Rope Pushdown — Tricep Pushdown Alternative
The rope pushdown swaps the straight bar of a standard pushdown for a rope attachment, allowing your hands to pull apart at the bottom of each rep. This split motion at lockout increases the peak contraction on the tricep's lateral head and provides a more natural wrist position. It's the most popular tricep pushdown variation in any gym.
How to Perform
- Attach a rope handle to the high pulley of a cable machine and select your weight.
- Grip the rope with a neutral (palms facing each other) grip, elbows pinned to your sides.
- Push the rope down by extending your elbows, pulling the rope ends apart at the bottom.
- Squeeze your triceps hard in the split position, then slowly let the rope return to chin height.
How It Compares to Tricep Pushdown
The standard straight-bar pushdown locks your wrists into a pronated position, which some lifters find uncomfortable. The rope pushdown uses a neutral grip that's easier on the wrists and allows the hands to separate at the bottom for a superior peak contraction. The trade-off is that you'll typically use about 10-15% less weight with the rope due to the grip demands. For tricep development, the rope version is generally preferred for its better contraction and joint comfort.
Equipment & Muscles
- + Superior peak contraction
- + Natural hand movement
- + Emphasizes lateral head
- + Joint-friendly
- - Requires rope attachment
- - Less weight than straight bar
- - Grip can be issue