Gym Shorts: The Banded Tricep Push Down

The Banded Tricep Push Down

Gym Shorts videos provide short video demonstrations of correct form for various exercises.

Follow these steps

• Grab band with each hand around chin height
• Keeping elbows in, push down until elbows & shoulders are fully extended
• Drive hands outward
• Slow, controlled eccentric movement
• Shoulders extend slightly, then elbows extend
• Bend elbows, then shoulders flex slightly

What Is It?

The banded tricep push down (or triceps push down) is an accessory exercise that trains the triceps muscle–the slab of muscle on the back of your upper arms–without the use of a pulley machine or dumbbells. Because of this, more people can perform this than some other triceps accessory exercises.

To perform this exercise, you need a band and a horizontal bar or similar surface that allows you to loop the band around the bar.

From there, you need to ensure you have a band that provides the proper resistance. If you can only perform a couple reps, the band is too thick/provides too much resistance. If you can perform more than 20 reps, then you need a thicker band to provide greater resistance.

Programming

The exercise stresses the triceps muscle, which extend both the elbows and the shoulders. Because of these functions, the triceps contributes to the press and bench press concentric portion.

As you advance as a lifter, you will need to provide additional stress beyond the primary and even supplemental lifts, so accessory lifts such as this provide a great way to stress a muscle without stressing the joints and connective tissues too much.

This lift is generally done at the end of an upper body day on a 4-day split. Normally, you perform your intensity lift, your volume lift, your upper body pull, and then quickly perform your accessory work.

Generally, perform this for sets of 6-20 reps for 2-5 sets.

We tend to only program accessory lifts like this for intermediate and advanced lifters who require additional stress beyond the main barbell lifts.

If you’re an intermediate or advanced lifter looking to provide greater stress to your triceps, consider adding the banded tricep push down to your routine.

Click HERE to watch a video on one of our favorite triceps accessory exercises, the rolling dumbbell extensions, and HERE to learn more how to become a chiseled beefcake.