Liftworthy
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Liftworthy

Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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Explore/Triceps

Bar Pushdown

Also called V-bar pushdown, Straight-bar pushdown

CableIsolationEasy to learn
Front
Back
Primary

Works

Triceps

You need

Cable station

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
1Start
2Bottom
Main muscles
  1. 1Elbows fixed at your sides
  2. 2Lock out fully at the bottom
  3. 3Slow on the way up

Most common mistake

Elbows swinging forward on every rep.

Watch a demo

Good for

  • Top 10 for triceps
  • Keeps the work on the target muscle
  • Easy to keep adding weight

Compare with

vs Rope Pushdownvs Dumbbell Skull Crushervs Triceps Extension Machine
A
For triceps
#10 of 20
See the full list →
Research
76
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 76
Target tensionExcellent
Loaded stretchFair
ProgressionExcellent
Low costStrong

Heavy and simple, but with the arms at your sides the long head never gets stretched.

Research behind these criteria

  • Target tension: Zabaleta-Korta et al., 2021 · Kinoshita et al., 2023
  • Loaded stretch: Maeo et al., 2021 · Maeo et al., 2023 · Pedrosa et al., 2022 · Kassiano et al., 2023
  • Progression: Plotkin et al., 2022 · Pelland et al., 2026
  • Low cost: Schoenfeld et al., 2021 · Refalo et al., 2023
How scores work

Machine taken? Swap to

  • STriceps Extension MachineMachine
  • SOverhead EZ-Bar ExtensionBarbell
  • AOverhead Dumbbell ExtensionDumbbell
  • SOverhead Cable ExtensionCable

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