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Machine Cable V Bar Push Downs

Cable push-downs with a V-bar that isolate all three heads of the triceps through a clean, controlled extension.

How to do it

  1. Attach a V-bar to a high pulley and stand facing the machine with feet hip-width apart.
  2. Grab the V-bar with both hands, palms facing in and slightly down.
  3. Tuck your elbows close to your sides and pull the bar down to chest height as your start.
  4. Brace your core and press the bar down by extending your elbows, keeping them pinned.
  5. Fully straighten your arms at the bottom with a short pause and your triceps squeezed.
  6. Let the bar rise slowly back to chest height under control before the next rep.

Key technique cue

Elbows pinned, not drifting forward — press to full extension, let the handle rise smoothly.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows drift forward and away from the ribs, which turns the exercise into a press.
  • Leaning far over the bar to use body weight instead of triceps strength.
  • Cutting the lockout short instead of fully extending the arms at the bottom.
  • Letting the bar snap back to the start and skipping the controlled return.

Benefits

  • Builds triceps size across all three heads with a clean isolation pattern.
  • Strengthens the elbow extension that supports every pressing variation.
  • Adds high-volume arm work without stressing the joints.

Progression: from easier to harder

  1. Step 1 You are here
  2. Step 2
Full “Triceps pushdown” progression

About the exercise

Machine Cable V Bar Push Downs are a single-joint triceps isolation exercise. Standing in front of a high pulley with a V-bar attached, the lifter starts with the bar at chest height and presses it straight down by extending the elbows until the arms are straight. The angled grip on the V-bar puts the wrists and forearms in a comfortable, near-neutral position, which lets the triceps work through a full range without stressing the joints. It's a core accessory for arm day or push day. It suits arm hypertrophy, push-day finishers, and triceps isolation for beginner-to-intermediate lifters.

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