Arms · 2–1–3
Triceps Pushdown
Learn Triceps Pushdown with a four-frame GIF, equipment, setup, execution, breathing, common mistakes, and safety guidance. Primary muscles: Triceps brachii.
- Equipment
- High cable station and straight bar
- Suggested tempo
- 2–1–3
PRIMARY MUSCLES
Triceps brachii
SUPPORTING MUSCLES
Anconeus · Forearm stabilizers · Core stabilizers
Setup
- Face the high pulley, secure the straight bar, and keep the elbows beside the torso.
- Use only a slight forward lean and align the wrists with the forearms.
- Confirm the cable, attachment, and weight stack are secure.
Execution
- Keep the elbows beside the torso and press the bar down with the triceps.
- Straighten the elbows without forceful lockout or forward shoulder movement.
- Contract the triceps briefly with neutral wrists.
- Return for about three seconds while the elbows stay fixed.
Breathing
- Inhale and stabilize the rib cage, pelvis, and shoulder blades without using breath holding to create momentum.
- Exhale during the curl or elbow extension, then inhale through the controlled return.
Common mistakes
- Bodyweight presses the bar while the torso rocks.
- The elbows flare or travel and the wrists bend at the bottom.
- The return lets the stack pull the shoulders upward.
Safety
- Begin light to confirm a natural wrist, elbow, and shoulder path before increasing the load.
- Secure plates, ropes, cable attachments, benches, and parallel bars before the set.
- Stop and seek qualified help for sharp pain, numbness, or weakness in the wrists, elbows, or shoulders.
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