Exercise Comparison
Band Skull Crusher vs Weighted Bench Dip




Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Weighted Bench Dip
Instructions
Band Skull Crusher
Secure a band to the base of a rack or the bench. Lay on the bench so that the band is lined up with your head.
Take hold of the band, raising your elbows so that the upper arm is perpendicular to the floor. With the elbow flexed, the band should be above your head. This will be your starting position.
Extend through the elbow to straighten your arm, keeping your upper arm in place. Pause at the top of the motion, and return to the starting position.
Weighted Bench Dip
For this exercise you will need to place a bench behind your back and another one in front of you. With the benches perpendicular to your body, hold on to one bench on its edge with the hands close to your body, separated at shoulder width. Your arms should be fully extended.
The legs will be extended forward on top of the other bench. Your legs should be parallel to the floor while your torso is to be perpendicular to the floor. Have your partner place the dumbbell on your lap. Note: This exercise is best performed with a partner as placing the weight on your lap can be challenging and cause injury without assistance. This will be your starting position.
Slowly lower your body as you inhale by bending at the elbows until you lower yourself far enough to where there is an angle slightly smaller than 90 degrees between the upper arm and the forearm. Tip: Keep the elbows as close as possible throughout the movement. Forearms should always be pointing down.
Using your triceps to bring your torso up again, lift yourself back to the starting position while exhaling.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the triceps. Band Skull Crusher is a beginner exercise using bands, while Weighted Bench Dip is intermediate and uses other. Choose Band Skull Crusher if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Weighted Bench Dip for a greater challenge. Weighted Bench Dip is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Band Skull Crusher isolates the target muscle for focused development.