Tricep Pushdown: form, variants, and real-world data
Form cues, common mistakes, top 3 variants, and real-world data from 82 Arvo users who logged 4,079 sets of the tricep pushdown.
How do I perform the tricep pushdown correctly?
Pin the elbows to the sides for the entire set — if they drift forward, the lift becomes a chest-press accessory and the triceps coast. Lock the elbow only — the shoulder should be perfectly still. Mentally, the upper arm is a hinge mounted to the rib cage. At lockout, hold for a half-second and squeeze. Pushdowns build size in the contracted position, not the stretched one. Lean forward slightly (5–10°) to stack the elbow under the shoulder and clear the legs — not enough to turn it into a press. Across 82 Arvo users and 4,079 logged sets, the median lifter performs the tricep pushdown at 34 kg for 10.5 reps at an average RIR of 1.0.
TL;DR
- •Primary muscle: Triceps brachii (lateral and medial heads). Secondary: Anconeus, Forearm extensors (grip stabilization)
- •Arvo data (5 months, 82 users, 4,079 sets): avg weight 56.6 kg, median 34 kg, 10.5 reps, avg RIR 1.0
- •Most-logged variant: Triceps Pushdown (1196 sets)
- •Primary form cue: Pin the elbows to the sides for the entire set — if they drift forward, the lift becomes a chest-press accessory and the triceps coast.
- •Most common mistake: Shoulders rolling forward to push the weight — the lats join the lift; the triceps do less work than the dumbbell-fly accessory next to you.
Anatomy: muscles worked
Tricep Pushdown is dominated by the triceps brachii (lateral and medial heads), with contribution from anconeus, forearm extensors (grip stabilization). Knowing which muscle is the prime mover is the first step to picking the right variation and reading the form cues below in context.
Primary form cues
- Pin the elbows to the sides for the entire set — if they drift forward, the lift becomes a chest-press accessory and the triceps coast.
- Lock the elbow only — the shoulder should be perfectly still. Mentally, the upper arm is a hinge mounted to the rib cage.
- At lockout, hold for a half-second and squeeze. Pushdowns build size in the contracted position, not the stretched one.
- Lean forward slightly (5–10°) to stack the elbow under the shoulder and clear the legs — not enough to turn it into a press.
Common mistakes
- Shoulders rolling forward to push the weight — the lats join the lift; the triceps do less work than the dumbbell-fly accessory next to you.
- Bouncing out of the top — pushdowns reward a paused, controlled eccentric. The momentum rep cuts both load and time-under-tension.
- Going so heavy the back arches and the bar bounces off the thighs — drop the stack two pins, you'll feel the triceps actually contract.
Top 3 variants logged on Arvo
| # | Variant | Sets logged |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Triceps Pushdown | 1,196 |
| 2 | Triceps Rope Pushdown | 1,106 |
| 3 | Triceps Pushdown (Cable - Straight Bar) | 951 |
Alternative exercises
If you don't have access to the tricep pushdown or want to vary the stimulus, check these biomechanical alternatives:
Data caveats
Observational data aggregated from Arvo users (Nov 2025 - May 2026). Self-selected sample (intermediates who log training), not representative of the general population. RIR is user-reported and may under-estimate true proximity to failure by 0.5-1 rep. Data will be re-published quarterly.
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