Rope Tricep Pushdown

What is the Rope Tricep Pushdown?

The rope triceps pushdown is a cable isolation done with a rope attachment instead of a bar. Splitting the rope apart at the bottom of each rep lets the wrists rotate outward and the hands travel further apart, which produces a harder peak contraction of the triceps than a fixed bar allows.

Muscles worked

Primary: Triceps

The triceps extends the elbows to drive the rope down; spreading the rope at the bottom lets the arms travel further into extension for a stronger contraction.

How to perform the Rope Tricep Pushdown

1. Attach a rope to a high pulley and grip it with a neutral grip so the palms face each other and the thumbs point up.
2. The rope lets the hands separate at the bottom, adding a wrist-neutral spread that hits the lateral head harder than a straight bar.
3. Pin the elbows to the sides and hinge slightly forward, keeping the upper arms fixed.
4. Press the rope down by extending the elbows, and at the bottom pull the two ends apart and back toward the hips.
5. Squeeze the full lockout with the palms turned down and rope spread, feeling the lateral head contract.
6. Let the rope rise under control to about forearm-parallel without the elbows lifting off the ribs.

Suggested working range: 10–15 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Mechanics

A single-joint isolation against a high cable: elbow extension with the upper arms fixed at the sides. The rope’s flexibility is the difference: pulling the ends apart at lockout increases the range and lets the triceps fully shorten in a way a rigid bar can’t.

Form cues

• •Keep the upper arms glued to your sides throughout, so only the forearms move.
• •Spread the rope ends apart as you reach the bottom to fully lock out the triceps.
• •Squeeze hard at full extension before letting the rope travel back up.
• •Control the return to a full stretch instead of letting the stack yank the rope up.

Common mistakes

• •Failing to spread the rope apart at the bottom, missing the lateral-head peak contraction.
• •Letting the elbows drift forward off the ribs to press heavier weight.
• •Leaning the torso onto the rope to cheat the load down.
• •Letting the rope rise too high so the elbows flare and tension leaves the triceps.

Variations & alternatives

• •Straight-bar pushdown, a rigid bar that lets you handle a little more weight.
• •Single-arm cable pushdown, one arm at a time to even out imbalances.
• •Reverse-grip pushdown, an underhand grip biasing the medial head.
• •Overhead cable rope extension, the same rope in a stretched overhead position.

Tricep Pushdown

Triceps · Cable

Overhead Tricep Extension

Triceps · Dumbbell

Skull Crusher

Triceps · Barbell

Tricep Dip

Triceps · Bodyweight

Close-Grip Bench Press

Triceps · Barbell

Programming: sets, reps & when to use it

Program the rope pushdown in the library’s 10–15 rep range as a triceps accessory after pressing, chasing a clean lockout and squeeze on every rep. The constant tension suits higher reps taken close to failure. Spreading the rope at the bottom is the whole point, so keep the load light enough to do it.

Frequently asked questions