Rope Pushdown

How to Perform the Rope Pushdown

Attach a rope handle to a high cable pulley and stand facing the machine.
Grasp the rope with both hands using a neutral grip, with your elbows tucked at your sides and bent at about 90 degrees.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a slight lean forward from the hips, and your core braced.
Push the rope downward by extending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary against your torso.
At the bottom of the movement, spread the rope apart by rotating your wrists outward to maximize the tricep contraction.
Hold the contracted position briefly, then slowly allow the rope to return to the starting position under control.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions without letting the weight stack touch between reps.

Allowing the elbows to drift forward during the movement

Pin your elbows to your sides and only move your forearms throughout the exercise.

Leaning too far forward and using body weight to push the cable

Maintain an upright posture with only a slight forward lean and isolate the movement to your triceps.

Not spreading the rope at the bottom

Actively pull the rope ends apart at the bottom to achieve a stronger peak contraction in the triceps.

✓Effectively isolates the triceps with constant cable tension.
✓The rope allows for a greater range of motion than bar attachments.
✓Beginner-friendly exercise that builds a strong foundation for pressing movements.

●Focus on squeezing the triceps at the bottom rather than just moving the weight.
●Use a controlled tempo, especially on the eccentric portion to maximize time under tension.
●Keep your wrists in a neutral position throughout to avoid forearm strain.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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