V Bar Pushdown
The cable triceps pushdown is a light weight isolation exercise targetting the long head of the triceps.
Don't have access to a V bar? The sample pushdown movement can be performed with a straight bar.
Movement: Isolation
Targets: Triceps
Required: Cable machine + V Bar Attachment
Optional: N/A
V Bar Pushdown Form:
Hold the V bar on your cable machine with an overhand grip (your palms should be facing down).
Lean slightly forward while maintaining an overall upright position with your elbows tucked into your sides.
Flex your triceps as you push the V bar down until your arms are fully extended, keep your upper arms in position while only your forearms are moving.
Hold the contracted position for 1 second.
Slowly begin to lower the straight bar up until it reaches lower chest height.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
V Bar Pushdown Variations
Rope Pushdown
Utlizing a rope attachment while perform your triceps pushdowns, ensuring you seperate the rope as you contract at the bottom of each repetition to get maximum triceps engagement.
Common V Bar Pushdown Mistakes
Flaring Elbows On Triceps Exercises
When performing any tricep exercise, whether it be a dumbbell overhead tricep extension or a rope pushdown it’s imperative you keep your elbows tucked in by your sides.
Flaring your elbows outwards is often a sign that the weight is too heavy (as you’re trying to muscle the shoulders in to assist with moving the weight).
Flaring the elbows on triceps exercise places your shoulders at a high risk of injury not to mention you’re only going to applying a small amount of tension to the triceps as the shoulders are trying to take over and lift the weight.
If you find yourself constantly flaring your elbows lower the weight and consciously practise tucking your elbows in to your side on each repetition until it becomes natural.
Arm Training Frequency Too High
it didn’t take me long to realize that training my arms every single day wasn’t getting me very far in terms of results given all the effort I was exerting.
Train smart.
The biceps act as the secondary muscle group when we’re training back, and the triceps act as the secondary muscle group when we’re training chest.
Training chest, back and one dedicated arm day per week (or triceps and biceps split up onto seperate days instead) is more than enough to build big, strong arms.
More isn’t always better – if you’re training frequency is any higher than this you may very well be hindering your own progress, like all other muscle groups the biceps and triceps require time to recover.
Lifting Too Light
If you don’t generally train in the lower rep range I recommend you give it a try, stop lifting in the 10 – 15 rep range for at least a month and focus on heavy, low rep sets. Once you start to see results you won’t want to go back.
Now, you may still think high reps are beneficial, but let me tell you they’re far from it.
High repetitions result in increased stress on your CNS, increase in localized inflammation and increased soreness.
“Movements or exercises that do not give the muscle the required resistance, but are the kind that involve a great number of repetitions, never break down any tissue, to speak of. These movements involve a forcing process that cause the blood to swell up the muscle, and simply pump them up”– George F. Jowett, 1926
Similar & Substitute Exercises
- Triceps Dips
- Dumbbell Skull Crushers
- Dumbbell Overhead Extension
- Close Grip Push-up
