Cable Pushdown
Builds your triceps, improving pressing strength for lifts like the bench press and everyday pushing tasks.
Muscles worked
§ 01 · MusclesHow to perform
§ 02 · Steps- 01
Stand in front of the high cable and take a small step back, brace your core, and keep your chest up.
- 02
Grip the handle or rope with an overhand grip and keep your elbows locked at your sides, with your shoulder blades lightly pulled back.
- 03
Push the handle down until your elbows are fully extended, and squeeze your triceps at the bottom without letting your shoulders rise.
- 04
Slowly return the handle upward until your forearms are about parallel to the floor, keep your elbows in place, and repeat.
Beginner's guide
§ 03 · GuideBuilds your triceps, improving pressing strength for lifts like the bench press and everyday pushing tasks.
You should feel it in your triceps, not your shoulders, wrists, or lower back.
A common mistake is swinging your body or letting your elbows drift. Keep your elbows by your sides and move only at the elbow.
Cable pushdown: variations and what they target
Every version loads the triceps. The difference comes from the attachment, which sets the wrist position and how heavy the load can get.
Cable PushdownStraight bar with an overhand grip. The most stable grip, letting you load it the heaviest. If your wrists ache, switch to the V-bar or the rope.
Cable Pushdown (with rope attachment)With a rope your hands can separate at the bottom, so the movement continues further and the triceps contract fully. The weights are lighter than with a bar.
Cable V-Bar PushdownThe V-bar sets the wrists in a semi-neutral position. Easier on the wrists than a straight bar, and you can still load it heavy.
Cable Reverse grip PushdownUnderhand grip with palms up. The load stays lighter, and many feel it in the inner part of the triceps near the elbow.
Sets and reps by goal
These are the numbers SisuLift uses when it programs this exercise. Sets come from the app's program templates and reps from the range inside which the app increases the weight.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Effort | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 2–3 | 8–12 | RPE 8–9 | 1.5 min |
| Muscle growth | 3 | 10–15 | RPE 7–8 | 1.5 min |
| General fitness and fat loss | 3 | 10–15 | RPE 7–8 | 1.5 min |
RPE describes how hard a set is on a scale of 1–10. RPE 8 means you would still have about two reps left.
When every set reaches the top of the range, SisuLift raises the weight by one equipment step next time and the reps drop back to the bottom of the range. In a calorie deficit the range stays the same, because that is when you want to keep your loads.
Frequently asked
What is a cable triceps pushdown?
The cable pushdown is a basic triceps exercise where you push a high cable bar or rope down by straightening your elbows. The upper arms stay still at your sides, so the work comes almost entirely from the triceps brachii. In Finnish it is called ojentajapunnerrus taljassa.
Rope or bar?
With a bar you lift heavier, with a rope the range of motion is longer and you can spread your hands apart at the bottom. Both grow the triceps when the sets are taken close to failure. If your wrists or elbows ache with a straight bar, the rope or the V-bar is usually more comfortable.
What is the best triceps exercise?
There is no single best one. The cable pushdown is an easy and safe way to load the whole triceps. Overhead extensions load the long head of the triceps in a stretched position, and in a study they grew the triceps more than pushdowns. A workable combination is one pushdown and one overhead extension.
What other triceps exercises can you do on a cable machine?
The overhead extension with a rope or bar, the cable triceps kickback and the one-arm pushdown. The overhead extension pairs well with the pushdown, because it loads the long head of the triceps in a different position. The kickback suits a light finishing exercise.
Which is bigger, the biceps or the triceps?
The triceps. It makes up about two thirds of the upper arm's muscle mass. If your goal is a bigger arm, train the triceps at least as carefully as the biceps.
How to get started at the gym
§ 04 · SisuLiftCable Pushdown is ready to go in the SisuLift exercise library. The app builds you a program, suggests starting weights and shows this same animation during your workout at the gym.
- ·A ready training program based on your goal
- ·Starting weight suggestions and automatic progression
- ·Set logging and rest timer at the gym
Use ChatGPT? Add SisuLift there and ask for a training program or an exercise guide right in the chat. Open SisuLift in ChatGPT
Tips
§ 05 · TipsKeep your elbows tight against your body and move only at the elbow joint; do not rock your hips to lift the weight. Choose a load that allows you to maintain a controlled lowering phase and full extension at the bottom.
The cable pushdown provides consistent tension on the triceps throughout the entire range of motion and is easy to progressively load by adjusting the cable weight.
More exercises: Triceps
§ 06 · Same muscles
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