Tricep Rope Push Down

Equipment

Gym Equipment Needed

Muscle Group

Tricep

Setup

Attach a rope to a high pulley on a cable machine. Choose a weight you can move without leaning your body over the stack. Step back slightly so you have room to extend fully with constant tension.

Starting Position

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and knees softly bent. Grip the rope with palms facing each other and bring your elbows close to your sides. Keep your chest up, ribs down, and core braced. Set shoulders down and back. Start with elbows bent around 90° and the rope near your upper chest.

Execution

Inhale and brace. Press the rope down by extending your elbows, keeping your upper arms pinned to your sides. At the bottom, separate the rope slightly and finish with hands near your thighs, squeezing the triceps hard. Exhale near the bottom. Slowly return to the start under control until your elbows are bent again, keeping tension and avoiding the weight stack slamming. Repeat for the desired reps.

Tips on doing this exercise

Keep elbows glued to your sides—think “hinge at the elbow only.”

Separate the rope at the bottom to fully shorten the triceps.

Use a slow return (2–3 seconds) to keep tension and improve results.

If you start leaning or swinging, lower the weight and keep reps strict.

Great as a finisher after presses/skull crushers for a strong triceps pump.

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Common Mistakes

Letting elbows drift forward or flare out

Using bodyweight/leaning to move the load instead of isolating triceps

Not fully extending at the bottom or not separating the rope

Shrugging shoulders up or letting traps take over

Letting wrists bend excessively instead of staying neutral

Rushing the return and losing tension

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Recommended Ranges

Hypertrophy focus: 3–5 sets of 10–15 reps (controlled, constant tension)

Accessory/pump: 2–4 sets of 12–20 reps (lighter, strict)

Strength-endurance: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps (moderate, clean reps)
Rest 45–90 seconds between sets.

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