What is the reverse grip triceps pushdown?
The reverse grip triceps pushdown is a cable isolation exercise performed with a supinated grip, palms up, on a straight or EZ bar. Elbows pinned to your sides, you extend the forearms down to full lockout, then control the return. The underhand grip stops you from leaning over the bar and shrugging through reps, so the triceps do all the work, with a hard squeeze at the bottom often credited to the medial head. The limiting factor is grip, because the bar sits in your fingers. It is a precise, shoulder-friendly finisher for any pressing day, and beginners can learn it in one session.
How to do the reverse grip triceps pushdown
- 1
Set up underhand
Clip a straight or EZ bar to a high pulley. Grip it palms up, hands about shoulder-width, step back half a step and hinge slightly forward.
- 2
Pin your elbows to your ribs
Elbows glued to your sides, shoulders down and back. From here, nothing above the elbow is allowed to move for the entire set.
- 3
Extend to a dead-straight lockout
Push the bar down until the arms are fully straight and squeeze the triceps for a full second. Keep the wrists neutral; do not let them bend open.
- 4
Resist the way back up
Let the forearms rise in about 2 s until just past 90 degrees, elbows still pinned. The stack never touches down between reps.
Pro tip
Choose the weight your fingers can hold, not the weight your triceps can move. The set should end because the triceps give out; if your grip fails first, go lighter or chalk up.
Common mistakes
Wrists curling open.
Once the wrists bend back, the bar rolls into the fingers and the set is over. Lock the wrists neutral and squeeze the bar hard.
Elbows drifting forward.
If the elbows glide forward on the way up, the lats and shoulders join in and the triceps get a holiday. Pin them to your ribs.
Ego loading.
This is a strict 10-15 rep tool, not a max-out lift. Too heavy, and it becomes a torso heave with bent wrists.
Stopping short of lockout.
The last 20 degrees are the whole point of this variation. No full extension, no full triceps.
Variations and progressions
Easier
One-arm reverse pushdown
A single D-handle lets the wrist pick its own angle and halves the grip demand. Ideal for learning the lockout squeeze.
Harder
Paused reverse pushdown
Hold the lockout for 2-3 s on every rep. Brutal even at light loads, and it makes half reps impossible.
No cable?
Band pushdown, underhand grip
Loop a band over a pull-up bar and press down with the same supinated grip. The resistance even peaks at lockout, right where you want it.
How to program it
Three protocols by goal. Pick one per cycle and aim for progression on load or distance.
| Goal | Sets × distance | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hypertrophy | 3 × 10-12 | Moderate, RPE 8 | 60-90 s |
| Lockout strength | 4 × 8 (2 s pause) | Light to moderate | 90 s |
| Finisher | 2 × 15-20 | Light, strict | 45-60 s |
Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown FAQ
Does the reverse grip really target the medial head?
Less than the internet claims. All three heads extend the elbow on every rep, and EMG differences between grips are modest. What the reverse grip genuinely changes is behaviour: it forces a lighter load, pinned elbows and a complete lockout, which is where the medial head works hardest. Pick it for the strictness, and treat any extra medial bias as a bonus.
Why does my grip fail before my triceps?
Because palms up, the bar rests in your fingers instead of the heel of the hand; that is the design, not a flaw. Fixes: use an EZ bar for a kinder wrist angle, chalk up, or switch to a single-arm handle. If grip still ends every set, pre-fatigue the triceps with rope pushdowns first, then finish reverse grip.
Reverse grip or rope pushdown: which should I run?
The rope takes more load and lets the hands spread for a strong, comfortable finish: make it your main pushdown. The reverse grip shines as a second or third triceps movement, where light, strict, fully locked-out reps matter more than tonnage. Running both in the same week is not redundant; they fail in different places.
