Triceps Pushdown
The point of Triceps Pushdown is triceps mass behind every press; unbroken cable tension is how it gets there.
How to do Triceps Pushdown
- Attach a straight or angled bar to a high pulley and grab with an overhand grip (palms facing down) at shoulder width.
- Standing upright with the torso straight and a very small inclination forward, bring the upper arms close to your body and perpendicular to the floor. The forearms should be pointing up towards the pulley as they hold the bar. This is your starting position.
- Using the triceps, bring the bar down until it touches the front of your thighs and the arms are fully extended perpendicular to the floor. The upper arms should always remain stationary next to your torso and only the forearms should move. Exhale as you perform this movement.
- After a second hold at the contracted position, bring the bar slowly up to the starting point. Breathe in as you perform this step.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Triceps Pushdown Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 5-6 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. Stretch the return phase before adding weight.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Move the pin one plate once the last rep feels easy.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 15-18 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Step back until the stack never rests at the top.
The other half of the week
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Training is half the prescription
A session tells your triceps to adapt. The week you eat decides whether they can. FitFocus writes that week against your own calorie and macro numbers, in about a minute, for free.
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- Days
- 7
- Meals / day
- 3-6
- Diet types
- 5
- Exclusions
- 6
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Common Triceps Pushdown Mistakes
Standing too near the tower so the first inch is slack
Take a step back until the cable is loaded before you begin.
Slamming into lockout and jarring the elbow
Finish firm but stop just short of a hard snap at the top.
Chasing load before the pattern is grooved
Spend the first few weeks making every rep look the same.
Easier and Harder Than Triceps Pushdown
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Triceps Pushdown — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Triceps Pushdown?
Attach a straight or angled bar to a high pulley and grab with an overhand grip (palms facing down) at shoulder width. Standing upright with the torso straight and a very small inclination forward, bring the upper arms close to your body and perpendicular to the floor. The forearms should be pointing up towards the pulley as they hold the bar. This is your starting position. Using the triceps, bring the bar down until it touches the front of your thighs and the arms are fully extended perpendicular to the floor. The upper arms should always remain stationary next to your torso and only the forearms should move. Exhale as you perform this movement. Use a cable machine and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Triceps Pushdown work?
The Triceps Pushdown primarily targets the triceps. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with a cable machine.
How many sets and reps of the Triceps Pushdown should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Move the pin one plate once the last rep feels easy. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Triceps Pushdown good for beginners?
Yes. The Triceps Pushdown is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Triceps Pushdown?
Try the Dumbbell Lying Extension (across Face), Incline Close-grip Push-up or the Band Close-grip Push-up. Each trains the triceps with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
Routines that program Triceps Pushdown
Push Pull Legs (PPL)
The highest-frequency split that still gives each muscle group two sessions a week. Push days train chest, shoulders and triceps. Pull days train back and biceps. Leg days train everything below the waist.
6 days / week
Upper Lower Split
Four sessions a week, each muscle group trained twice. It is the split most intermediate lifters should run: enough frequency to grow, enough rest days to recover, and it survives a missed session better than a six-day plan.
4 days / week
