Tricep Pushdown: 5 Bodyweight Tricep Exercises For Mass

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The tricep pushdown is a must-do exercise for growing your triceps. While you may think that it is performed on cables (which is the case if you train at the gym), you can also do bodyweight variations of the tricep pushdown at home or while traveling when using a table or resistance bands. Read on to find out four bodyweight variations of the tricep push-down. 

Tricep Pushdown Muscles Worked

The tricep pushdown isolates the tricep muscles. The movement mechanism activates your triceps brachii, which consists of three heads, thus the ‘Tri’ implication. They consist of the tricep lateral, medial, and long heads. They also work the pectoral muscles, shoulders, and core. 

How To Do Tricep Pushdown At Home

Here are five tricep pushdown variations you can do at home with minimal equipment. If you have trouble doing any of these exercises you can position yourself at an inclined slope to decrease the amount of body weight you are lifting. This is perfect for beginners.

1. Banded Tricep Pushdown

1. Place a resistance band at the top of an anchor above your head.
2. Grab the band with both hands with your palms facing inwards below chest level.
3. Hold your elbows fixed at the side of your torso and brace your core.
4. Lower your palms by extending your elbows until fully extended. 
5. Slowly return to the starting position and resist the pull of the band.
6. Repeat this for 10-12 reps for 3 sets.

2. Reverse Grip Tricep Pushdown

1. Place a resistance band at the top of an anchor above your head.
2. Grab the band with both hands using the same grip as you would if you’re doing a barbell curl (palms facing upwards).
3. Hold your elbows fixed at the side of your torso and brace your core.
4. Lower your palms by extending your elbows until fully extended. 
5. Slowly return to the starting position and resist the pull of the band.
6. Repeat this for 10-12 reps for 3 sets.

3. Single Arm Tricep Pushdown

1. Place a resistance band at the top of an anchor above your head.
2. Grab the band with your right hand in a neutral grip.
3. Keep your elbow tucked into your side.
4. Press down the band until your arm is extended and elbow locked.
5. Slowly bring your hand back up to the starting position.
6. Repeat this for 10-12 reps for 3 sets. Work on both arms in a single set.

4. Bodyweight Tricep Pushdown

1. Start in a push-up position with your feet hip-width apart and the hands slightly narrower than shoulder-width.
2. Place your hands in front of the shoulders rather than directly under the shoulders like in classic push-ups. Brace your core and lower body muscles to maintain a neutral spine and straight alignment. 
3. Bend the elbows and lower the body under the forearms so the elbows are touching the ground. 
4. Press down into the ground from the triceps to push the body back up to the starting position. 
5. Repeat for 8-10 reps for 3 sets. 

5. Bodyweight Skull Crusher

1. Position your body in front of a table at around belly button height and stand arm’s length away. Take a big step back to be in an inclined push-up position. 
2. Brace your core to keep your body in a straight line.
3. Slowly lower your body by bending the elbows and letting your head move towards the table. Make sure that your elbows are in line with your hands, rather than flaring out.
4. Step when your “skull” touches the platform and have your elbow bent at 90 degrees. 
5. Extend your elbows by bringing your body back to the starting position. 
6. Repeat this for 8-10 reps for 3 sets. 

Beginners should aim to complete 3 sets of 8-10 reps for each exercise. As you get stronger, you can apply progressive overload, which is the gradual increase of stress placed on the body. 

This can be done by increasing the number of reps you do and progressing on to thicker bands to increase resistance. A study suggests that change in exercise speed for example slow speeds will cause muscles to remain under tension for a long time which is beneficial for strength development. 

Tricep Pushdown Form

Perform tricep pushdown by taking a big step behind where the cable or resistance band is coming out of the anchor. Bend your knees slightly and lean your body forward at the hips while keeping your back neutral, not rounded or hyper-extended. Lock your arms next to the sides of the ribcage and the only thing that is moving is the lower half of the arms.

Shoulders must be retracted, depressed, and locked into place. Flex the triceps which will automatically extend your arms and continue to contract this muscle until your reach full extension. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat this and perform 8 reps or more. 

Best Tricep Pushdown Products On Amazon

The tricep pushdown is a simple isolation exercise that can be done at home. Below are two essential home training equipment to perform tricep pushdowns.

Redge Fit 

Price: $89.99

Product link: https://amzn.to/3zwtzB5

Pros:

• Versatile use for upper and lower body strength training
• Adjustable resistance (comes with 4 or 6 resistance bands) each band provides 30 lbs of resistance
• Heavy duty construction

Cons:

• Expensive

The Redge Fit makes exercise easy and fun for all ages and fitness levels. There’s no need for a gym membership as you can do many exercise routines targeting all muscle groups. It is easy to assemble and it’s compact so you can take this equipment with you anywhere. I highly recommend this to anyone that wants a great workout at home. 

LEEKEY Resistance Band Set 

Price: $25.58

Product link: https://amzn.to/3sp2sny

Pros:

• Durable and high quality which can withstand an extreme tensile force
• Multi-functional can be used for multiple exercises targeting upper body and lower body muscles
• Provides 4 resistance band levels: Red Band (15 – 35 lbs), Black Band (25 – 65 lbs), Purple Band (35 – 85 lbs), Green (50-125lbs)

Cons:

• Bands can break after frequent use
• Difficult to build a lot of muscle mass

Resistance bands are portable and lightweight. It comes with a small carrying bag, which can easily fit into any handbag and make it possible for you to work out anywhere and anytime: home, vacations, hotel, office, and business trips. 

Tricep Pushdown Benefits

1. Develop Bigger Arms

There are more triceps than biceps. Approximately two-thirds of our arm is made up of the tricep which makes it the dominant muscle of the arm. If you want to develop arm size and strength overall; then the triceps should be the priority of your training plans. 

Another great exercise that isolates the triceps is the diamond push-up. This variation has a unique hand position where your palms are close together which activates the triceps barchii more. Check out this diamond push-up tutorial to learn the correct technique, benefits, and variations.

2. Improve Functional Strength 

The tricep is the largest arm muscle responsible for elbow flexion. We use our triceps for almost everything that we do. Reflect on when you open a door, push a lawn mower, zip up the suitcase, and close your car trunk. These mundane tasks require tricep strength, therefore we need to be strong to do these everyday activities.

3. Improve Bone Health and Strength 

Resistance training exercises are best for your bones. When you exercise regularly, your bone adapts by developing more bone and becoming denser. This will help improve physical performance and quality of life, such as reducing fracture risk, disability, and mortality.  

According to The Royal Osteoporosis Society, as we get older, our bone strength declines, which is why keeping up with exercise as we age is vital to strengthen our muscles and keep our bones strong – making them less likely to break. 

The Final Verdict: Tricep Pushdown

Tricep pushdowns are a simple and effective exercise to grow your arm and build upper body strength. Including them in your routine can help you with functional strength and everyday activities. Gradually apply progressive overload when these exercises feel easy without exceeding your limit to prevent injury. Above all, have fun with your training and make it an entertaining part of your life. 

Incorporate tricep pushdowns and similar exercises into one of these fun workouts:

• Chest and Tricep Bodyweight Workout
• Chest and Back Workout