Triceps pushdown is one of the routines that are commonly used in strength training and mainly workout’s the triceps brachii muscle. This muscle is found along the back of the upper arm and is mainly used for pulling, pushing, and extension movements; thereby, it is nicely incorporated while working out on the upper part of your body.
One of the most important choices you have to make while performing the triceps pushdown exercise is to perform it using the overhand grip ( palms facing down) or the underhand or hammer grip ( palms facing up). In this article, let us discuss such differences, their impact on triceps exercise, as well as the one that will best suit your objective. We’ll also discuss the reasons why it is always useful to diversify triceps exercises in this particular workout session.
You can visit our previous article on Aesthetic Physique if you really wanna build it.
Understanding the Analysis of the Triceps Muscle
Before examining the variations of grip, let me give a brief overview of the triceps muscle. There are three muscles of the triceps;
- Triceps Surae: One of the heads of the triceps that is located on the peripheral side, it looks fraternally like a horseshoe when the muscle is fully developed. The muscle for this movement is mainly involved during the push movements of an individual.
- The medial head delivers thickness to the triceps. It makes a significant contribution to the action of elbow extension and stability.
- Long Head: The inside of the triceps that is located on the rear side of the upper arm. The long head is highly paramount in general triceps hypertrophy and even more so when it comes to creating detail in extremity.
Knowing the different roles of these triceps heads will enable you to come up with an ideal exercise regimen that personal on the heads if your goal is to enhance your upper arm look.
Forward Grip Triceps Pushdown
Muscle Emphasis: As the name suggests, the forward grip triceps pushdown hits more on the lateral head of triceps. This grip is useful for those who wish to add more shape to their triceps muscles and add to the appearance of the “horseshoe” shape.
The execution:
- Fasten a straight bar or a rope handle on the top pulley of the pulley system equipment.
- Depending on the type of fitness machine you want to use, ensure that you align yourself about one arm’s length away from it, with your feet about shoulder width apart.
- Hold it with your hands flat, thumbs facing down, i.e., the overhand grip and ensure you have a firm grip on the bar or the rope.
- Do not swing your elbows around widely, and keep your upper arms stationary.
- Breathe out as you pull the bar or the rope down and extend the full length of your arms; you should feel the contraction in the triceps.
- Pause, then exhale while lowering the bar or rope back to the starting position with the same controlled manner in which it was raised.
Pros:
- The forward grip is thus used to give the arms a sculpted look by drawing more focus to the lateral head.
- This variation helps in developing a better mind-muscle connection with the triceps, which would translate into increased activation and thus hypertrophy of the targeted muscles.
Things to watch out for:
- This grip might need slightly less weight than the reverse grip because normally, the lateral head consists of less bulk than the medial head.
Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown (Undergrip)
Muscle Emphasis: Exerciser-targeting the medial head of the triceps, the reverse grip triceps pushdown. This head is important in adding total girth to the arm, making reverse grip a preferred exercise for individuals who want to gain mass.
Execute:
- Firstly, for this exercise, one requires an exercise cable machine with a high pulley, and then a straight bar or rope handle has to be attached to the pulley.
- It is recommended that one stand directly in front of the machine with a comfortable distance between your feet that is the width of your shoulders.
- Take the bar or the rope with your hands pronated, which means that the palms should be facing upwards.
- Your arms must therefore be parallel to your shoulders, your elbows a little twisted into your body, and your upper arms should not swing.
- Breathe out when the bar or rope descends towards you until the arms are fully locked out and sensation is felt in the triceps.
- After a few moments’ rest, give up breath and lower the bar or the rope to its initial position.
Pros:
- The everyday reverse grip also targets the medial head more effectively, leading to enhanced arm voluminocity. This variation typically enables one to lift much heavier weights since it implies a better grip, and therefore greater muscle recruitment.
Things to Consider:
- He claimed that the reverse grip can be more problematic to the wrists and sometimes the forearm, depending on the hand size of the person exercising.
Choosing the Grip to Fulfil Your Goals
The decision of which of the two to take, the forward grip triceps pushdown or a reverse grip triceps pushdown, is therefore very important, depending on your training objectives as well as your preferences. The reverse grip pushdown is somehow superior to the normal plank push-up in terms of emphasising the triceps muscle. Here, the breakdown is given to understand which grip will be perfect for a particular kind of player:
1. Aesthetic Goals:
Forward Grip: If you have a desire to work on the lateral head of the triceps and build toned muscles in your arm, then you should perform this exercise in a forward grip style. Reverse Grip: For those who want to try out a general increase in the overall thickness of the arms and want to flex more of the medial head, then the reverse grip triceps push-up can be considered. The reverse grip triceps push can also be used to target certain triceps areas besides improving upper body strength and mass. There are certain tips to be followed to ensure that one gets the best out of this exercise about form and grip.
2. Variation and Balance:
It is therefore strongly recommended to include both of the grip types in the course of developing the triceps. It applies to all three of the triceps head muscles and serves to develop them equally to some extent.
3. Comfort and Wrist Health:
A certain amount of difficulty can be experienced with using grip, especially those that involve the wrist of the hand. It is advisable to select a grip that is a natural one for you, more so if you are sensitive to your wrist or forearm.
4. Progressive Overload:
Whichever grip you employ, making steady improvements to the weights and volumes of the exercises would be crucial in achieving progressive growth of the muscles and strength. Ensure that you put your triceps under the confront regularly to prevent getting used to lighter weights or fewer sets.
Sample Triceps Workout Routine
Here is a typical triceps exercise program that participants could use to train the triceps muscles through both forward and reverse grips:
- Warm-up:
Jogging, brisk cycling: 5-10 minutes
Arm circling and shoulder stretches for the shoulder and elbow joint.
- Workout:
Forward Grip Triceps Pushdown: 4 x 10-12
It is highly recommended to pay attention to the control of the movement and a powerful contraction of the muscles at the moment of pushdown.
The second movement was the reverse grip cable triceps pushdown., The exercise has four sets of 8-10 reps.
If comfortable, it is useful to proceed to a slightly heavier weight and to pull to full at the bottom position.
Overhead Triceps Extension** (with rope or dumbbell):** 3 approaches × 10-12 reps
This exercise is complementary to the pushdown variations and works on the long head of the triceps.
- Triceps Dips: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Swing on parallel bars or a barbell bench to continue directly to the two heads of the triceps.
- Cool Down:
Five minutes of moderate warm-up in the form of triceps, shoulder and chest stretch exercises.
Conclusion
It can be done either in the forward or reverse manner and is one of the best exercises that guarantee the development of strength and shape of the triceps. It is quite common to divide this area into three triceps muscles; knowing these muscles’ arrangement and the impact of various grips on muscle activation allows designing workouts with due account of one’s objectives.
Both grip types will assist you in fully working out the triceps, which leads to total growth of this part of the arms and, therefore, improves the overall look of your hands. In this case, it is important to focus on form, pay attention to the signals the body sends and gradually progress to the next levels to gain the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which grip is better for building bigger triceps — forward or reverse grip?
Every grip is useful, but when you are looking to build more girth and thickness into the arm, then underhand, the reverse grip pushdown will work on the medial head to a greater extent. This grip of overhand grip is good for carving and shaping the lateral part of this three-headed muscle.
2. Is it safe to do reverse grip triceps pushdowns if I have wrist pain?
Some people have problems with their wrist, which is why if it causes you discomfort, you’d better avoid the reverse grip. There are situations when the hand position should be changed, the weight is reduced, or the forward grip is used instead of neutral to minimise the load on the wrists. It thus warrants patients to prioritise the two aspects of comfort and joint health at all times.
3. Can I include both forward and reverse grip pushdowns in one workout?
Absolutely! That is why both variations are used in this triceps workout to avoid the concentration on one head of the triceps rather than the other two heads – the lateral and medial heads, and the long head.
4. How often should I change my grip or triceps routine?
Because of this, it is recommended to change your grip or modify your exercises after 4 to 6 weeks. This helps keep the muscles working, avoids stagnation and ensures that their strength and size are constantly increasing.
