The best triceps cable exercises for gaining muscle mass and toning your arms can be found here.

A cable exercise provides constant tension on the muscle throughout the exercise, making it a versatile and effective way to target the tricep muscles.

You should not think that bigger, more defined arms are just due to biceps. Triceps make up the majority of the upper arm.

Triceps make up around two-thirds of the upper arm, so if you want well-developed arms, activate all three heads of your triceps.

We will discuss different tricep cable exercises, workout routines, and tips for proper form in this blog

Anatomy and Function of the Triceps Brachii

The triceps brachii, or simply triceps, are a three-headed muscle opposite the biceps that accounts for two-thirds of upper arm mass.

The three tricep head muscles are essential for maximum gains, so focus on them and work them hard.

By understanding the anatomy of the triceps, we can train with these triceps exercises easily and effectively.

There are three parts to the triceps, the medial, lateral, and long head.

In two distinct areas of the humerus, just below the socket of the shoulder blade, it begins.

• A long head is the portion of the tricep that runs along the back of the upper arm.
• On the outside of the arm, the lateral head is the smallest muscle.
• The medial head is located around the middle of the upper arm.

Strong triceps have the following advantages:

You use your arms every day for almost every upper body movement, and your triceps are often the heavy lifters.

If you push anything, whether it's a door, stroller, lawnmower, or barbell, you're using your triceps.

Strengthening the triceps has many other benefits.

• The triceps are important for shoulder stability and range of motion
• The main function of the triceps is to extend the elbow joint or simply straighten the arm.
• You can keep your elbow joints healthy by strengthening your triceps.
• Strengthening, powering, and endurance of the arms.
• Lifts heavier during other lifts, such as bench presses and shoulder presses.
• Your arm muscles look bigger and more defined with a big tricep!
  

Triceps Cable Exercises: Benefits

Let's take a look at some other benefits of cable triceps exercises. They provide an effective way to train the triceps.

• Cable exercises allow for targeted isolation of the tricep muscles, which can enhance muscle activation and growth.
• With cable exercises, there is constant tension on the muscles throughout the exercise, which can lead to increased muscle fatigue and growth.
• Cable tricep exercises allow for a wide range of motion and the use of different attachments, which can add variety to your workout routine and target the tricep muscles from different angles.
• It is easy to progress and increase the intensity of cable exercises by changing the weight and reps.
• Prevention of injuries: Cable exercises are typically low-impact, which reduces the risk of injury to joints. Additionally, proper form and technique can reduce injuries.
• A well-defined and toned set of tricep muscles can enhance a person's appearance
• As a result of the cable setup, your muscles are under almost uninterrupted tension, and you receive a huge pump, both of which can maximize muscle growth.

Best Triceps Cable Workout

These are the 15 best Triceps Cable Exercises that will help you build stronger and bigger triceps.

Pushdowns Triceps

Triceps pushdowns are a great exercise to start with if you're looking for straightforward cable machine tricep exercises.

Cable triceps pushdowns, also known as triceps pressdowns, are the best triceps exercises because the cable provides a uniform level of resistance throughout the exercise.

Pronated grips (palms down) emphasize the outer lateral head of the triceps, while supinated grips (palms up) emphasize the inner long head.

By switching to a neutral grip (thumbs up), all three triceps heads are equally targeted.

How To Do

• Face a short straight bar attached to a high-pulley cable.
• Bend your knees slightly and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your elbows tight against your sides while holding the Short bar with a pronated grip (palm down).
• Straighten your arms until they are fully extended, keeping your elbows stationary.
• At full arm extension, flex your triceps and slowly return the bar to the starting position.

Tips

• Ropes or EZ bars can be used for this exercise.
• The standard position is to stand upright with the spine straight.

Pushdowns with reverse grip on the triceps

You can also work your cable triceps with reverse-grip tricep pushdowns.

The underhand grip focuses effort on the inner long head of the triceps in this variation of the straight bar tricep push down.

Adding these triceps Cable exercises to your triceps workout can minimize the involvement of the forearms and help to place less stress on the elbows.

How To Do

• A short straight bar is attached to a high-pulley cable.
• With your elbows tight against your sides, grasp the short bar with a supinated grip (palm up).
• Straighten your arms until they are fully extended while keeping your elbows stationary.
• At full arm extension, flex your triceps and slowly return the bar to its starting position.

Tips

• Don't completely lock your elbows if you want more tension in your triceps.
• Maintain proper form by preventing your elbows from flaring out.
• Keep your back straight and your chest high.

Kickback of the cable triceps

Most people perform cable tricep kickbacks just using the cable without any handle or D handle attached. This is a good example of a single-arm tricep cable exercise.

All three heads of the tricep muscle are strengthened by this versatile and effective exercise.

Maintaining constant tension on target muscles is important for muscle hypertrophy.

For beginners, using cables can be both effective and easier, as it provides continuous resistance.

How To Do

• A single grip rope handle should be attached to the cable pulley system's lowest notch.
• Bend your knees, keep your back straight, and grab the rope with your left hand.
• Keeping your upper arm parallel to the floor, extend your elbow until your arm is fully extended.
• Return to the starting position after flexing the triceps hard.
• Repeat all reps on the left arm and then on the right arm.

Tips

• Protect your elbows from excessive stress by warming up with lightweight before training heavy.
• Try to keep your body as still as possible, moving only your forearms.

Rope Triceps Extension

Rope tricep extensions are variations of cable tricep extensions that build the tricep muscles.

Your bench press and shoulder press variations will also benefit from well-built triceps.

How To Do

• Face a rope-attached high pulley machine with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hold the rope ends with your palms facing inward and your elbows at your waist.
• Exhale as you lower the rope by extending your arms straight down at your sides while keeping your body stationary.
• As you slowly return the rope to its starting position, hold for a moment and then inhale.

Tip

• Raising and lowering the rope should only be done with your forearms.
• The standard position is to stand upright with the spine straight.
• As you lower the rope, contract your triceps.

Cable Standing High Cross Triceps Extension

Try Cable Standing High Cross Triceps Extensions for a more creative tricep cable workout.

You will absolutely smoke your triceps with the cable cross tricep extension between a pushdown and a kickback.

Those who are very tall and struggle to stretch their triceps would benefit from this exercise.

How To Do

• On a cable station, place both pulleys at the highest position.
• With your left hand, grab the right cable end, and with your right hand, grab the left cable end.
• Lock out your elbows by flexing your triceps forcefully.
• In the back of your arms, you should feel a strong contraction.
• While keeping your elbows still, hold the peak contraction for a full second. Slowly release the contraction.
• You can repeat steps 3-4 as many times as you like.

Tips

• During the set, your elbow must remain fixed.
• To get an extra pump, squeeze the triceps hard at the end of the exercise.
• Control the rep timing and keep it slow.

Extension of the cable over the overhead triceps

An exercise used to build the triceps muscles, the overhead rope tricep extension is a variation of the rope tricep extension.

The overhead tricep extension variations are especially effective at targeting the long head of the triceps.

Long head muscles appear larger when they are denser.

How To Do

• The bottom pulley of the cable machine should be attached with a rope facing away from it.
• When your hands are directly above your head, hold the rope with both hands with palms facing each other (neutral grip).
• When your triceps are fully stretched, inhale as you perform this movement.
• Repeat the desired number of reps and sets slowly.

Tips

• Don't load up to the point where you can't maintain a stable body position.
• Engage your triceps by keeping your arms close to your head.
• From start to finish, move slowly and controlled.

Push-down for the Triceps with a Cable One-Arm Reverse-Grip

A cable machine workout can be supplemented with single-arm exercises to correct potential imbalances.

The exercise builds muscle and strength in all three heads of the triceps.

However, the reverse grip may allow you to emphasize more of the outer tricep head with push-downs.

How To Do

• With an underhand grip, stand near the cable apparatus and grasp the single-grip attachment.
• As you press the weight downward, exhale throughout the movement while keeping your elbows at your sides.
• As the weight rises, inhale throughout the negative motion until your forearms are parallel to the ground.
• You can repeat steps 3-4 as many times as you like.

Tips

• As much as possible, keep your upper arm still, allowing only your forearm to move.
• To get that extra pump, squeeze the triceps hard at the end of the exercise.

Triceps extension with cable

The Cable Lying Triceps Extension is a great variation on the regular skull crusher.

You will get constant tension on your triceps and improve your mind-muscle connection with this cable version.

How To Do

• Place a bench in front of the cable machine and attach a bar to the lower end.
• Hold an overhand grip on a bar while lying down on the bench.
• Your elbow should be facing up, and your arms should be at a 90° angle.
• Keep your elbows tucked in as you lower the bar until it reaches below your head.
• Extend fully at the top by squeezing your triceps.
• Make sure your elbows are not locked out, and repeat for the number of repetitions you desire.

Tips

• Under good control, this exercise should be performed slowly and carefully.
• If you use ropes, you will target your lateral head more than your long head.

Triceps Extension with Incline Cable

In tricep overhead extensions, which involve all the beams, the extension of the hands is one of the best exercises for drawing and pumping triceps.

Injuries or imbalances in the triceps can be corrected with this exercise.

People with wrist strains or injuries can use Cable Tricep Extensions without putting pressure on their wrists.

How To Do

• Put the rope handle on the lower block, grasp it with your hands, and sit on the bench.
• You should bend your elbows so that the handle ends are behind your head.
• Straighten your arms while keeping your elbows fixed.
• Withstood a short pause at the end of the peak contraction.
• Put yourself back in the starting position.

Tips

• Keep your elbows from flaring out.
• Don't use momentum when lowering the weights.

Overhead extension for cable high pulleys

Overhead rope tricep extensions are variations of rope tricep extensions that build triceps muscles.

It is especially effective to target the long head of the triceps with overhead tricep extension variations.

The larger your triceps appear, the denser your long head muscle is.

How To Do

• Assume a standing position by attaching a rope to a cable stack as high as possible.
• Lean forward by hinging at the hips, grasping the rope overhead with a neutral grip (palms facing).
• Extend the elbows and flex the triceps to begin the movement.
• Slowly lower the rope under control to the starting position after pulling the rope downward until the elbows are almost locked out.
• Repetition for the desired number of times

Tips

• You shouldn't allow the rope to pull you backwards or cause your lumbar spine to overarch.
• To prevent the rope from grazing the back of your head, you may need to tuck your chin slightly.

Cable overhead extensions with one arm

This exercise targets each side of the triceps separately.

Standing or sitting, this exercise will balance your arm strength and give you an asymmetrical look.

How To Do

• Put a stirrup (handle) on a cable pulley that is slightly lower than your chest. Grab the stirrup with one hand and lift it over your head.
• Lean a little forward, stagger your feet for balance, and lower your hand behind your back as you turn away from the pulley.
• You should feel a stretch in your triceps brachii when you raise your elbow high, pull the cable taut, and raise your elbow high.
• Exhale as you extend your elbow as you raise the stirrup over your head.
• You should feel a mild stretch in your triceps brachii as you flex your elbow to lower the stirrup towards the starting position.
• The repetitions should be repeated for the prescribed number of times.
• With your opposite arm, repeat the exercise.

Tips

• Only your forearm should move. Keep your body and upper arm still.
• Your elbow should be close to your head at all times.

Triceps extension with cable concentration

A cable concentration triceps extension is a unilateral exercise (you train one side of your body at a time).

In all unilateral exercises, start with your weak side. Do not perform more repetitions on your strong side to promote equal strength on both sides.

Kneel in such a place and position to ensure optimal resistance throughout the exercise.

How To Do

• Put a stirrup handle on a cable pulley and adjust it up high.
• Turn your left side of the body towards the machine while kneeling on your left knee.
• Make sure your right leg is bent and your upper thigh is parallel to the ground.
• As you pull the cable down towards the floor, press your elbow and upper arm against your inner thigh just above your knee.
• Repeat and switch arms slowly to return to the starting position.

Tips

• Don't lock the elbows completely if you want more tension in the triceps.
• Straighten your back and fix your upper arm against the inside of your thigh.

V-bar for triceps pushdowns

A cable V-bar pushdown is a great alternative for your triceps. The angled bar allows you to lift heavier weights than a straight bar.

You can perform this exercise in a variety of ways. For example, you can use a straight cable bar attachment or an E-Z bar attachment.

How To Do

• Grab an overhand grip at shoulder width while attaching a V-Bar to a high pulley.
• Keeping your torso straight and your upper arms perpendicular to the floor, stand upright with your torso straight.
• Bring the bar down until it touches the front of your thighs and your arms are fully extended.
• You should pause at full arm extension, flex your triceps, and slowly return the V-bar to its starting position.

Tips

• The standard position is to stand upright with the spine straight.

Triceps extension with cable while kneeling

During your arm workout, you can do this two-arm cable tricep exercise.

Using a high pulley on a cable stack and a bench, the kneeling cable triceps extension isolates the triceps muscles.

This exercise can also be performed in a tall kneeling position from a low pulley. It is commonly used to build triceps or arms.

How To Do

• With your palms facing down, place a bench sideways in front of a high pulley machine. Hold a straight bar attachment above your head.
• Kneel away from the machine and place the backs of your upper arms on the bench.
• The forearms should point towards the high pulley while your elbows are bent.
• Press the bar out in a semicircular motion until your elbows are locked and your arms are parallel to the floor, while keeping your upper arms close to your head at all times.
• Isolate the triceps for a count, then return to the starting position.

Tips

• For maximum triceps engagement, keep your arms close to your head.
• From start to finish, perform the exercise slowly and controlled.

Driven by cable at the rear

It is an exercise that builds muscle and strength both in the triceps and rear deltoids. It is an unconventional movement, but that doesn't diminish its effectiveness.

Basically, it's two exercises in one that target two different muscles.

The cable rear-drive significantly activates muscles in your legs and core when you go heavy.

How To Do

• Put a rope on a cable pulley at shoulder height, then stand with your left side facing the pulley and grab the rope with your right hand.
• Take one step to the right, so there's tension in the cable, then turn your elbow away from the pulley so it's facing the other way.
• Exhale while contracting your Tricep while extending your forearm to the right.
• Bring your forearm back slowly and allow your arm to return to the starting position while inhaling.

Tips

• In order to maintain good form and minimize joint stress, use light to moderate weights for this exercise.
• Only your arm should move. Keep your body still.
• If your elbow drops, your latissimus dorsi will be engaged.

Techniques for training the triceps

Volume of training (sets and reps)

The number of sets and reps will depend on your fitness journey, but here is a great starting point:

Set

• For beginners, you should do 10 sets per week.
• The intermediate level requires 15 sets per week.
• The advanced level requires 20 sets per week.

When your progress stalls due to a certain amount of volume, you can add sets to increase volume.

Reps

Work with the best rep ranges and loads.

• Heavy load for 6-8 reps
• Moderate load for 8-15 reps
• With a light load, 15-20+

To be effective, the load should cause you to fail within the given rep ranges.

Beginner's Cable Tricep Workout Routine

A beginner's cable tricep workout routine that can be done at the gym is as follows:

• Tricep Pushdowns with Cable Rope: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Three sets of 12 reps of cable overhead tricep extensions
• Three sets of 12 repetitions of cable kickback

Between sets, rest for 30-60 seconds.

Throughout the exercise, use a weight appropriate for your fitness level and use proper form.

Intermediate Cable Tricep Workout

The following is a gym workout routine for intermediate cable triceps:

• Tricep Pushdowns with Cable Rope: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Four sets of 12-15 repetitions of cable tricep pushdowns with V-bar attachment
• Pushdowns with reverse grip cable: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Extension of the cable overhead triceps: 4 sets of 12-15 repetitions

Exercise Routine For Tricep Cables

The following is an advanced cable tricep workout routine you can do at the gym:

• Tricep Pushdowns: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with heavy weight, drop set for the last set
• Overhead Tricep Extension: 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions
• Kickback with cables: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with heavy weight, drop
• Tricep Pushdowns (V-bar attachment): 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• For the last set, perform 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions with the cable tricep extension attached to a straight bar

Note:

For overall muscle growth, it's a good idea to incorporate a variety of exercises into your tricep workout routine.

Don't limit yourself to cable tricep exercises. Get the benefits they offer and supplement them when necessary with other tricep exercises.

• Dumbbell Triceps Workout
• Triceps exercises you can do with your bodyweight
• Exercises for the barbell triceps

The cable workout can be easily incorporated into any training program, and it can be particularly effective when combined with dumbbells, barbells, machines, and bodyweight.

Conclusion

In addition to improving upper body strength and aesthetic physique, tricep cable exercises are versatile and effective methods of targeting the tricep muscles.

By adding cable exercises to your workout routine, you can add variety, provide constant tension and isolation, and easily adjust the level of difficulty.

Warming up properly and following proper form and technique can help you avoid injuries.

To avoid hitting a plateau, change up your workout routine every 6-8 weeks to keep your muscles guessing. The sample workout routines provided can be a good starting point, but it's important to keep your muscles guessing.

Always listen to your body and adjust weights, reps, and sets accordingly.