Arms
Tricep Rope Pushdown
Master the tricep rope pushdown to isolate the lateral and long heads for superior arm definition and pressing power.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Attach a double-rope handle to a high pulley and stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Grasp the rope with a neutral grip and tuck your elbows tightly into your ribs, maintaining a slight hinge at the hips.
Exhale and push the rope down toward your thighs by extending your elbows until your arms are fully straight.
Pull the ends of the rope apart at the bottom of the movement to maximize the contraction in the lateral head of the tricep.
Pause for a second at the bottom before slowly resisting the weight back toward the starting position at chest height.
Stop the upward movement once your forearms are just above parallel to the floor to keep constant tension on the muscle.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Allowing the elbows to flare out or drift forward during the repetition.
- Using momentum or leaning your body weight over the rope to move the weight.
- Allowing the shoulders to shrug up toward the ears during the eccentric phase.
- Moving the wrists excessively instead of keeping them in a neutral, locked position.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.