Cable Pushdown

How to do the cable pushdown with proper form to build stronger, more defined triceps

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How to perform

1. Attach a straight bar to a high pulley and set the pin to a weight you can control.
2. Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
3. Take the bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and bring your elbows close to your sides.
4. Keep your upper arms pinned to your torso and exhale as you push the bar down until your elbows are fully locked.
5. Pause briefly at the bottom and squeeze your triceps.
6. Inhale and let the bar rise slowly under control until your elbows reach about 90 degrees, then repeat.

Muscles worked

The cable pushdown isolates the triceps by extending the elbow against constant cable tension, with the forearms gripping the bar throughout the set.

• Triceps — extend the elbows, doing the primary work
• Forearms — grip the bar and stabilize the wrists

Make it easier

Use a lighter weight and an overhand grip with the bar at shoulder height for a short range of motion. A rope attachment with palms facing each other also reduces wrist strain.

Make it harder

Add weight, slow the lowering and returning phases, or pause for two seconds at full extension. Ending each rep at a slightly deeper elbow angle increases the stretch on the triceps.

Common mistakes

Mistake: Letting your elbows flare away from your body. Fix: keep your upper arms glued to your sides for the entire set. Mistake: Leaning forward and pressing with your body weight. Fix: stand tall, hinge only slightly, and move the bar with your forearms. Mistake: Using the shoulders and lats to yank the bar down. Fix: keep the shoulders still and drive only through the elbows. Mistake: Letting the stack slam back between reps. Fix: control the return until the elbows reach 90 degrees, keeping tension on the triceps.