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triceps

Triceps Pressdown

Standing at a high cable, you push a bar down by straightening your arms, keeping your elbows pinned to your sides. The standard triceps exercise.

beginnercable machinestraight bar attachment

Triceps Pressdown, start position
START
Triceps Pressdown, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START2
  1. Set the pulley above head height and attach a short straight or angled bar.
  2. Choose the weight with the pin.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Hold the bar with your palms facing down, hands a little closer than shoulder-width.
  2. Stand close to the machine with your feet hip-width apart.
  3. Pull your elbows down to your sides and keep them there for the whole set.
  4. Start with your forearms a little above level with the floor.

Check: Your elbows are pinned at your sides, your forearms are just above level, and your trunk is upright and still.

Push down

  1. Straighten your arms to push the bar down to your thighs.
  2. Squeeze your triceps for a second at the bottom.

Check: Your arms are straight down at your sides, your elbows have not moved, and your trunk is still.

Return slowly

  1. Bend your elbows and let the weight rise slowly until your forearms are just above level.

Check: Your forearms are back just above level with your elbows still at your sides.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set.

Breathe out as you straighten in about 1 second; breathe in as you bend over 2 to 3 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Triceps Pressdown: muscles worked, front view
Triceps Pressdown: muscles worked, back view

triceps

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES2
  • Elbows drifting away from the body or flaring out. The shoulders take over from the triceps. Fix: Pin your elbows in place; only the forearms move.
  • Letting the weight drop back fast. Fix: Return over 2 to 3 seconds.
SAFETY1
  • Keep your wrists straight.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • cable machine · pulley: above head height
RELATED EXERCISES

variants: cable rope puschdown, reverse grip cable triceps extension with barbell, single arm cable triceps extension

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