Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown
Holding a straight or EZ bar with an underhand grip at a high pulley, you push it down until your arms are straight, elbows pinned, training the triceps with your forearms helping.
- Primary muscles
- Triceps
- Secondary
- Forearm extensors
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
Loads from YouTube only when you press play. The video is by an independent creator.
Why do it
Turning your palms up changes the feel of a pushdown: many people find it easier to keep the elbows tucked, and the forearm extensors work to hold the wrists straight. The underhand grip is weaker and harder on the wrists, so you'll use less weight than with an overhand bar, and an EZ bar usually feels better than a straight one. Treat it as a variation for lighter, higher-rep sets rather than the pushdown you load heaviest.
How to do it
Attach a straight or EZ bar to a high pulley and grab it with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
Pin your elbows to your sides with your forearms parallel to the floor.
Push the bar down until your arms are straight and squeeze the triceps.
Let it rise slowly back to the start. The underhand grip is harder on the wrists, so keep them straight and go lighter than usual.
Common mistakes
Bending your wrists back
Under load, the wrists tend to fold back toward you. Keep them straight in line with your forearms, and go lighter if they won't stay there.
Using your normal pushdown weight
The underhand grip is noticeably weaker. Start well below your usual pushdown load and build up while your wrists and elbows stay in position.
Letting your elbows rise
If your elbows lift away from your sides as the bar comes up, the shoulders join in. Stop the bar when your forearms are parallel to the floor.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
