone,” says Samuel. “The key is you’re getting some triceps stretch.”
Keeping your elbows and core tight, straighten your arms, and press your torso upwards.
Return to the plank position. That’s 1 rep.
Do 3 sets of 6 to 8.
The rocker bodyweight skullcrusher is a perfect addition to any arm workout, or a versatile move you can use on a push day, says Samuel. “It’s a terrific lead move to a triceps workout too,” says Samuel, “and you can also use it as your lone triceps move on chest day. You’re getting more range of motion here than you may think, which is terrific.”
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