Incline Face Away Pushdowns
For Increased Tricep Contraction
The pushdown is,
of course, one of the standard exercises for developing the
triceps. This variation puts a very powerful tension on the
triceps. Not only do you have to do the exercise but the direction
of pull from the high pulley means you also have to exert constant
tension in order to keep your arms down at your sides. This
is a great exercise that will set your triceps on fire!
First, set an incline
bench in front of a high pulley with the bench facing away.
You can use any attachment with this - bar, rope, triangle bar,
etc. Lay back on the bench and reach back overhead and grab
the attachment.
Bring the cable down
and in front to the start position you would normally begin
the pushdown exercise. Keeping your arms at your sides, do the
pushdown, coming around to the bottom. Squeeze the triceps very
hard at the bottom.
At the bottom, try
to push your shoulders down as though you are trying to push
the attachment onto your thighs.
As you're doing the
exercise, let the cable come down on either the left or right
side of your neck.
Complete the full
set of reps, let the bar back up overhead and set it back down.
For an extra hit
to the long head of the triceps, you can let the arms come up
a bit at the top of the movement. This turns the top into a
bit of a pullover movement, increasing the activation of the
long head of the triceps.
