440 lb. Skull-Crusher:

[Montague]

Actually, focusing on strength when that wasn't the gist of the thread in the first place would clearly be the extremist position...

What draws the attention is the outrageous false advertising; 400 lb. extensions is ususual. 400 lb. close grips is good but not unusual or compelling for BB when done by someone looking like a fat slob. Meh

Not sure how you expected to see a bodybuilder based on anything posted in the original post.

Also, these are definitely extensions.  Not your typical elbows-to-the-sky strict bodybuilding skullcrushers, but if the elbow is higher than the shoulder it's sure as shit not a press.

Damn, you guys really read between the lines. All that was in my original post was a thread title & Youtube clip.

I really didn’t have any "gist" in posting this other than to show it.
And the title I used was merely extracted from part of the clip’s title.
I knew this would generate some discussion, as lots of folks would have opinions on it.
I suppose that was a secondary intent.

Anyway, my 2 cents…
To me it doesn’t seem to be a true press OR a true extension – at least nothing conventional.
But I’m sure it has a name, and JPM probably knows it.
 

[pumpster]

these are definitely extensions. 

Not a chance. Fools some, obviously. Elbow positioning relative to the head and wrists is quite different and upper arm flection and ROM isn't in the same ballpark.

[jpm101]

Nothing like Scottish regimental bagpipes to perk up a workout or else a couple jiggers of Cutty Sark. The gentleman is very impressive, that is a huge weight to be handling in that style. OK, he does not look like a pretty boy BB'ers or have 24" guns..but than again so what?

This movement would be under the heading of WTF (some work very well), seen in many local gym's. Some WTF exercises fall into the main steam BB'ing exercises over time.  And can even become  standards, like some of Gironda early concepts. Or even JM presses and the half BB rows, half DL a lot of the Pro's do today.

Not a skullcrusher, or extension movement, because the upper arms are too much involved in a semi pressing manner, even with the lighter set shown. With true SC'ers, the elbows may flair out, but the upper arm is not that involved in  helping with an actually pressing upward motion. Slight maybe, but not  with any great extent. With any tricep extension, you want a hinge  action, with the elbows the pivot center and not the upper arms taking over.

Many forms of SC, like to the forehead, top of the head and the nose or jaw. Some related versions are to the throat or upper pecs. Take your pick, all can be effective when it comes to tricep building. Though, with the extra stress on the hinge of the elbow, not meant for everyone. Main rule of thumb...warm up before attempting. Good Luck.

[Montague]

This movement would be under the heading of WTF (some work very well), seen in many local gym's.

I've seen lots of guys use this principle!
 

And although rare, I have seen the occasional impressive physique built using unorthodox form – and even movements – as the primary modus operandi.
Most others, however, seem only to be working on an injury.

[MisterMagoo]

if your elbows and/or shoulders aren't under your wrists, it isn't a press. END OF STORY.

[pumpster]

if your elbows and/or shoulders aren't under your wrists, it isn't a press. END OF STORY.

Extensions and skulls require greater distance between the weight and the elbows, in order to create leverage and angles as well as alignment between shoulders and arms that hits the long head. The long head is the only one of the three that's arranged that way, and is not primarily hit on MOST triceps exercises. Any time the elbows are extremely wide like that it stops the alignment thing necessary to hit the long head, which is the whole point of extensions and skulls, period.

As Yates correctly said in 'guts, the long head is lazy, and is only involved when the arms/elbows line up with the shoulders. Without this, for example in presses especially with the elbows flared as he's doing quite obviously, you don't have that alignment and get far more enlistment of the medial and lateral heads. Exactly why i'd never put close-grips at the very top of the list of size builders.

If this isn't clear enough, study some anatomy.

[MisterMagoo]

uh... pumpy, step back for a second and review that post.

this has nothing to do with "anatomy", it has absolutely nothing to do with focusing on whatever head of the triceps, it's what constitutes a press vs an extension.

a bench press, military, dip, squat, whatever are all pressing movements because multiple joints are aligned under the weight. even in a JM press the hands stay roughly in line with the shoulders. it doesn't matter how flared his elbows are, the hands are behind the elbows which are behind the shoulders. it's not a close-grip bench, it's an extension.

you're talking about what an extension SHOULD do, which is kinda like watching scot mendelson bench 715 and going "that was a shitty bench he needs to touch a lot higher because a bench press is supposed to primarily activate the pectorals". he did it as a power move, not a bodybuilder move.

please, i'm beggin' you, stop just sitting around reading articles and watching bodybuilding DVDs. you're very good at repeating stuff, but i don't think you have much first hand experience with a weight room (although i'm more than happy to be proven wrong).

[pumpster]

please, i'm beggin' you, stop just sitting around reading articles and watching bodybuilding DVDs. you're very good at repeating stuff, but i don't think you have much first hand experience with a weight room (although i'm more than happy to be proven wrong).

Um magoo...kid..I've seen your pics and videos..

-You strike me as a clueless, arrogant putz, a know-all. You have NO idea of how i train, etc., and couldn't be farther off lol man talk about a desperate need to attack someone, that's you buddy.  Just more of the same desperate need to resort to personal, unfounded insults that have nothing to do with training. Exactly what i'd expect of a tat-riden beligerent skinhead.

-Your pompous belief in your largely non-existent depth of knowledge has always been as highly amusing as it is illusory. You crack me up.

-I'm physically superior to you-the physique and muscles look a whole lot better-here i am well into middle age still lookin like a BB. You look like shit IMO. And that's aside from the classic angry white guy ax-murderer facial expressions and tats. Here i am close to 50, and look better than you..

-My lifts were similar to yours when i cared about that, and before injuries that happen to alot of serious guys catch up with them in middle age. At the same time as i did those lifts i looked great, like a BB - not like some average putz covered in tats lol

-I doubt you could keep up with my in the gym. In any gym i'm in, i AM the hardcore area, even now in middle-age. Back in the day, one of my training partners traveled to LA and spent the summer at the original Gold's on Pacific, summer of '77. He came back and without prompting told me i trained as hard as anyone there. Still do.

-I've trained longer than you've been alive and been around world-class BBs beginning in my teens. All those BBs you drool over - i saw alot of them first-hand.

-Facially i'm good lookin, and don't have your perma-angry scowl and the beedy eyes seen in all your pix. Unlike you, I great skin for tanning & showing off the physique to the max.

-I try to help anyone here with my own experience..for you, i will now charge before bothering to answer you any further thanx to your beligerence..got it? Now go and follow my directives and learn some anatomy about what i told you in earlier posts.

Hope that helps LOL dismissed.

[Zach Trowbridge]

All those BBs you drool over - i saw alot of them first-hand.

This makes me laugh.