Single Arm Reverse Triceps Pushdowns (How To & Alternatives)

Triceps Pushdowns are hands down a first-ballot Hall of Fame arm exercise. Walk into any gym in the country right now and I can almost guarantee you you’ll find someone at the cable machine doing Triceps Pushdowns.

Single Arm Reverse Triceps Pushdowns are a slight variation to the standard pushdown that gets the wrist extensors heavily involved.

In this guide, I’m going to teach you how to do Single Arm Reverse Triceps Pushdowns including coaching points for doing them correctly. I’ll also give you a few alternatives in case you don’t have access to a cable machine.

How To Do Single-Arm Reverse Triceps Pushdowns

Equipment Needed

Cable Machine
Single Handle Cable Attachment

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step up a cable machine by sliding the pin all the way to the top of the beam.
Attach a single-handle cable attachment.
Grab the attachment with a supinated grip (palms up).
Pull the attachment down until your elbow is next to your side (arm should still be bent).
Now, extend the arm down by flexing the triceps and driving the attachment toward the floor.
Squeeze the triceps at full extension for one second and then slowly allow the attachment to raise back to the starting position.
Keep elbows tucked into the sides throughout the movement.
Complete all reps on one arm and then switch to the other arm.

Coaching Points

Do not swing and use momentum at the top of the movement in an attempt to use more weight. Stay in control of the weight at all times and use proper form.

You’ll use significantly less weight on Reverse Triceps Pushdowns than you will with regular Triceps Pushdowns. This is due to the wrist extensors being the limiting factor with this movement.

Muscles Worked

Single Arm Reverse Triceps Pushdowns work all three heads of the Triceps muscle, but the medial head is emphasized the most:

Triceps Brachii lateral head
Triceps brachii long head
Triceps brachii medial head
Anconeus

They also heavily emphasize the wrist extensors of the forearm:

Extensor carpi radialis brevis
Extensor carpi ulnaris
Extensor carpi radialis longus

SA Reverse Triceps Pushdowns Alternatives

If you can’t do One Arm Reverse Triceps Pushdowns, for whatever reason, then here are a few alternatives that you may be able to use as a substitution.

Band Triceps Pushdowns

The closest alternative to Triceps Pushdowns, including Single Arm Reverse Triceps Pushdowns, with a cable machine is doing the same movement using a resistance band.

Simply loop a resistance band (a relatively thin one if you want to go single arm) around the top of a squat rack and you can do Reverse Triceps Pushdowns. In my opinion, it’s worth paying a few bucks for a resistance band for your home gym if for nothing else than being able to do Band Triceps Pushdowns.

Reverse Wrist Curls

If you’re looking for another exercise to target your wrist extensors, then you might want to give Reverse Wrist Curls a try.

Grab a bar with an overhand grip and sit on a bench. Lay your forearms flat against the bench with your wrists hanging just off the edge. Flex and extend at the wrist while keeping your forearms connected to the bench to really isolate your wrist extensor muscles.