IFBB Pro Trainer Charles Glass has a simple way to make the best triceps exercise even more effective…
If you’ve never heard of French Curls, you probably know them by one of their better known names such as laying triceps extension, or skull crushers. The movement uses either a straight bar, or an EZ-Curl bar and the trainee lays on a flat bench, in an almost bench press position with the weight above their chest, and then the weight is lowered to their heads using the triceps, and then powered back into position before the skull is crushed.
As effective as it is in this form, when the bar reaches the top of the movement, the bone structure (elbows) is supporting the weight, and the participant gets a rest, and as such, it loses it’s effectiveness somewhat.
Charles’ way…
Charles Glass advocates performing the French Curls on a decline bench, and holding the upper arms completely stationary (not bringing over chest) at such an angle that the weight is brought no further than the top of the head.
This way, because of the angle the upper arms are kept in, the forearms have to stay in line with, and the weight is kept on the triceps muscles throughout, and the effectiveness of the exercise is increased a fair amount. Plus, there is no elbow strain.
Next time you are training the triceps, grab an EZ-Curl bar or straight bar and try French Curls the Charles Glass way.