Common Tricep Pushdown Mistakes Reddit

The Real Reason You Don't Feel Tricep Pushdowns (It's Not the Weight)

The most common tricep pushdown mistakes reddit users discuss boil down to one thing: your elbows are moving, turning the exercise into a sloppy press that uses 0% of your triceps. You're standing there, moving a heavy stack of weights, but you feel it more in your shoulders, chest, and lats. Your triceps? Barely a twitch. It’s frustrating. You see people with huge arms doing this exercise, so you copy them, but the only thing growing is your confusion. The fix is completely counterintuitive. You don't need more weight; you need less. Drop the weight on the stack by 50% right now. If you were struggling to push 100 pounds, you are going to use 50. This isn't a punishment; it's the secret. By cutting the weight in half, you can finally force your triceps to do 100% of the work. The goal isn't to move the weight; it's to contract the muscle.

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Why Your Shoulders Are Doing All The Work

You feel it in your shoulders because you've turned an isolation exercise into a compound lift. Your tricep has one primary job: to straighten your arm at the elbow joint. That's it. Think of your upper arm (from shoulder to elbow) as a fixed bar. Your elbow is the hinge. For the tricep to work, the bar must stay perfectly still while the hinge operates. The moment your elbows drift forward, your upper arm moves. When that happens, your shoulders and lats have to engage to control the movement. You're no longer doing a pushdown; you're doing a weird, standing decline press. All that energy that should be going into the three heads of your tricep is now being stolen by bigger, stronger muscles that have no business being involved. This is the single biggest mistake. People load up the stack with 120 pounds, then use their entire upper body to heave it down. They get 10 reps, but their triceps only did about 10% of the work. A person using 60 pounds with perfect form-elbows pinned to their sides-is getting ten times the tricep stimulation. They are the one who will actually see growth. You now understand the mechanics. You know that locking your elbows is the key to isolating the triceps. But knowing the theory and executing it perfectly for 3 sets of 12 reps, week after week, are two different things. How do you ensure you're actually getting stronger with this new, perfect form and not just going through the motions?

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The Perfect Pushdown: A 3-Step Protocol

Stop guessing and follow this checklist. This isn't about just doing the exercise; it's about executing it with purpose. If you were previously using 80 pounds with bad form, your new starting weight is 40 pounds. Accept it. This is where real growth begins.

Step 1: The Setup (Attachment and Stance)

Your attachment choice matters. Use the rope. While a straight bar or V-bar allows for more weight, the rope forces better form and allows for a greater range of motion. At the bottom of the movement, you can pull the ends apart to get a peak contraction that's impossible with a bar. Stand one step back from the cable machine. Hinge slightly at your hips, keeping your back straight and your chest up. This creates a clear path for the rope to travel without hitting your body. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Grab the rope and pull it down until your hands are at your chest and your forearms are parallel to the floor. This is your starting position.

Step 2: The Lock-In (Pin Your Elbows)

This is the most important step. Before you move the weight, actively pull your elbows in and pin them to your sides. Imagine they are bolted to your ribcage. They should not move forward, backward, or flare out for the entire set. Look at yourself in the mirror. Your upper arms should be almost perfectly vertical. If they are angled forward, your shoulders are already engaged. Reset. This lock-in is non-negotiable. The set ends the moment your elbows move, not when you run out of strength.

Step 3: The Execution (Squeeze, Don't Shove)

Now, execute the rep. Push down by focusing only on straightening your arm. Think 'squeeze the tricep,' not 'push the weight.' The tempo is critical: take 1 second to push down. At the bottom, with your arms fully extended, actively separate the rope ends and squeeze your triceps as hard as you can for a full 1-second count. This peak contraction is where you signal the muscle to grow. Then, fight the weight on the way back up. Take a slow, controlled 3 seconds to return to the starting position. The muscle grows from resisting the negative, not just from the push. A perfect set is 8-12 reps with this exact tempo and unwavering form. If you can't get 8 reps, the weight is too heavy. If you can do 15, it's time to add 5 pounds.

Your First 4 Weeks: Less Weight, More Growth

Doing tricep pushdowns correctly will feel humbling at first, but the results will come faster than you expect. Here’s a realistic timeline.

Week 1: The Humbling Phase

You will use 40-50% less weight than you did with your old, sloppy form. It will feel 'too light' for the first 2-3 reps, and then it will start to burn. This is a good sign. You will feel a deep pump and soreness directly in all three heads of the tricep, maybe for the first time ever. You might only be able to complete 8 reps per set with perfect form. That's fine. Your goal this week is not weight; it's flawless execution.

Weeks 2-3: The Connection Clicks

By now, the movement will feel more natural. The mind-muscle connection will be established. You'll be able to initiate the pushdown by consciously firing your triceps instead of just moving your arms. Your elbows will stay locked in place without you having to think about it so intensely. If you successfully completed 3 sets of 12 reps in week 1, you can add 5 pounds to the stack. The rule remains: if your form breaks, the weight is too heavy.

Month 1 and Beyond: Real Progress

After four weeks of disciplined training, you will be significantly stronger with perfect form. The 40 pounds that felt challenging in week 1 will now feel easy for 12 reps. You might be back up to 60 or 70 pounds, but this time it's 70 pounds of productive weight, not 100 pounds of ego. Your elbows will feel healthier, and you will start to see and feel a noticeable difference in the size and density of your triceps. This is the payoff for checking your ego at the door and focusing on what actually works.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Best Attachment: Rope vs. Bar

The rope is superior for learning the movement and achieving a peak contraction. By pulling the ends apart at the bottom, you fully engage the tricep. A straight or V-bar lets you use more weight, but often at the cost of form. Master the rope first for 3-6 months before considering bars.

Leaning Forward vs. Standing Upright

A slight hinge forward from your hips is necessary to create a clear path for the cable. However, your torso should remain rigid. Do not round your back or use your bodyweight to press the weight down. Your upper body should be as still as a statue.

Feeling it in Forearms or Shoulders

Feeling it in your shoulders means your elbows are moving forward. Film yourself from the side to confirm. Feeling it in your forearms means you are gripping the rope too tightly. Relax your hands. Your hands are just hooks; the force should come from the triceps extending the elbow.

Reps and Sets for Growth

Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 8-15 reps. The key is reaching 'true failure,' which means the point where you can no longer perform another rep with perfect form. If you can hit 15 reps, it's time to increase the weight by 5-10 pounds on your next workout.

Pushdown Alternatives if Elbows Hurt

If you have persistent elbow pain, switch to exercises that change the angle. Overhead dumbbell extensions or cable overhead extensions are excellent. Dumbbell skull crushers (with a neutral grip, palms facing each other) also tend to be more forgiving on the elbows than barbell versions.