Cable Rope Overhead Tricep Extension
Overhead rope extension from a high pulley that stretches the triceps long head before every elbow extension.
How to do it
- Attach a rope to a high pulley and select a moderate weight.
- Grip both ends with a neutral grip and turn away from the stack.
- Take a split stance and bring the rope behind your head with the elbows bent.
- Hinge slightly forward at the hips and brace your abs.
- Extend your elbows to drive the rope forward and slightly apart.
- Stop just short of lockout, then lower back into the stretch under control.
Key technique cue
Elbows don't wander, lower back stays quiet — extend the rope forward, stop short of a hard lockout.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Letting the elbows flare and travel, which turns the extension into a press.
- ✕ Arching the lower back as the cable pulls, which loads the spine instead of the triceps.
- ✕ Locking out hard at the top, which hands the tension to the elbow joint.
- ✕ Choosing a weight that pulls you backwards, so the stance rather than the arms controls the rep.
Benefits
- ✓ Loads the triceps long head in a stretched position that pushdowns do not reach.
- ✓ Constant cable tension through the whole elbow extension range.
- ✓ Carries over to lockout strength in bench and overhead pressing.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Cable Rope Overhead Tricep Extension
- Cable Overhead Straight Bar Extensions
- Dumbbell Seated Overhead Tricep Extension
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Step 2
About the exercise
The cable rope overhead tricep extension attaches a rope high on the stack, then has you turn away, hold both ends behind your head and hinge slightly forward in a split stance. With the shoulder flexed, the long head of the triceps is already lengthened, which is why overhead variations bias that head more than a pushdown does. You extend the elbows and squeeze without locking out hard, keeping the upper arms still so the movement stays at the elbow. The abs work through the set to stop the cable pulling the lower back into an arch.
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