For triceps growth
For triceps growth, the two are close. Rope pushdown rates slightly higher: more of the work on the triceps.
Single-arm cable pushdown gives more stretch.
Both are good choices that train the triceps the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Rope Pushdown. Simple and joint-friendly, but the long head never gets stretched.
Single-Arm Cable Pushdown. One arm at a time with steady tension. Joint-friendly, with less stretch than overhead work.
For triceps growth, the two are close. Rope pushdown rates slightly higher: more of the work on the triceps. Single-arm cable pushdown gives more stretch. Both are good choices that train the triceps the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
Rope pushdown needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Single-arm cable pushdown needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.