Exercises · Triceps · Cable

Triceps pushdown

How to do it

1. Stand at a high cable with a bar or rope attached and your elbows pinned to your sides.
2. Push the bar or rope down until your arms are straight.
3. Let it rise slowly back up.

Form cues that help

• Keep your upper arms still. Only your forearms should move.
• Stand tall with your chest up and a slight lean forward at most.
• Squeeze your triceps at the bottom, with your arms fully straight.
• With a rope, you can spread the ends apart at the bottom for a stronger squeeze.

Common mistakes

• Letting the elbows drift forward. The rep turns into a press and your triceps do less of the work.
• Leaning over the bar. Using your bodyweight to push the weight down is a sign the load is too heavy.
• Letting the weight fly up. Control the way up for the full rep.
• Cutting the top short. Let your hands rise to about chest height before pushing down again.

Alternatives and variations

• The cable overhead triceps extension, which trains the triceps with your arms overhead.
• The rope, straight bar or V-bar attachment, which each change the grip a little.
• The push-up with your elbows tucked, a bodyweight option.
• The barbell bench press and overhead press, which also work the triceps alongside bigger muscles.

How to progress it

Pushdowns suit higher reps. Add reps until you reach the top of your range with clean form, then raise the weight one pin on the stack and start again. Log your weight and reps every session. See progressive overload.

See it moving in FollowSet

FollowSet has a 3D demo for the triceps pushdown and the cable overhead triceps extension, and it logs every set. Download it on the App Store.

General information, not medical advice. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your elbows or wrists, and ask a qualified coach or clinician if you have an injury.