Pushdowns

Pushdowns

Stand facing the machine with your hand on the bar and your elbows against your side:

- Inhale and straighten your arms, but don't separate your elbows from your sides.

- Exhale as you complete the movement

This isolation exercise works the triceps and the anconeus. You can perform and effective variation of this movement with a rope instead of the bar to work the lateral head of the triceps more intensely. Use an uderhand grip to place emphasis on the medial head of the triceps. 

At the end of the movement, hold an isometric contraction for one or two seconds to feel the effort more intensely.

If you use a heavy weight, lean slightly forward at the waist for more stability.

This exercise is very easy to perform and can be done by beginners to help develop strength before moving to more difficult exercises.