Isolation — arms

Triceps Pushdown

Cable machine

The triceps make up two thirds of upper-arm volume, and the pushdown is the simplest and most effective isolation exercise for them. Perfect as a finisher after pressing work.

The triceps are about two thirds of your upper arm, so arm size is decided more by pressing and pushdowns than by curls. The pushdown is the easiest way to add triceps volume without further taxing the shoulders, which is exactly what you want after a session of heavy pressing.

Technique

1. 1Stand close to the cable, elbows at your sides angled slightly forward
2. 2Press down until your arms are fully extended — lock the triceps out
3. 3Keep your elbows still — all movement is from elbow to wrist
4. 4Return under control — do not let the weight drag your elbows up
5. 5Try different attachments: a rope allows more rotation and a better peak

Common mistakes

• Elbows flaring out and travelling

  Fix: Pin them to your sides. If the elbows move, your chest and shoulders are helping and the triceps are doing less.

• Leaning over the bar to push with bodyweight

  Fix: A slight forward lean is fine, but if you are pressing down with your torso the weight is too heavy.

• Stopping before full extension

  Fix: Lock out and squeeze for a moment. The final few degrees are where the lateral head works hardest.

• Letting the weight pull the arms up fast

  Fix: Control the return to about 90° and no further — letting the shoulder take over ends the tension.

Sets and reps

How to progress

Work in the 10–15 rep range and add load only when form is unchanged at the top of it. Because the long head is only fully stretched overhead, pair pushdowns with an overhead extension variation rather than doing more pushdowns — that combination covers the whole muscle.

Variations

• Rope pushdown

  Spreading the rope at the bottom adds external rotation and a stronger peak contraction.

• Overhead cable extension

  Arms overhead puts the long head under stretch — the head pushdowns hit least.

• Single-arm reverse-grip pushdown

  Underhand and one-armed, which biases the medial head and evens out sides.

Frequently asked questions