Band triceps pushdown
Full guide coming soon
Tricep Pushdown (Cable)
The cable triceps pushdown straightens your elbows against a high cable while your upper arms stay at your sides. It isolates the triceps with steady tension and is easy to learn.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Cable machine
- triceps
Left: start position. Right: end position. Orange: the muscles that work.
How to do the tricep pushdown
- Attach a straight bar or a rope to a high pulley. Grip it with both hands and stand close to the stack.
- Pin your elbows to your sides, with a slight forward lean and your chest up.Breathe
- Push the bar down until your arms are straight and your hands are near your thighs.
- Squeeze your triceps for a moment at the bottom.
- Let the bar rise to about chest height under control, with your elbows still at your sides.
Breathing. Breathe in while the bar is at chest height. Breathe out as you push it down, and breathe in again as it rises.
Tips
- With a rope, pull the ends slightly apart at the bottom. Many people feel a stronger triceps squeeze this way.
- If the weight stack lifts your heels or pulls your body forward, the load is too heavy.
Muscles worked
The tricep pushdown works mainly the triceps.
| Muscle | Role |
|---|---|
| Triceps | Main mover. All three heads straighten the elbow. The long head is less stretched with the arms at your sides than with the arms overhead. |
| Forearms (also works) | Hold the bar or rope and keep your wrists straight as you push. |
| Abs (core) (also works) | Keeps your torso still, so you do not lean over the bar to push it down. |
Sets, reps and rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (first weeks) | 2 | 12-15 reps | 60 s |
| Build muscle | 3 | 10-15 reps | 60 s |
| Get stronger | 3 | 8-10 reps | 90 s |
| General fitness | 2 | 12-15 reps | 60 s |
| Fat loss (with more daily activity) | 2 | 15-20 reps | 45 s |
These numbers come from the same rules as the Oh My Coach app. Use a load that leaves 1 to 3 reps in reserve. When you reach the top of the range in every set, add a little load or move to the harder version (double progression). What is double progression?
Common mistakes
-
Elbows moving forward and back
Why it matters: When the elbows swing, the shoulders and lats help, and the triceps do less.
Fix: Keep your elbows pinned to your sides. Only your forearms move.
-
Leaning over the bar
Why it matters: Body weight pushes the bar down instead of the triceps.
Fix: Stand close to the stack with a small forward lean, and keep that angle for the whole set.
-
Partial reps at the bottom
Why it matters: Stopping short of straight arms misses the end of the range, where the triceps finish the movement.
Fix: Push until your elbows are fully straight, then return to chest height.
-
Letting the bar fly up
Why it matters: A fast return takes tension off the triceps and can pull your elbows up off your sides.
Fix: Control the bar on the way up as much as on the way down.
Make it easier or harder
This exercise gets harder with load. When every set reaches the top of the rep range with good form, add the smallest weight step you have. To make it easier, use less load or a shorter range of motion while you learn the movement.
Versions of this exercise
Alternatives
Same main muscle and the same movement pattern first, from the same rules as the app's swap list.
EZ-bar skull crusher
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Dumbbell overhead triceps extension
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Diamond push-up
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Chair dip
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Band triceps pushdown
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Close-grip knee push-up
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
What you need
-
Take care if
This exercise loads the elbow. If your elbow hurts, stop. Options that do not load the elbow in the same way: Close-grip knee push-up. For pain that does not go away, see a doctor or a physiotherapist.
If your elbow hurts during the set, stop. Try a rope, a lighter weight or a band pushdown.
Questions
What muscles does the triceps pushdown work?
It works the triceps, the muscle on the back of the upper arm. Your forearms hold the handle, and your abs keep your torso still.
Rope or straight bar for pushdowns?
Both work. The straight bar usually lets you use a little more weight. The rope lets your hands move apart at the bottom, which many people find more comfortable on the wrists and elbows.
Are pushdowns enough to grow the triceps?
They are a good base, but add an overhead extension too. In a 12-week study, cable elbow extensions with the arm overhead grew the triceps more than the same movement with the arm at the side, even though people used lighter loads overhead.
Can I do pushdowns at home?
Yes. Loop a resistance band over a door anchor or a high bar and do the same movement. The band pushdown is the home version in this family.