Triceps Pushdown
Reviewed by Bryan Cortez, MS
Elbows pinned, lock it out — if your shoulders move, the weight's winning.
Coaching profile
simple triceps default. This page is the practical coaching layer: use it for setup, cues, programming, pain-free adjustments, and substitutions. The complete biomechanics tier list lives on the muscle page.
How the rankings are built →Demonstration
Demonstration production queue
The written coaching card is ready. The owned video is next.
Physique Skool is filming one canonical demonstration per exercise. Until this movement is published, use the setup, execution, common errors, programming, and substitutions below.
Browse Physique Skool on YouTubeHow to do it
Setup
- High cable with a bar or rope, elbows pinned to the sides, slight forward lean.
Execution
- Extend the elbows fully, squeeze, control up only to where the elbows stay still; don't let them flare or the shoulders drive it.
Common Errors
- Leaning over to shoulder-press it down
- Elbows flaring out from the sides
- Half reps (no full lockout or stretch)
- Wrists bending under load
Cues That Work
- Pin the elbows; drive the handle toward the floor; finish without rolling the shoulders
No-Fly Zone
under 6 reps (you'll lean and shoulder-press it down)
Programming
Sequence priority
Late
Single-joint and low-fatigue. Position it as a late finisher. It serves as the staple isolation movement after pressing.
Progression
Model — Triple
Fallback model — Double
Triple progression: add reps toward ~20, then a pin/micro-plate.
Best program fit
Push, Upper
Load increments
If it hurts
Pain is information, not a challenge to push through. Stop the set if pain is sharp, worsening, or changes how you move. These are exercise-selection options, not medical diagnosis or rehabilitation advice.
Work down this list in order. Stop at the first change that removes the pain.
Step 1
Setup tweaks
Bar vs rope (rope = more lockout squeeze); grip (overhand/underhand).
Step 2
ROM / tempo / bias
Pause at lockout; slow eccentric; full stretch at the top.
Step 3
Implement swap
Overhead extension (more long-head stretch), dumbbell kickback, or machine extension.
Substitutions
Approved fallback
Overhead extension (more long-head stretch), dumbbell kickback, or machine extension.
Compare all triceps optionsThe Evidence
Builds the triceps (esp. lateral head). Does NOT fully train the long head — overhead work does.
SFR — 4
Put the exercise inside a system.
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