Cable Reverse-Grip Pushdown
Cable Reverse-Grip Pushdown Exercise Description
The Cable Reverse-grip Pushdown is an elbow‑extension movement performed with a cable and an underhand (supinated) grip. It primarily targets the triceps brachii while the forearm muscles assist by gripping the handle, and the shoulders and trunk stabilize the body. Using a cable provides consistent tension through the range of motion and encourages controlled form. The reverse grip often helps lifters keep the elbows close to the torso and the wrists in a neutral line. Performed correctly, this exercise emphasizes strict elbow motion with minimal shoulder or torso movement for clear triceps engagement.
- Muscle Groups: Triceps
- Target Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Lateral Head
- Assisting Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Long Head, Triceps Brachii - Medial Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Flexor Carpi Radialis, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Trapezius - Lower Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Arms, Upper Arms
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Cable
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Elbow Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Outer Tricep
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Cable Reverse-Grip Pushdown Exercise
‘- Set a straight or angled bar on a high pulley. Stand tall facing the stack with feet about hip‑width and knees softly unlocked.
– Grip the bar underhand (palms up), hands about shoulder‑width, thumbs wrapped. Step close enough to keep the cable nearly vertical.
– Brace lightly, ribs down, and maintain a neutral spine. Gently draw the shoulder blades down and back without shrugging.
– Tuck your upper arms to your sides; keep them stationary throughout the set.
– Start with elbows flexed ~90 degrees and wrists straight in line with forearms.
– Exhale and extend your elbows to press the bar down along your thighs. Keep the bar close to your body and the cable under control.
– Finish when your elbows are fully extended without forcefully locking; shoulders remain down, chest quiet.
– Pause briefly to eliminate momentum while keeping forearms and wrists neutral.
– Inhale and return with control, allowing the elbows to bend until the forearms are up (about 90 degrees), keeping the plates from touching.
– Throughout: avoid flaring elbows, leaning forward/back, shrugging, or swinging the bar.
– Keep movement at the elbow joint; do not flex or extend the wrists.
Cable Reverse-Grip Pushdown Tips
‘- Stand tall facing the stack with feet about hip‑width apart and knees softly unlocked.
– Grip the bar underhand (palms up), hands about shoulder‑width, with thumbs wrapped around.
– Step close enough so the cable stays nearly vertical during the movement.
– Lightly brace with ribs down and a neutral spine, drawing the shoulder blades down and back without shrugging.
– Tuck your upper arms to your sides and keep them stationary so the motion stays at the elbows.
– Begin each rep with elbows flexed around 90 degrees and wrists straight in line with your forearms.
– As you exhale, extend your elbows to press the bar down along your thighs, keeping the bar close to your body and the cable under control.
– At the bottom, fully extend your elbows without forcefully locking them, keeping shoulders down and chest quiet, then pause briefly to eliminate momentum.
– Inhale and return with control, allowing the elbows to bend back to about 90 degrees while keeping the plates from touching.
– Throughout the set, avoid flaring your elbows, leaning forward or back, shrugging, swinging the bar, or flexing/extending your wrists; keep forearms and wrists neutral.
Cable Reverse-Grip Pushdown Beginner Introduction
The Cable Reverse-grip Pushdown is a cable-based arm exercise that uses a palms‑up hold on a straight or angled bar. It centers on bending and straightening at the elbow against the pull of the weight stack, with the cable keeping steady resistance from start to finish. Because the bar is held with the palms facing upward, the hands and wrists rest in a comfortable line while the bar tracks near the body.
During this movement, the triceps handle most of the effort, while the forearms contribute by maintaining the grip. The shoulders, chest, and torso act more like support structures, staying steady so the action comes mainly from the elbow joint. The upper arms remain snug by the sides, encouraging a smooth path for the bar and limiting sway or swing. This leads to a focused, deliberate motion that highlights the back of the upper arm, with clear separation between arm work and body positioning.