Triceps
Tricep Pushdown
The Tricep Pushdown is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your triceps. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: triceps (lateral head) 40%, triceps (medial head) 28% and triceps (long head) 20%.
Also known as: cable pushdown, straight bar pushdown, straight bar tricep pushdown, tricep pushdown straight bar, triceps pushdown, tricepspushdown
How to do it
- Set a pulley at its highest position and clip on a straight bar.
- Grip the bar palms down with hands about shoulder-width.
- Stand half a step back, feet hip-width, elbows pinned to your sides and bent about 90 degrees.
- Push the bar down until your elbows are fully straight.
- Let the bar rise slowly until the forearms are just above parallel, elbows still at your sides.
Tips
- Pause for a moment at the bottom with the arms fully straight.
- Keep your chest up and the lean small and constant.
Common mistakes
- Letting the elbows move forward and back with the bar.
- Using so much weight that the shoulders roll forward to finish each rep.
Muscles worked by the Tricep 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.
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.
Tricep Pushdown alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Tricep Pushdown work?
Mainly the triceps (lateral head) and triceps (medial head). The triceps (long head) assist.
Is the Tricep Pushdown good for beginners?
Yes. The Tricep 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 Tricep 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 Tricep 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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