Demonstration
Watch the Form Demo
Technique
How to Do the Cable Rope Triceps Pushdown
- Attach a rope to a high pulley and grip an end in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Stand tall with a slight forward lean and pin your elbows to your sides.
- Push the rope down until your arms are fully straight.
- Separate the rope ends at the bottom, turning the palms slightly down, and squeeze.
- Let your forearms rise under control until they pass parallel with the floor.
- Keep the elbows fixed in place for the entire set.
Anatomy
Muscles Worked

Do This
Form Cues
- Pin the elbows to your sides for the whole rep.
- Separate the rope ends at the bottom and squeeze.
- Let the forearms rise until they are level with the floor, no higher.
- The spread at the bottom is the rep's whole payoff. Pause there for a beat every time.
Avoid This
Common Mistakes
- Letting the elbows drift forward so the shoulders take over.
- Leaning your body weight into the rope.
- Cutting the lockout short and never fully extending.
- Stacking so much weight that the torso has to press down on the rope to move it.
More to Explore
Variations & Related Exercises
Variations of this lift
V-Bar Cable Triceps Pushdown
Cross Body Cable Triceps Pushdown
Overhead Cable Triceps Extension
Trains the same muscles
Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
Alternating Dumbbell Curl
Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curl
Assisted Chin-Up
Assisted Machine Dip
Assisted Machine Pull-Up
Put It Into Practice
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