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Cable triceps pushdown
It's the most popular triceps exercise and one of the easiest to ruin: just a little more weight than you should be using and the movement shifts from your elbows to your shoulders and back.
What it works
- Triceps, all three heads, with more or less of each depending on the grip
- Forearm, holding the bar or the rope
- Abs, keeping your torso still
How to do it
- 1Set the pulley high
With a straight bar, a V-bar or a rope, whatever you have. Stand one step away from the machine.
- 2Pin your elbows to your sides
Your elbows are the hinge and they don't move from there. You can lean forward slightly so the cable runs clean.
- 3Press down
Push down until your elbow is fully straight, squeezing your triceps for a moment at the end. With a rope, also pull your hands apart at the finish.
- 4Return under control
Let it rise until your elbow is at roughly ninety degrees, without letting your shoulder ride up.
- 5Don't push with your body
If you have to lean over the weight to get it down, take a plate off. This is an elbow movement, nothing more.
The mistakes you see most
- Moving your elbows forward and back. When the elbow travels, your shoulder and chest join in. It's a way to move more weight while doing less triceps.
- Leaning over the pulley. Using your body weight to push down. You can tell because your heels come up.
- Half reps. Stopping halfway down. The triceps finishes its job right when the elbow is fully straight.
- Shrugging your shoulders. Shoulders down and away from your ears throughout the movement.
Variations
- With a rope. Lets you pull your hands apart at the end and feel the end of the range more.
- With a V-bar. Easier on the wrist than a straight bar and lets you move a bit more weight.
- Overhead. Facing away from the pulley, with your arms up. It stretches the long head of the triceps, which doesn't get worked well with your elbows down.
- Skull crusher. Lying down with an EZ bar. Same idea with free weights, and another one that really stretches the long head.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need it if I already bench press?
Your triceps already work in every pressing movement, so you don't need much direct volume. A few sets a week are usually enough, and it's a good idea for some of them to be with your arm overhead.
Rope or bar?
There's little difference. The rope lets you spread your hands at the end and you usually feel it more; the bar lets you load a bit more. Alternating is the easy option.
My elbow bothers me
Lower the weight, avoid snapping into lockout at the end and try a rope, which lets your wrist rotate. Elbows take weeks to settle down, so it's better to stop early.
How many reps?
Ten to fifteen works well: it's a small muscle, and with heavy weights you end up moving your body instead of your arm.
And to keep track of what you lift
In the Reverfit Workout app every exercise comes with its animation, and you log the weight and reps set by set, with what you did last time right in front of you. Free and with no ads.
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