Tag: Triceps Exercises
Band Pushdown Exercise Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Variations
It’s not a stretch (pun intended) to say that band pushdowns are a powerful tool that anyone can use to increase the size and strength of their upper arm muscles. With the right technique and strength of your rubber tubing, you’re doing what’s required to bring out those hidden horseshoes, or add more capacity to your bazookas!
While it has similar benefits, pushdowns offer major advantages over its popular cable machine counterpart, like cost (very affordable), and lack of space needed if training at home. That said, it does have its drawbacks.
Learn the right and effective way to do band pushdowns, triceps anatomy, best variations and alternatives, and see answers to frequently asked questions in this detailed exercise guide!
Muscles Worked During Band Pushdowns
Once you understand the anatomy, function, and importance of training your triceps muscles during band pushdowns, you’ll unlock the highest level of arm gains! In this section, we included a brief description of this three-headed muscle…
Triceps brachii
A beautiful, strong set of triceps is the product of intense presses, pushdowns, and extension variation. Three heads by design, your triceps consist of an outer, middle, and long head, each located on the posterior upper arm opposite the biceps.
If you look at which exercises target the triceps, you’ll see one thing in common, elbow extension, which is their role in nature!
Band pushdowns hit all three heads of the tris, but done right, they’ll pack size on the large long head, that creates more arm circumference.
How To Do Band Pushdowns
As long as you have decent form and use a manageable weight, its hard to mess up band pushdowns, or any pushdowns for that matter. This is evident by the different variations, and techniques used by top experts.
However, we included step by step instructions and a video tutorial below, demonstrating one of the most effective ways to perform pushdowns. The video also shows how you can use a few different body positions to achieve the same outcome. You’re free to use the technique that feels best for you.
Steps
Secure your band/s to an object overhead.
Grab both sides of the band/s evenly. Your arms should be bent at a roughly 45-degree angle with your elbows tucked in and not flared out, and that’s your starting position. You may need to adjust the band height, or your grip.
You can use a staggered stance (one foot in front and one behind), or stand with your feet roughly shoulder width apart.
Bend the hips and knees, and lean your upper body slightly forward. Your elbows should point down to the floor.
Now extend your arms until they are completely straight, and squeeze your triceps hard.
Bend your elbows until your arms are back to the starting position, and knock out as many reps as you like.
Here’s a detailed video demonstration of band pushdowns.
Tips
You should be locking out or fully extending your elbows during most or all triceps exercises, including pushdowns, presses, and extensions.
You can vary your grip between overhand, underhand, or neutral, depending on which feels best for you.
Avoid using too much weight. pushdowns are better for your elbows and gains when performed with solid form, full range of motion, and moderate to heavy weight, not max loads.
This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Triceps brachii
Secondary Muscles: Deltoids, core
Type: Hypertrophy
Mechanics: Isolation
Equipment: Resistance band and solid base (optional)
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits of Band Pushdowns
Pushdowns are one of the best triceps builders, in general. But there are different versions, each of which has its advantages over the others, and the banded variation is no different. While not perfect, we personally like the band pushdown for everything it offers.
Similar to cable pushdowns
Band pushdowns are the closest thing you can get to a cable pushdown if you train at home, and don’t have a cable machine. The primary commonality between the two is constant tension.
But they’ll only be similarly effective if you do them right. Because it’s far too easy to minimize their potential with either the wrong set up, or improper hand placement on the band.
Improve mind-muscle connection
Unlike presses, push-ups, and sometimes extensions, pushdowns along with dips, and kickbacks, are the most satisfying exercises because of how they feel, aka the contraction. This gives you the opportunity to really focus and activate the muscle to its fullest.
In fact, bodybuilders and many fitness experts believe in the power of flexing a muscle alone, to create more detail, and improve gains.
Affordable home triceps exercise
A small investment in a cheap resistance band can give you months worth of gains! Most band sets have a door attachment so you can do pushdowns in your home, although a tree branch or pull-up bar are just as handy. If you workout at home, having bands is almost a must!
Drawbacks of band pushdowns
Of course it can’t all be peaches… there are some potential drawbacks of band pushdowns.
They have to be done from overhead
One thing we haven’t mentioned, and if it wasn’t obvious, you need a base positioned above your head to do band pushdowns. A door pull-up bar, rafters, tree, or any safe object will do. Most people should have access to one or the other. But it’s worth mentioning.
Beginner friendly but with a catch…
While anyone can technically do band pushdowns, it doesn’t mean they’re getting the most benefit. Because of the stretchy nature of a band, a little more technique is required to do them correctly. There’s an inconsistency in the resistance, but this can be greatly reduced with proper body position and hand placement on the band.
Use the instructions and tips in this guide to ensue you’re maximizing the band pushdown.
Harder to track your gains
It’s definitely harder to track your progress using a giant rubber band compared to numbered weights. Not to mention, bands may lose their strength over time from too much use, or abuse.
This leads a lot of people to never make progress if they train at home because they use the same band, and do the same number of reps.
You should be mindful of the attachment point, your hand placement, and try to move up in tubing strength when needed.
Common Mistakes During Band Pushdowns
We’ve all been guilty of these common mistakes at some point in our training. Maybe you still do them and hopefully these tips will help you to be more efficient and satisfied with your triceps pushdowns.
Using too much resistance
Ego training and your elbows are not a good match. This is a common mistake seen a lot with the cable version. Using too much weight, straining the elbows, and using one side too much, or leaning forward, to complete the reps, if you can even finish the lockout.
Aim for eight challenging reps and higher, but use a manageable weight and try to maintain good form and avoid leaning forward, and flaring your elbows.
Doing chest, and shoulder pushdowns
While we alluded to this point in the prior mistake suggestion, it’s a huge problem that’s too common.
The exerciser presses the rope attachment handles together, leans over the weight, flares their elbows outward, and uses all of their pushing muscles like the chest and shoulders to help.
It’s supposed to be a “triceps” pushdown that isolates only the triceps muscles. Otherwise, why bother? Just do a press!
Too much arm flexion during negatives
A lot of gym goers waste energy by bending their arms too much on the eccentric phase (when the arm bends) of the pushdown. There’s no need as it stresses the elbows and takes away from your pushdown strength.
While close to an extension, pushdowns are not quite the same, and you won’t be able to get the same type of stretch as your body is not in an optimal position. So let pushdowns be pushdowns, and use other exercises to stretch your tris more.
Variations and Alternatives of Band Pushdowns
Variety in your training not only keeps things enjoyable, but while you can have two exercises that work the same muscle, one may feel better than the other. It’s good to switch between movements and here are the best variations and alternatives of band pushdowns.
Cable pushdowns
Most gym goers flock to the cable machines to do triceps pushdowns as it’s been the most common variation for this type of exercise. And it’s still going to be superior to bands, as cables do not stretch, keeping the resistance equally challenging from start to finish.
Whereas bands are easier at the start as they’re not fully stretched, but the exercise gets harder the more it stretches.
Steps
Slide the cable pulley to the top or a high notch on the cable machine and attach the V-shaped bar.
Face the pulley and grab the handles with both hands using an overhand grip. You can either use a split stance, hip-width stance, or position your feet close together.
With your core tight, chest up, and while keeping your elbows by your sides, fully extend your arms by flexing your triceps and squeeze for a second.
Slowly bend your elbows until your forearms are slightly above parallel to the floor and repeat for the desired number of reps.
Related: Triceps Pushdown Comparison – Rope vs. Straight Bar vs. V-Bar (Which is Better?)
Machine pushdowns
Nowadays, it’s hard not to be impressed or fall in love with some of the modern exercise machine designs. They’re so ergonomic that you almost don’t want to go back to the other options.
Note: We’re not referring to the seated dip machine, but rather machines that replicate a cable standing pushdown.
Triceps press
Make sure to check out our recent training guide on the triceps press, a type of bodyweight extension similar to pushdowns but better for the long head. You should feel more sore the day after a few intense sets because when done correctly, they should stretch the triceps nicely!
The only downside is that you can only work against your weight, but there are ways to make it less challenging and better for beginner exercisers. The bodyweight kneeling triceps extension is also a great variation that you do on your knees.
Extensions
Pushdowns resemble extensions more than pure presses. Therefore, any extension type triceps exercise is going to be similar, but… movements like lying triceps extensions stretch the triceps better. But the contraction in the triceps may not feel as amazing during extensions compared to pushdowns.
Both should be used to blow up your guns, but both can replace the other if you had to choose one triceps exercise for one workout.
FAQs
What’s the best sets and reps routine for band pushdowns?The short answer… variety. But it ultimately depends on your goals. We recommend using different set, and especially rep ranges as each has its unique benefits.
To maximize your triceps potential, try to alternate the following suggestions on separate workout days, varying the level of resistance.
Hypertrophy: 2-4 sets x 8-20 reps
Strength and hypertrophy: 2-3 sets x 6-12 reps
Hypertrophy and muscle conditioning: 2-3 sets x 20-30 reps
What’s better: Band or cable triceps pushdowns?Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but both are very useful and effective variations.
For example, you need a cable machine to do machine pushdowns. Not good if you train at home.
On the other hand, band resistance is less consistent, and it’s harder to track progress as bands aren’t numbered and they may lose strength over time.
Wrapping Up
Home training with little to no equipment doesn’t have to be boring. Having a resistance band at your disposal gives you access to the capabilities of a cable machine (with a few slight differences, of course), like being able to do triceps band pushdowns.
But you should treat band pushdowns the same you would a cable pushdown, using good form, and full range of motion, and squeezing your tris every rep. If you do this, and focus on progression, you will be happy that you introduced this powerful tool in your arm training weaponry.
Bodybuilding School: How to Flex Your Triceps
There isn’t a bodybuilder alive who doesn’t want bigger, more muscular arms. However, that often means they spend too much time training their biceps and not enough time on their triceps.
This is a mistake!
While the biceps might be the most famous muscle in the human body, the triceps are actually the largest upper arm muscle. Neglecting the triceps can have a significant impact on the size and shape of your arm.
In addition, while everyone can throw up an arm and do a reasonable biceps pose, fewer people can pull off a good triceps flex. Again, that’s a shame because well-developed triceps also deserve their moment in the sun.
In this article, we reveal why you need to learn to flex your triceps and the best triceps poses for showcasing your horseshoes.
Triceps Anatomy Basics
Knowing a little more about how the triceps function may help you flex them better. After all, if you know where they are and what they do, you should find it a little easier to visualize and control them.
So, the full name of the triceps is triceps brachii, which means three-headed arm muscle. This is because the triceps have three origins that come together at a single origin point. All three heads work together, but each one can be emphasized by altering the position of your arm.
The three triceps heads are:
Lateral head – best worked with your arms by your side, e.g., dips.
Long head – best worked with the arms overhead, e.g., French presses.
Medial head – best worked with an underhand grip, e.g., reverse grip triceps pushdowns.
The main role of the triceps is to extend or straighten your elbows. However, the long head also crosses your shoulder joint, so it’s partly responsible for shoulder extension, too.
How to Flex Your Triceps
Now you know why you need to flex your triceps, it’s time to move on to the “how” part of this article. But before we do, remember the following rules of effective posing:
Warm-up
Contrary to what you might think, flexing your triceps can be strenuous. Make sure you warm up your triceps before flexing them to avoid injury. Bodybuilders tend to practice posing after their workouts when their muscles are warm and pumped. Pumping out a few push-ups should be enough to warm up your triceps and get them ready to flex.
Flex hard
Flexing is a form of isometric training. Isometrics involves contracting your muscles against an immovable object. In this case, that’s the tension generated by an opposing limb or muscle group.
The more intensely you flex your triceps, the more they’ll pop, so squeeze your triceps like your life depends on it. Your muscles should feel fatigued by the end of your posing session, and they may even shake while you’re working them.
Use your mind, not just your muscles
The exercises in the next section tell you how to flex your triceps, but this should be more than a physical process. So, don’t just bend or straighten your arms to contract your triceps, but also put your mind in the muscle and visualize it flexing. This will reinforce that all-important mind-muscle connection.
Seek honest feedback
Even if you flex in front of a mirror, you may not be hitting your triceps poses correctly. Seek feedback from someone who can tell you if your triceps look their best. A small change in the position of your arm can make your poses look even more impressive, so let them guide you to improve your performance.
If you don’t have someone to give you feedback, video yourself instead, ensuring the lighting is favorable and that you move around so you can see your physique from all available angles. Use this feedback to improve your performance.
Practice, practice, and practice some more!
No one got good at posing without practicing. While the occasional triceps flex won’t do you any harm, it probably won’t do you any good, either. So, commit to flexing your triceps several times a day, several days a week. Only through repetition will you get any benefits from flexing your triceps.
Try flexing your triceps between sets
One of the best times to flex your triceps is when you are training them. Or, more specifically, between sets of triceps training. This reinforces the mind-muscle connection, makes the most of the fact your muscles and joints are warm, and will give you an even better pump.
And anyway, what else are you gonna do between sets? Flexing is a much better use of your time than texting or social media scrolling.
The Six Best Ways to Flex Your Triceps
There are several different ways to flex your triceps. Depending on your genetics, you may find that one or several make your triceps look their best. Try them all to see what works for you.
And remember, if a triceps pose doesn’t look as good as you’d hoped, this suggests that the head it showcases is not as well developed as it could be. Use this feedback to design your next triceps training plan.
1. Side triceps pose
The side triceps pose is one of eight mandatory bodybuilding poses that all competitive bodybuilders must perform. It’s one of the most straightforward ways to show off your triceps. As well as showcasing your triceps, it also emphasizes your deltoids and pecs.
To do the side triceps pose, put one arm down by your side and then reach behind your back with your other arm and grip your wrist. Next, extend your elbow and press your upper arm into your side to push your triceps outward.
If you’ve done this pose correctly, your triceps will look much larger than usual, and the long head of your triceps should really stand out.
2. Single-arm triceps flex
This isn’t an official bodybuilding pose, although you may see some bodybuilders do it during the pose-off. Rather, this exercise is an excellent way to work on your mind-muscle connection and make sure the fibers of your triceps are firing together.
To do this triceps flex, just extend your arm down by your side and straighten your elbow as hard as possible. Then, push your arm backward to hit the long head of your triceps a little more. Ramp up the muscle tension by flexing your wrist to bring out your forearm muscles.
3. Double front triceps flex
This pose lets you show off your deltoids, triceps, and forearms at the same time. It not only makes your triceps look thicker, but it’ll also highlight the striations in your shoulders. Flexing your wrists will also bring out your lower arms.
Stand with your arms by your sides. Clench your hands and point your thumbs down toward the floor to make your forearms pop. Rotate your arms inward and then straighten your arms as hard as possible to flex your triceps. This ensures that the lateral head is at its most visible.
4. Double rear triceps flex
While most pushing exercises work your chest and triceps together, when it comes to flexing, the back and triceps are a great pairing. This flex is awesome for showing off your entire rear body, including the traps, lats, rear delts, and, of course, those all-important triceps.
Stand with your arms extended out to the side at about 45 degrees. Straighten your elbows, flex your triceps, and push your arms and shoulders back. Squeeze the entire back of your body hard to make your muscles stand out.
5. Cross-body chest and triceps pose
You’ll need good muscular development to pull off this pose. But if you’ve got the arms and chest for it, it’s certainly a unique way to flex your triceps. This pose was originally popularized by the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger and has been copied by many bodybuilders.
To do it, stand side-on to your audience and raise your arms so they’re slightly different heights. Keeping your arms slightly bent, flex your chest, biceps, and triceps to really inflate your entire upper body.
Needless to say, this pose requires excellent muscle control, so be prepared to practice.
6. Static triceps pushdown
If you are struggling to flex your triceps without resistance to press against, this is the exercise for you. Holding the bottom position of a triceps pushdown makes it much easier to engage your triceps and practice flexing them.
Do a set of cable pushdowns as usual but then, on the last rep, pause with your arms straight and extend your elbows and shoulders so you feel your triceps contracting. Squeeze so hard that there is a danger that you might cramp up. Hold for 10-15 seconds, and then relax.
Try to replicate this sensation whenever you flex your triceps. Experiment with different grips and handles to see which positions allow you to flex your triceps the hardest. A rope handle is especially effective for this exercise.
The Benefits of Flexing Your Triceps
Flexing your triceps might seem like a pointless endeavor. Still, it could actually be quite beneficial and improve your performance and appearance. Here are the top reasons for working on your triceps flexing.
Improved mind-muscle connection
Bodybuilders often talk about the mind-muscle connection and its importance for effective workouts. This is no myth, and establishing a better link between your brain and your muscles can have a profound effect on your training and performance.
You cannot expect to build a muscle you cannot control properly. Also, the more mental force you can direct into a muscle, the more powerfully it will contract. Can’t feel your lats during lat pulldowns? You’ll never build a big back until you can. The same is true for your triceps.
Flexing forges a stronger link between your mind and your muscles. The sooner you learn how to contract your triceps, the more productive your workouts will become.
See how your triceps training is progressing
While big arms look great, shape also matters. Think about a bodybuilder’s arms and the arms of someone who is overweight. Both potentially share the same circumference, but they look entirely different.
Flexing your triceps will reveal the shape of your muscles or the lack of it if you are carrying too much body fat. If you can’t see the outline of the three heads when you flex your triceps, you should take this as an indicator that it’s time to stop bulking and start cutting.
Better photos
If you like sharing photos on social media, you undoubtedly want to look your best. Learning to flex your triceps will make your arms look bigger and better conditioned than just letting them hang relaxed at your sides.
Sure, you could improve triceps separation with some sneaky photoshopping, but that often comes out looking fake. Flexing your triceps will save you time and ensure your arms look their best naturally.
Andrew Jacked Posing Tips From Wheeler Milo – (Image: Andrew Jacked/YouTube)
For competition
Pro bodybuilders know that competitions are not won and lost in the gym but on stage. Presentation matters, and it’s not always the biggest guy who carries away the trophy. As their next competition approaches, savvy bodybuilders spend increasing amounts of time working on their poses. Posing is a skill that all bodybuilders need to master.
You need more than a good double biceps, lat spread, and side pec pose to win a bodybuilding show. You also need to be able to flex the hell out of your triceps if you want to stand on the podium.
How to Flex Your Triceps – Closing Thoughts
While you need to do more than flex your triceps to make them grow, practicing some triceps poses certainly won’t hurt your arm development. Flexing will reinforce your mind-muscle connection, which will, in turn, make your workouts more productive. Flexing your triceps for photos will make them more Instagram-worthy.
The great thing about triceps flexing is that you can do it anywhere and anytime. Warm up with a few easy push-ups, and then get to work.
Pay as much attention to your triceps as you do your biceps, and you’ll be well on your way to building arms you can be proud of!