Dumbbell Skullcrusher vs Cable Lying Triceps Extension
Swapping Dumbbell Skullcrusher (Dumbbell) for Cable Lying Triceps Extension (Cable) retains 100% overlap; expect pulley-guided continuous line of pull. Compare exact 17-muscle fractional recruitment before swapping equipment mid-session.
Side-by-Side 17-Muscle Recruitment Delta
How primary mover (1.0× set) and synergist (0.5× set) allocation changes when swapping Dumbbell Skullcrusher for Cable Lying Triceps Extension.
| Muscle Group | Dumbbell Skullcrusher | Cable Lying Triceps Extension | Leverage Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triceps Brachii | Primary (100%) | Primary (100%) | Matched |
Load & Volume Conversion: Dumbbell Skullcrusher → Cable Lying Triceps Extension
Worked weight heuristic: a 38 kg per hand set on Dumbbell Skullcrusher (Dumbbell) maps roughly to 45 kg on Cable Lying Triceps Extension (Cable; 2.5 kg jumps, curve: constant cable tension at peak lengthened position). Calibrate set 1 at RPE 8 so e1RM history for Dumbbell Skullcrusher remains unskewed. Zero anatomical muscles are dropped between Dumbbell Skullcrusher and Cable Lying Triceps Extension; 1:1 weekly set volume carries straight across.
Supporting Sports-Science Literature
| Study Title | Lead Author & Year | Verified Link |
|---|---|---|
| Effects of body position and loading modality on muscle activity and strength in shoulder presses. | Saeterbakken (2013) | PubMed 23096062 ↗ |
| A comparison of muscle activity and 1-RM strength of three chest-press exercises with different stability requirements. | Saeterbakken (2011) | PubMed 21225489 ↗ |
| Varying the Order of Combinations of Single- and Multi-Joint Exercises Differentially Affects Resistance Training Adaptations. | Brandão (2020) | PubMed 32149887 ↗ |
| Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. | Maeo (2023) | PubMed 35819335 ↗ |