The triceps pushdown straightens the arm against a cable from a high anchor — the pressing family's dedicated assistant, training the elbow-extension muscle that finishes every push-up, press and lockout in the library.
Like its curl sibling across the arm, its craft is containment: elbows pinned, trunk quiet, and the whole rep happening below the elbow. Let the shoulders and lats lean in and the triceps' exercise becomes everyone's — which is to say, no one's.
What it trains
The triceps through their signature job — straightening the elbow under load to a complete lockout. Stronger elbow extension shows up directly at the sticking points of the push family: the last third of a press, the top of a push-up, the lockout that fatigues first.
Setup
- Rope or bar on a high cable; elbows tucked to the ribs, forearms up.
- A small forward hinge is fine, then everything above the elbow freezes.
- Push down to a complete lockout — with a rope, hands parting slightly at the bottom.
- Return under control until the forearms pass parallel. Elbows never leave the ribs.
The cues we use
- Elbows pinned — the rep lives below them
- Lock it out completely, every rep
- Let the cable back up slowly
Common faults, and the fixes
| Fault | Why it happens | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Leaning the bodyweight onto the cable | The trunk pressing down what the triceps should push down | Stand a touch more upright, drop the stack — the honest weight is whatever the arms alone can finish |
| Elbows flaring and drifting forward | The lats and shoulders converting the pushdown into a vague pullover | The pinned-elbow cue; a folded towel held between elbow and ribs settles it in one set |
| Stopping shy of lockout | The exercise's whole product left on the table — the triceps work hardest at the finish | A deliberate squeeze at full extension; range standards over stack numbers, per the whole accessory family |
The ladder
Easier: Lighter stack, band pushdowns — A band on a rack upright runs the same pattern anywhere, with a strength curve that rewards the lockout
Harder: Single-arm and overhead extensions — One arm at a time exposes side gaps; overhead work stretches the long head once the basic pattern is strict
How it is loaded here
Small-muscle rules: rep progression at strict standards, then modest stack jumps. The pushdown tolerates higher frequency in small doses, and its value is measured at the press rack — a lockout that stopped failing first is the pay-off the log should notice.
When we swap it
- wrist complaints with a straight bar: The rope — neutral wrists, a longer finish, and the more forgiving default for most elbows too
- cable occupied: Close-grip push-up variations bill the same triceps with the floor as the machine
Common questions
Rope or bar?
Rope by default: neutral wrists, a squeeze-apart finish, friendlier elbows. The bar suits some shoulders better — the standards are identical either way.
Why train triceps directly if I press?
The same answer as the curl page, mirrored: presses build them, but direct work adds cheap volume and keeps progressing when press numbers plateau — and the lockout is usually where presses stall.
How much weight should I use?
Whatever reaches full lockout with pinned elbows and a quiet trunk for every rep of the set. The stack that needs a lean is answering a different question.
