Triceps exercise
Band Triceps PushdownHow to do it, with form in numbers
How to do it
How do you do the Band Triceps Pushdown?
- Anchor a band above head height and hold one end in each hand.
- Stand facing the anchor, elbows by your sides, hands at chest height.
- Straighten your elbows to push your hands down to your thighs.
- Squeeze, then let your hands rise slowly back to chest height.
Cues
- Elbows pinned to your sides
- Shoulders back and down
- Slow on the way up
Common mistakes
- Elbows drifting forward; keep them beside your ribs.
- Leaning over to push; stand tall and use a lighter band.
- Letting the band snap back; control the return.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
A resistance band anchored above head height (over the top of a door with a door anchor, or round a high bar), its two ends hanging down. Feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent (about 170°), hips straight, torso upright (0–10° forward lean), abs braced, shoulders back and down. One band end in each hand, closed grip, palms facing each other (neutral), wrists straight. The band is already under light tension at the start.
The movement
Only the elbows move. The hands travel down in an arc round the elbows from chest to thighs, then back up the same arc. Upper arms, shoulders, torso and legs stay still. On the return, stop before the elbows drift forward.
End position
(turnaround point): elbows extended to 170–180° (straight, not snapped). Hands beside the fronts of the thighs; the hands may turn slightly palms-down and apart at the bottom. Upper arms still by the sides. Brief squeeze. The band is at its longest, so this is the hardest point.
Tempo
Push down 1 s, hold 0.5 s, return 2 s (controlled against the band), brief pause 0.3 s.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchor height | top of a door, about 2 m | above head height | |
| Torso forward lean | 5° | 0–10° | |
| Upper arm (shoulder flexion) | 0°, by the side | 0–10° | |
| Elbow flexion at start | 110° | 90–130° | |
| Elbow at end | 175° | 170–180° (no snap) | |
| Elbow forward drift | 0 cm | 0–3 cm | |
| Wrist flexion or extension | 0° | 0–10° |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Band Triceps Pushdown is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
