For complete triceps growth, you have to work the muscle from all angles with fixed pressure and progressive overload. Cable machines assist you to do all three higher than another kind of kit. By prioritizing tricep cable exercises, you’ll stimulate all three heads optimally to advertise most good points.
As a veteran private coach, I’ve labored with a variety of bodybuilders through the years. Switching from dumbbell to cable workouts has usually been the important thing to mentioning lagging triceps for a lot of of them.
On this article, I will lay out ten cable tricep workouts to work each triceps muscle fiber. I will additionally clarify why cables are so efficient for triceps coaching and supply some private coach ideas for working the triceps.
Prime Ten Triceps Cable Workout routines
Two-Arm Cable Extension
Seated Cable Extension
Single-Arm Cable Extension
Triceps Pushdown
Overhead Tricep Extension
Mendacity Cable Tricep Extension
Cable Tricep Kickbacks
One-Arm Reverse Grip Pushdowns
Kneeling Overhead Tricep Extension
Cable Focus Extension
For the primary two variations of a cable machine pushdown, you will have to machine with a double-weight stack, ideally with the burden stacks shoulder-width aside.
#1: Two-Arm Cable Extension
Set the heights of the pulleys barely greater than your head. Place a rope deal with on the tip of every cable. Stand going through away from the machine, about two toes from it.
Seize the rope handles with a hammer grip and bend your elbows so your palms are at chin degree.
Prolong your arms down on an angle that aligns with the cable angle till your elbows lock out.
Return to the beginning place, controlling the eccentric a part of the motion.
#2: Seated Cable Extension
Place a back-supported bench about three toes in entrance of the machine, going through away from it. Set the heights of the pulleys barely greater than your head when seated. Place a rope deal with on the tip of every cable.
Sit on the bench and lean again so your shoulder blades are on the again pad. Seize the rope handles with a hammer grip and bend your elbows so your palms are at chin degree.
Prolong your arms down on an angle that aligns with the cable angle till your elbows lock out.
Return to the beginning place, controlling the eccentric a part of the motion.
#3: Single Arm Cable Extension
Set the peak of a single cable pulley barely greater than your head. Place a rope deal with on the tip of the cable. Stand going through away from the machine, about two toes from it.
Seize the rope handles with a hammer grip in your proper hand and bend your elbow so your hand is at chin degree. Seize the body of the machine along with your left hand for help.
Prolong your arm down on an angle that aligns with the cable angle till your elbow is locked out.
Return to the beginning place, controlling the eccentric a part of the motion.
Do your whole reps on the correct arm after which repeat with the left arm.
#4: Triceps Pushdown
Set the peak of the cable pulley barely above your head degree. Place a rope deal with on the tip of the cable.
Stand going through the cable pulley machine, about two toes away from it. Maintain the rope deal with on the base with each palms. Bend your elbows to carry your palms as much as your chin degree within the begin place.
Maintaining your elbows in on the sides of your waist, lengthen your arms down and out in step with the angle of the cable. Lock out your elbows within the totally contracted place.
Return to the beginning place, controlling the eccentric a part of the rep.
#5: Overhead Tricep Extension
Set the peak of the cable pulley barely above your head degree. Place a rope deal with on the tip of the cable.
Stand going through away from the cable pulley machine, about two toes from it. Seize the rope deal with, holding it at its base in every hand. Carry your palms as much as your brow, retaining your elbows in step with your palms.
Prolong your arms out in step with the angle of the cable. Lock out your elbows within the totally contracted place.
Return to the beginning place, controlling the eccentric a part of the rep.
#6: Mendacity Cable Tricep Extension
Set the pulley on a cable pulley machine to its lowest setting and place a brief handlebar on the tip of the cable.
Lie on the ground along with your head about 18 inches from the bottom of the machine. Attain as much as seize the deal with and produce it to the extent of your brow within the beginning place.
Prolong your arms out in step with the angle of the cable. Lock out your elbows within the totally contracted place.
Return to the beginning place, controlling the eccentric a part of the rep.
#7: Cable Tricep Kickbacks
Set the pulley on a cable machine to its lowest setting and place a rope deal with on the tip of the cable.
Stand about three toes away from the machine in a staggered stance, with the knee furthest away from the cable ahead. Seize the bottom of the rope deal with and produce it to the facet of your waist along with your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
Prolong your arm again to full extension. Make sure you maintain your elbow at your facet all through the motion.
Return to the beginning place, controlling the eccentric a part of the rep.
#8: One Arm Reverse Grip Pushdowns
Set the peak of the cable pulley barely above your head degree. Place a ‘D’ deal with on the tip of the cable.
Stand going through the cable pulley machine, about two toes away from it. Maintain the deal with in your proper hand along with your palm up. Bend your elbows to carry your palms as much as your waist degree within the begin place.
Maintaining your elbows in on the sides of your waist, lengthen your arms down and out in step with the angle of the cable. Lock out your elbows within the totally contracted place.
Return to the beginning place, controlling the eccentric a part of the rep.
#9: Kneeling Overhead Tricep Extension
Set the peak of the pulley on a cable machine simply above your head if you end up in a kneeling place. Place a rope deal with on the tip of the cable. Now, place a flat bench about three toes in entrance of the machine so it’s perpendicular to the machine.
Kneel about two toes from the machine, going through away from it. Attain as much as seize the rope deal with above your head, along with your elbows resting on the bench and bent again to completely contract the triceps.
Prolong your arms in and out line with the angle of the cable. Lock out your elbows within the totally contracted place.
Return to the beginning place, controlling the eccentric a part of the rep.
#10: Cable Focus Extension
Set the pulley on a cable pulley machine at head peak. Place a ‘D’ deal with on the tip of the cable.
Seize the deal with in your proper hand after which kneel on the ground along with your left knee on the ground and your proper knee bent at a proper angle with the foot planted on the ground.
Press your elbow into your knee with the elbow bent at a proper angle.
Prolong your elbow right down to full extension, holding the tip place for a two-second rely.
Return to the beginning place underneath management to make the most of the eccentric a part of the motion.
Triceps Anatomy
The triceps is a three-headed muscle group situated in the back of your higher arm. It consists of the next triceps heads:
Lateral head
Medial head
Lengthy head
The perform of the triceps is elbow extension. It’s the antagonist to the biceps muscle in order that when the triceps muscle groups are flexed, the biceps relaxes, and vice versa.
The lengthy head of the triceps is the a part of the muscle closest to your torso. It originates on the scapula and runs all the way in which to the elbow joint.
Not like the opposite heads, the lengthy head crosses each the shoulder and elbow joints. Consequently, it performs an element in shoulder and scapula stabilization.
The opposite two heads originate on the prime of the higher arm bone (humerus) and insert into the elbow joint.
The Advantages of Utilizing Cables for Triceps Workout routines
Once you use a cable machine to work your triceps, you present your self with an a variety of benefits over free weights like dumbbells and barbells. Here is a breakdown:
1. Fixed Pressure
Once you’re utilizing a cable, you’re working towards the resistance of the machine from the second the burden lifts off the stack till it returns to it. That is totally different from free weights, the place the resistance is set by gravity. That implies that there are factors all through a free-weight train the place there is no such thing as a resistance in any respect.
The fixed pressure that you simply get with cables makes positive that your triceps are engaged all through all the train.
2. Angle Selection
A cable machine permits you to regulate to a wide range of angles. This implies you can work the triceps in accordance with the route of the muscle’s pure motion sample. To optimally load a muscle, the muscle ought to be straight reverse the resistance. That is the precept of reverse place loading.
Cables assist you to align the route of your resistance along with your muscle’s route of motion in accordance with this precept. For instance, the two-arm cable extension, the primary train on our listing, supplies a route of motion that’s completely reverse to the route of the cable.
The number of angles accessible on a cable machine additionally permits you to give attention to every of the three triceps heads individually.
3. Triceps Isolation
A cable machine permits you to work your triceps in isolation extra successfully than free-weight alternate options. Once you use dumbbells or barbells, you possibly can’t assist however carry different muscle teams, such because the deltoids and core, into the motion.
Evaluate this to a tricep pushdown, which lets you fully isolate the backs of the higher arms.
4. Adjustable Resistance
Once you’re utilizing a cable machine, you’ll be able to shortly regulate the resistance on the burden stack. This makes utilizing cables splendid for methods like drop units.
That is while you do the utmost variety of reps you possibly can obtain with a sure weight, then instantly decrease the burden and push out a number of extra reps. You carry out 4-5 drops inside your set.
The triceps pushdown is extraordinarily efficient when performed in a drop-set style.
Tricep Coaching Suggestions (from a Licensed Private Coach)
1. Range Your Weights and Reps
The triceps are made up of each quick twitch and gradual twitch muscle fibers, with the quick twitch being barely extra quite a few. Quick twitch fibers reply finest to heavy weights and low reps, with the alternative being true for gradual twitch fibers. To work the muscle fully, it’s good to do a mix of excessive and low reps.¹
Here is a prompt tricep exercise set and rep scheme for all variations of press downs that has been very profitable with my bodybuilding purchasers:
Set One: 30 reps
Set Two: 20 reps
Set Three: 12 reps
Set 4: 10 reps
Set 5: 8 reps
Set Six: 6 reps
Enhance the burden on every succeeding set.
2. Hold Your Elbows In
If you find yourself doing any kind of triceps urgent train, it is best to consciously maintain your elbows tucked on the sides of your physique. Doing so forces the triceps to take the entire load.
Once you permit the elbows to flare out, different muscle groups within the shoulders and chest are introduced into play. Flared elbows additionally place undue stress on the shoulder joint.
3. Use Full Vary of Movement
I see lots of people within the health club who pile an excessive amount of weight on after which solely do half, or typically quarter, reps of an train. You do not wish to be one among these folks. Except you totally lengthen the muscle from full contraction to full extension, you will be leaving most of your good points on the desk. So, by no means sacrifice the total vary of movement with a view to carry extra weight.
With a view to prepare on your exercise, uncover the eight finest stretches on your triceps.
Wrap Up
Few issues are as spectacular as totally outlined, shirt-splitting triceps. To get them, you have to practice sensible in addition to onerous. Which means prioritizing cable tricep exercises. Cables permit for the perfect resistance angle, versatility, fixed pressure, and isolation potential it’s good to promote optimum muscle progress.
I like to recommend together with at the least two cable machine workouts in each triceps exercise. Then, add in a dumbbell train, such because the skull-crusher, to spherical out the session. Do a complete of 10-14 units for triceps twice per week, with at the least 72 hours relaxation between periods. Do that persistently, and you will be rewarded with a pair of muscular horseshoe-shaped triceps.
References:
Lucas-Osma AM, Collazos-Castro JE. Compartmentalization within the triceps brachii motoneuron nucleus and its relation to muscle structure. J Comp Neurol. 2009 Sep 20;516(3):226-39. doi: 10.1002/cne.22123. PMID: 19598170.
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