Triceps
Rope Pushdown
The Rope Pushdown is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your triceps. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: triceps (lateral head) 41%, triceps (medial head) 27% and triceps (long head) 20%.
Also known as: rope tricep pushdown, tricep rope pushdown
How to do it
- Set a pulley at its highest position and clip on a rope.
- Hold one rope end in each hand with palms facing each other, just below the stopper knots.
- Stand half a step back, elbows pinned to your sides and bent about 90 degrees.
- Push the rope down and spread the ends apart until your elbows are fully straight and the hands sit beside the thighs.
- Let the rope rise slowly, bringing the ends back together, until the forearms are just above parallel.
Tips
- Pull the rope ends apart at the bottom to finish with a full lockout.
- Keep the knuckles facing forward, not turned out.
Common mistakes
- Leaning over the rope and pushing with body weight.
- Letting the elbows lift up and forward on the way back.
Muscles worked by the Rope Pushdown
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Spreading the rope at the bottom adds a little lateral head. Elbow extension with the arm at the side: the lateral and medial heads do most of the work, the long head is active but not lengthened because the shoulder stays neutral.
Rope Pushdown alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Rope Pushdown work?
Mainly the triceps (lateral head) and triceps (medial head). The triceps (long head) assist.
Is the Rope Pushdown good for beginners?
Yes. The Rope Pushdown is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Rope Pushdown?
For example the Band Tricep Pushdown, Machine Tricep Pushdown and EZ Bar Cable Pushdown. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Rope Pushdown harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Leaning Cable Pushdown and Cross Body Tricep Pushdown.
Sources
- Maeo et al. 2023, Eur J Sport Sci 23(7):1240-1250 (overhead vs neutral arm position)
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