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Single Hand Cable Triceps Pushdown

The single-hand cable triceps pushdown extends one elbow against a high pulley, working each triceps in isolation with constant cable tension. It is the tool for evening out arm imbalances and for feeling the triceps' long, hard contraction that a two-handed bar can blur. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.

Muscles worked

Triceps · triceps brachii Anconeus

Sets & reps by goal

Goal	Sets × Reps	Rest
Strength	4 × 3–6 per arm	2–3 min
Muscle	3–4 × 9–12 per arm	60–90 s
Endurance	3 × 18–27 per arm	45–60 s

Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.

Level — Beginner

Beginner isolation — the cable's smooth resistance makes it easier to learn on than free-weight extensions.

Proper form — 5 cues

Face the high pulley, grip one D-handle palm-in or palm-down
Pin the working elbow to your side before the first rep
Push the handle down until the arm is completely straight
Squeeze the back of the arm hard at lockout
Let the forearm rise until it passes 90 degrees, elbow staying glued in place

Breathing: Exhale pressing the handle down, inhale as the forearm returns up.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Elbow drifting forward and back with each rep. A moving elbow turns the pushdown into a pressing pattern, sharing the load with the shoulder and chest. Fix: Lock the upper arm vertical against your ribs — only the forearm should hinge.

Leaning body weight onto the handle. Pressing down with the torso moves the stack with mass, not muscle, and hides how little the triceps is contributing. Fix: Stand tall a half-step back from the pulley and lighten the pin until the arm works alone.

Stopping short of full elbow extension. The triceps' deepest contraction lives in the final degrees of lockout; skipping them skips the best part of the rep. Fix: Finish every rep with a dead-straight arm and a deliberate one-second squeeze.

Common questions

Single-arm pushdown vs rope pushdown — which is better?

The rope trains both arms together and lets you spread the ends apart at lockout; the single-arm handle isolates each triceps, exposes side-to-side differences, and gives a cleaner line of pull for the individual arm. Neither replaces the other — many programs use the rope for volume and single-arm work for balance.

Underhand or overhand grip for single-arm pushdowns?

Both extend the elbow, and the triceps as a whole works either way. The underhand (palm-up) version tends to shift emphasis toward the inner-feeling medial head and forces stricter elbow position, while palm-down feels stronger for most people. Rotate grips across blocks rather than debating a single winner.

Why is my left arm weaker on pushdowns?

A dominant-side gap is normal — years of daily one-sided use add up. Start every triceps session with the weaker arm, match the stronger arm to its rep count, and consider one extra weekly set for the lagging side. Expect gradual evening-out over a couple of months, not days.

Related exercises

Overhead Cable Triceps ExtensionTriceps Reverse Grip Triceps PushdownTriceps Rope PushdownTriceps Triceps Pushdown MachineTriceps Single Hand Triceps Dumbbell ExtensionTriceps

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