Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown
Performed at a cable stack with palms facing up, the reverse-grip pushdown extends the elbows through the same arc as a standard pushdown while the underhand grip forces stricter elbow position and highlights the triceps' medial head. Lifters use it to clean up pushdown technique and to keep elbow-friendly volume in their arm training. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 sets x 3-6 reps | 2 min |
| Muscle | 3-4 sets x 9-12 reps | 60-90 sec |
| Endurance | 2-3 sets x 18-27 reps | 30-45 sec |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
Beginner — mechanically simple, with the underhand grip acting as a built-in form enforcer; load lighter than your overhand pushdown.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Set a straight or EZ bar at upper-chest height and grip it underhand, thumbs wrapped.
- Draw the shoulder blades down and pin your elbows against your sides.
- Press the bar down until the elbows reach complete lockout.
- Squeeze the back of the arms for a beat with the wrists dead straight.
- Let the bar rise until forearms pass parallel, elbows never leaving your ribs.
Breathing: Exhale as you press to lockout, inhale as the bar returns up under control.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program reverse grip triceps pushdown
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength — beginner | 3 | 5-6 reps | 3-0-1-1 | 90 s | 7 |
| Strength — standard | 4 | 3-6 reps | 3-0-1-1 | 2 min | 8 |
| Strength — advanced | 4 | 4-6 reps, 2 s lockout hold | 3-0-1-1 | 2 min | 8-9 |
| Hypertrophy — beginner | 3 | 9-10 reps | 3-0-1-0 | 90 s | 7 |
| Hypertrophy — standard | 3-4 | 9-12 reps | 3-0-1-0 | 60-90 s | 8 |
| Hypertrophy — advanced | 4 | 12 reps, 3 s return | 3-0-1-0 | 60-90 s | 8-9 |
| Endurance — beginner | 2 | 15-18 reps | smooth, full lockout each rep | 60 s | 6-7 |
| Endurance — standard | 2-3 | 18-27 reps | smooth, full lockout each rep | 45-60 s | 7-8 |
| Endurance — advanced | 3 | 27 reps, light stack | smooth, full lockout each rep | 45 s | 8 |
| Beginner on-ramp — week 1-2 | 2 | 8-10 reps, light stack, wrists straight | find the underhand groove | 90 s | 5 |
| Beginner on-ramp — week 3-4 | 3 | 10-12 reps, elbows pinned | 2-0-1-1 | 60-90 s | 6 |
| Deload / technique | 2 | 10 reps at half stack | 3-0-1-2 | 90 s | 5 |
Common questions
Reverse-grip vs regular pushdown — is the difference real?
The triceps extends the elbow in both, so the overlap is large. What genuinely changes: the underhand grip makes elbow flare and shoulder involvement much harder, so form self-corrects, and many lifters report feeling the inner portion of the triceps more strongly near lockout. Think of it as a strictness tool and a variation for elbow comfort, not a different muscle group.
Why is my reverse-grip pushdown weaker?
Two honest reasons: the wrist flexors are now the link holding the bar, and they fatigue before your triceps do; and the strict elbow position removes the subtle shoulder-and-bodyweight help most people lean into on overhand pushdowns. A 20 to 40 percent load drop is normal. The triceps still work hard — the chain around them is what got weaker.
Should I use a bar or single handle for reverse-grip pushdowns?
The single-handle, one-arm version is worth trying if the bar bothers your wrists — each wrist finds its own comfortable angle, and you can watch one triceps work at a time. The bar version trains both arms together and saves time. Whichever you choose, the wrist-straight rule decides the load, not the stack number you would like to move.
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