Tricep Pushdown Machine

Most gyms have barbell tricep pushdown machines, which are an effective way to tone triceps. The machine consists primarily of a cable attached to a weight stack, attached to one end by a short, straight handle or rope. Use an overhand grip to grab the handle/rope and pull it down to about your chest level.

The planet fitness tricep pushdown is an excellent exercise for developing total body strength since it strengthens your core, back, and shoulders. Exercises that work all three heads of the tricep do a great job of increasing arm strength and size.

Detailed instructions provide insight into how the tricep pushdown dip machine is performed effectively, which muscles are worked, which benefits accrue, and what variations are available to help build strength and muscle mass.

Then, in addition to the tricep pushdown elastic band, we have also included some tricep variations to supplement it, either as a superset or as a variation within a training routine.

How to perform

A rope or cable with a cable bar attachment must be attached to a pulley on the machine for this exercise.

Must Check:

• Cable or rope machines should be attached to the cable bar attachment.
• The weight you choose for the cable stack should be one that you’re comfortable lifting.
• Set the bar, so it hangs from the top pulley at chest level.
• Face the machine and grasp the bar with your hands, palms facing down.
• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, as well as slightly bent knees.
• If you rest your elbows at 90 degrees, they should be parallel to the floor.

Follow these steps:

• Make sure you are straight in the back and engaged in your core while you tuck your elbows in at your sides.
• Start the exercise by taking a deep breath.
• Put your arms out in a straight line while exhaling and pushing down.
• Your elbows should be bent slightly.
• Before returning to the exercise, hold the position for 2 seconds and inhale.
• Keeping your elbows fixed, return the handle or bar to the starting position while exhaling.
• Then repeat it.

The muscles worked

Are you interested in knowing which muscles are targeted during the tricep pushdown elastic band? As you might have guessed by its name, this exercise works your triceps.

It’s not a compound exercise but an isolated exercise that primarily involves your triceps. The movement recruits a few secondary muscles as well.

Targeted Muscles: Triceps (lateral, medial, and long).
Muscles of the lower body: obliques, pectorals, lats, and trapezius.

Benefits

Here are a few benefits of performing tricep pushdowns equipment regularly on a machine.

• Arms are toned with a tricep pushdown grip. These exercises focus on the side and medial heads of the triceps. By practicing tricep pushdown grip width regularly and using proper form, you can tone the muscles on the back of your arms and increase your shoulder’s stability.
• You can work your entire upper body with tricep pushdowns. Despite being an isolation exercise focused on the triceps, assisted tricep pushdowns also work your glutes, lats, abs, traps, and pecs as stabilizers.
• Compound exercises benefit from tricep pushdowns. One of the most important muscles in your triceps.
• The tricep pushdown handle will enhance the performance of close-grip bench press, diamond push-ups, and many other compound exercises that use the tricep muscles.

Tricep Pushdown Machine Variations

One-sided pushdown

In the same way as working unilaterally, the benefit of working on one side of your body at a time is that you can spot and correct any strength imbalances. You can also take your spare arm and rest it behind you, keeping it in the small of your back during the exercise to ensure you aren’t leaning forward.

Tricep Pushdown machine alternative with Reverse Grip

Underhanded strategies should be admired on rare occasions. By grabbing the bar underhand during the press-down, you will move the focus of the exercise towards the triceps’ lateral head. You may have neglected the lateral triceps head recently, so here’s a simple exercise to help you.

Tricep Pushdown with Rope

It only takes a rope and a pulley machine for this tricep pushdown machine planet fitness exercise.

As a result of the flexibility of rope handles, you can adjust your grip at the bottom of the move for a stronger contraction.

Your palms should be facing each other when you hold the rope. Then, as you turn the wrists toward the bottom, pull the handle to the ground and pull the handle down. Then raise the rope again, and put your hands back in the starting position.

Alternatives to the Tricep Pushdown Machine

Tricep Pushdown – Resistance Band

A triceps pushdown machine muscle worked in this form is simple and effective. You only need a resistance band to perform this exercise anywhere.

Many people believe the banded version of the pushdown is superior to the traditional pushdown. With the resistance band, tension is maintained throughout the movement.

• The resistance band should be wrapped around the highest point on the door, and the band’s center should be fully fitted.
• Hold both ends of the band in your hands while standing shoulder-width apart with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bring your arms to chest height and keep your elbows firmly at your side. Make sure there is sufficient tension on the band.
• Hold your elbows tucked in your sides and push your arms down slowly.

Barbell triceps pushdowns

The weight for this exercise is two plates on a barbell – don’t go overboard on the weights! Besides a gym bench, you will also need to lay it flat.

• Your spine should be straight, and your head should be in alignment with it. Your core should also be engaged.
• As you begin your exercise, inhale deeply.
• Keeping your elbows fixed during the lift, bend your elbows upwards to drive the barbell upwards: the barbell should travel in an arc above you.
• While completing this phase, exhale while maintaining a slight bend in your arm around your elbows.
• Keep your elbows fixed at your sides and return the barbell to its starting position, exhaling as you do so.

Tricep Pushdown Dips

In addition to working multiple muscles, the dip stabilizes your body while engaging multiple muscle groups. As a replacement exercise for compound movements such as squats and pull-ups, the dip ranks in the top tier.

Dips are bodyweight exercises, making them a great alternative to triceps pushdowns because they are subjectively challenging for all fitness levels.

• Placing your arms straight but slightly bent at shoulder length on the dip bar or even a chair or bench is a good way to practice this.
• Maintain a straight upper body while engaging your glutes and core muscles.
• You will need to bend your elbows 90 degrees to achieve this.
• Keep your core strong and take a 2-second pause before exploding back up. This will help you avoid unnecessary body movements.

Triceps Extension Overhead

A tricep extension is essentially the same exercise as a tricep pushdown no machine but reversed. Overhead extensions have proven popular and effective triceps pushdown alternatives, as they’re very similar to the traditional pushdown.

It is easier to perform more repetitions when using an elastic band, as you are going lighter.

• Under a door frame or under a cabinet or fence, securely attach your elastic band.
• Grab both ends of the band, one in each hand, and turn away from the anchor in the opposite direction.
• Make sure you’re standing shoulder-width apart and that your core is tight.
• As you hold the band in your hands, bend your elbows slightly so that your elbows are extended, and press the band upwards until the tricep is contracted.
• Continue from where you left off.

Conclusion
When working on all three groups of muscles effectively, you can stimulate new triceps muscle growth. You can improve your overall tricep strength, size, and muscle quality by performing the exercises we have discussed in this article.

As a general rule, it is best to perform the exercise or movement at a slow pace; this adds resistance to the triceps and increases their size and strength.

You should perform the triceps pushdowns with proper technique and light weights and slowly progress to more challenging movements requiring heavier weights and more complex techniques.