For triceps growth
For triceps growth, cross-body cable extension rates well ahead on our research criteria: more stretch, easier on the joints.
Bar pushdown is easier to progress.
Both are good choices, and they train the triceps differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed. (Fonseca et al., 2014; Costa et al., 2021)
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Bar Pushdown. Heavy and simple, but with the arms at your sides the long head never gets stretched.
Cross-Body Cable Extension. Arms across the body give the triceps a long range under steady cable tension, one side at a time.
For triceps growth, cross-body cable extension rates well ahead on our research criteria: more stretch, easier on the joints. Bar pushdown is easier to progress. Both are good choices, and they train the triceps differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed.
Bar pushdown is easier: it’s easy to learn, while cross-body cable extension takes some practice.
Bar pushdown needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Cross-body cable extension needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
Cross-body cable extension: it rates Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Strong for bar pushdown.