Rope Tricep Pushdown
Also called rope pushdown, rope pressdown, triceps rope pushdown
Quick answer
The rope tricep pushdown is a standing cable exercise where you press a rope attachment from chest height down toward your thighs by straightening your elbows, with your upper arms pinned to your sides. It isolates the triceps.
Written by the GymStreak coaching team · Updated
Muscles worked
Primary
How to do Rope Tricep Pushdown
- 1
Set the weight on one side of the cable machine. Adjust the position of the pulley so that it is at the highest point. Make sure you are using a rope attachment and hold each side with your hands. Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. This is your starting position.
- 2
Keeping your body and elbows stationary, push the ropes down by just moving your forearms until your arms are straight.
- 3
After a brief pause, slowly return to the starting position.
Form cues
- Pin your elbows to your sides and keep them there for the whole set.
- Spread the rope ends apart as your arms reach full lockout.
- Stand tall, chest up; a slight forward lean is fine if it stays fixed.
- Let the rope rise to about chest height, no higher than your elbows allow.
- Pause and squeeze at the bottom, then control the rope back up.
Breathing: Breathe out as you press the rope down and spread it apart, and breathe in as it rises back to chest height.
Common Rope Tricep Pushdown mistakes
Elbows drifting forward as the rope rises
End the upward phase as soon as your elbows start to leave your sides.
Leaning over the rope and pushing with bodyweight
Stand upright and use a load your triceps can finish on their own.
Stopping short of full lockout
Straighten your elbows completely and pull the rope ends apart on every rep.
Letting the stack yank your hands back up
Take about two seconds to return so the triceps work on the way up too.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 3–4 | 8–15 | 60–90 s |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 12–20 | 30–60 s |
Starting ranges in line with the ACSM guidance on resistance training. Pick a load you can lift with good form for every rep, and add weight or reps gradually.
Rope Tricep Pushdown variations and alternatives
Variations
- Tricep Pushdown (bar)
A straight or angled bar usually lets you use a little more weight.
- Reverse Tricep Pushdown
An underhand grip on the bar changes the feel and challenges your grip.
- Overhead rope extension
Facing away and pressing the rope overhead puts the long head of the triceps on a bigger stretch.
- Single-arm cable pushdown
Working one arm at a time helps if one side is noticeably weaker.
Alternatives
- Skull Crusher
A barbell triceps extension that trains the muscle through a deeper stretch.
- Close-Grip Bench Press
A heavy compound press when you want to load the triceps harder.
- Tricep Dips
A bodyweight option that trains the triceps with the chest and shoulders.
- Tricep Dumbbell Kickback
A dumbbell option for home workouts or when the cables are busy.
Rope Tricep Pushdown FAQ
What muscles do rope tricep pushdowns work?
Rope pushdowns work all three heads of the triceps, the muscle on the back of your upper arm that straightens the elbow. Because your arms stay at your sides, the lateral and medial heads do a large share of the work. Adding an overhead triceps exercise trains the long head through a bigger stretch.
Rope vs bar pushdown: which is better?
Neither is better overall. The rope lets your wrists turn naturally and lets you spread your hands apart at the bottom, which many people find more comfortable. A straight or angled bar is more stable and usually lets you lift more weight. Choose the one that feels best on your elbows and wrists, or rotate between them.
Should I lean forward during tricep pushdowns?
A slight forward lean from the hips is fine and lets the rope travel past your body. What matters is that the lean stays the same throughout the set. If you have to hunch over the rope or dip your torso to finish each rep, you're using bodyweight to move the load and should lower the weight.
How heavy should rope pushdowns be?
Pick a weight you can move for 8–15 reps with your elbows pinned, a full lockout and a controlled return. If your elbows flare forward, your shoulders roll over the rope or you can't spread the rope at the bottom, the weight is too heavy. Add load in small jumps once you reach the top of your rep range.
Sources
Related calculators
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