Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Cable Triceps Pushdown: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The cable pushdown straightens the elbows against a high cable, isolating the triceps. It is easy to learn, easy on the elbows and lets you add triceps volume after pressing.

Primary muscles
Triceps
Secondary muscles
Forearms
Equipment
Cable
Level · type
Beginner · Compound

Written by the FitStack training team. Last reviewed .

Demonstration of the cable triceps pushdown
Front view: muscles worked by the cable triceps pushdown. Primary: triceps. Secondary: forearms.
Back view: muscles worked by the cable triceps pushdown. Primary: triceps. Secondary: forearms.
Primary Secondary

How to do the cable triceps pushdown

  1. Step 1: Attach a straight bar to a high pulley cable machine.
  2. Step 2: Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
  3. Step 3: Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  4. Step 4: Keep your elbows close to your sides and your upper arms stationary.
  5. Step 5: Exhale and push the bar down until your elbows are fully extended.
  6. Step 6: Pause for a moment, then inhale and slowly return the bar to the starting position.
  7. Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Form cues

  • Stand facing a high pulley with a bar or rope, elbows pinned to your sides.
  • Push down until your arms are straight and squeeze the triceps.
  • Let your forearms rise back to just above parallel without moving the elbows.

Common cable triceps pushdown mistakes

  • Elbows drifting forward so the shoulders join in.

    Fix: Keep the upper arms still by your sides.

  • Leaning over the bar to push with bodyweight.

    Fix: Stand tall with a slight forward lean and lower the weight.

Sets, reps and programming

Do 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps after pressing. Pair it with an overhead extension: Maeo et al. (2023) found overhead elbow extensions grew the triceps more than pushdowns, so use both.

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the cable triceps pushdown by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Variations and progressions

Cable Triceps Pushdown alternatives

More exercises that train the triceps as their main target:

Cable Triceps Pushdown FAQs

Rope or bar for triceps pushdowns?

Both work. A rope lets you spread your hands at the bottom for a stronger squeeze; a straight or V-bar usually allows more weight. Use whichever feels better on your elbows.

More triceps exercises

See the best tricep exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset; cues, mistakes, programming and FAQs are written by FitStack.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.