How to perform the Bent Over Rope Pushdown
- 1Attach a rope to the high pulley of a cable machine. Face the machine and grip one end of the rope in each hand.
- 2Hinge forward at the hips to roughly 45 degrees, keeping your back flat and core braced throughout.
- 3Starting with elbows bent and the rope near your chest, drive your forearms downward and back in an arc until your elbows are fully extended.
- 4At full extension, separate the rope ends by pulling them slightly outward to maximise the triceps contraction.
- 5Slowly return the rope to the starting position, allowing your elbows to flex fully so the long head of the triceps gets a complete stretch.
Coach tips
- The forward hinge is the point of this variation — it places the long head of the triceps in a lengthened position, increasing mechanical tension and growth stimulus compared to standing pushdowns.
- Split the rope ends at lockout. The outward pull activates the lateral and medial triceps heads more than a fixed-grip pushdown.
- Keep your upper arms stationary relative to your torso — only your forearms should move.
- Use a lighter load than standing pushdowns. The lengthened position makes the movement harder, especially in the stretched phase.
- Control the eccentric (rope travelling back up) for 2-3 seconds to maximise time under tension.
Train triceps smarter
One rep, one set. Hypro turns the Bent Over Rope Pushdown into measurable progress, week after week.
The right weight, every set
Hypro suggests your next Bent Over Rope Pushdown weight and reps based on what you actually lifted, your rest, and your fatigue. Choose weight-first or reps-first. The more you log, the sharper it gets.
See exactly how much triceps you train each week
Every set you log counts toward weekly volume per muscle group. Spot imbalances, avoid junk volume, and program the same way IFBB Pros do.
Use this exercise inside an IFBB Pro plan
Pick a coach-made program, get a plan matched to your goals, and message your coach for form checks. The Bent Over Rope Pushdown fits right into proven hypertrophy and strength templates.
For optimal triceps hypertrophy: aim for 10-20 weekly sets at 65-80% of your 1RM with 1-2 reps in reserve.
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