Skull crushers and French presses are close cousins: both are elbow-extension lifts that can light up your triceps, especially the long head. But they don’t feel the same, they don’t load the same, and they don’t suit every lifter or every elbow. The better choice isn’t “which is superior,” but “which fits my body, my equipment, and my goal right now.”
If you’re following a plan from an advanced workout app, you’ll often see both movements show up across phases because each has a sweet spot. Let’s break down what actually changes when you pick one over the other, and how to decide without guessing.
First, what are we comparing really?
People use these names loosely, so clarity matters:
- Skull crushers usually mean lying triceps extensions where the weight travels toward your forehead (or just behind it). They’re often done on a flat bench with dumbbells, an EZ bar, or cables.
- French presses often mean overhead triceps extensions, typically seated or standing, with a dumbbell, EZ bar, cable, or kettlebell. In some gyms, “French press” also refers to lying extensions—so it’s best to think “overhead” whenever you hear it.
The big difference is shoulder position. Skull crushers keep your upper arm more in line with your torso. French presses place your upper arm overhead (shoulder flexed). That one change can shift tension, comfort, and range of motion.
Your triceps have three heads, and the long head crosses both the elbow and the shoulder. When your arm is overhead, the long head is placed on a bigger stretch at the shoulder. For many lifters, that means:
- a stronger “deep” triceps sensation,
- great stimulus with moderate loads,
- and a nice option when you want more lengthened-position work.
That doesn’t automatically make French presses “better.” It means they’re especially useful if your triceps lag, if you respond well to stretch-based tension, or if you want a movement that complements pressing.
If your elbows complain overhead, skull crushers can be the smarter way to train triceps hard while keeping the shoulder position simpler.
Range of motion vs elbow comfort
Both lifts can offer a big range of motion if you set them up well. The issue is that a bigger range isn’t always a better range if your elbows hate it.
Skull crushers:
- Often feel stable because you’re lying down.
- Let you control the path and tempo easily.
- Can irritate elbows if you lower straight to the forehead with a rigid upper arm and heavy loading.
A small tweak helps: aim the weight slightly behind your head rather than directly at your face. This shifts tension more smoothly and can feel friendlier on elbows while keeping the triceps working.
French presses:
- Can feel amazing when done with a controlled stretch.
- Can also feel sketchy if your shoulders are tight or your ribcage flares and you “cheat” the angle.
- Frequently become a back/shoulder compensation exercise when fatigue hits.
If your shoulders are stiff, start with a cable overhead extension (more forgiving line of pull) or a single dumbbell overhead extension where you can find your groove.
A good rule: choose the variation that lets you train hard without joint drama. Consistency beats hero sets.
The most common mistakes that ruin both lifts
You can make either movement mediocre by letting small errors stack up. Fix these first:
- Elbows drifting all over the place
A little movement is fine, but if your elbows flare wide and your upper arms swing, tension leaves the triceps and lands in the shoulders. - Turning it into a press
If you’re “benching” the weight up from the bottom, you’ve lost the point. Keep it an elbow hinge, not a chest exercise. - Going too heavy too soon
Triceps respond well to controlled reps. When load outruns control, elbows pay the bill. - Short-changing the bottom range
Partial reps can be useful later, but most lifters grow more from owning a full, comfortable range first. - Ignoring setup
For skull crushers: wrists stacked, upper arm angled slightly back, controlled descent.
For French presses: ribs down, glutes engaged, elbows pointed forward-ish, slow stretch.
If you track form notes in an advanced workout app, write down which setup cues reduce elbow stress. Those notes become gold when you revisit the lift weeks later.
So… which one should you do?
Use this decision guide:
Choose skull crushers if you…
- want a stable setup and consistent rep path,
- prefer dumbbells or an EZ bar on a bench,
- feel elbow discomfort overhead,
- want a triceps move that pairs smoothly after pressing.
Choose French presses if you…
- want more long-head emphasis via an overhead stretch,
- can keep ribs down and elbows in a strong position,
- have access to cables (often the most comfortable option),
- want a higher-rep triceps finisher that burns without requiring huge loads.
And yes—many lifters do best using both, just not necessarily in the same session, and not with the same intensity.
Smart programming that doesn’t beat up your joints
Here are two simple ways to include them without overthinking.
Option A: One main extension pattern per block
- Weeks 1–4: Skull crushers (moderate load, clean reps)
- Weeks 5–8: French presses (moderate reps, deep stretch, slower tempo)
This keeps your elbows from dealing with the same stress pattern forever, while still letting you progress.
Option B: One heavy-ish, one lighter pump
- Skull crushers: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, controlled, not maximal
- French presses (cable or dumbbell): 2–3 sets of 12–20 reps, smooth stretch
If you log those progressions in an advanced workout app, focus on rep quality: add reps first, then small load jumps. Triceps grow well with steady progression and good positions.
Equipment choices that change everything
- EZ bar skull crushers often feel kinder than a straight bar because wrist angle is more natural.
- Dumbbells allow a neutral grip and small path adjustments—great for sensitive elbows.
- Cables keep tension consistent through the rep and can feel smoother at the bottom range (especially overhead).
- Single-arm cable overhead extensions are excellent for finding a clean elbow path and reducing compensation.
If one version irritates your joints, don’t abandon the movement family—swap the tool.
A practical “try this next workout” template
If you’re unsure which you prefer, run this simple test week:
- Day 1: Skull crushers (3×10 at a challenging but controlled effort)
- Day 2 (later in the week): Overhead French press (3×15, slow stretch, no grinding)
Whichever gives you:
- better triceps tension,
- less elbow ache the next day,
- and more consistent reps…
…wins for your next training block. Save that decision inside your advanced workout app so you don’t re-litigate the same question every month.
The bottom line
Skull crushers tend to win for stability and straightforward loading. French presses often win for the long-head stretch and high-rep stimulation. Neither is automatically superior; the best pick is the one you can perform with control, repeat week after week, and progress without your elbows feeling cranky.
If you can do both comfortably, rotate them across blocks or use one as a main move and the other as a finisher. If you can only tolerate one, commit to it, master it, and let your triceps prove the point. And if you’re organizing your plan in an advanced workout app, prioritize consistent execution notes and progression because that’s where the real results come from.
