Six Effective Exercises Similar to Tricep Rope Pushdown For Serious Gains

Tricep rope pushdowns are one of the best exercises for building strong tricep muscles. They also help strengthen grip, which is helpful for other exercises like pull-ups and deadlifts.

Pushdowns also developupper body muscles, making them essential for overall strength training. So, what happens when you don't have a rope attachment at your disposal? Here are a few effective alternatives to tricep rope pushdowns.

Exercises Similar to Tricep Rope Pushdowns For Gains

Here's a look at six such exercises:

1) Bench Push-up

Bench push-ups are an easy alternative to tricep rope pushdowns that target the chest and triceps.

Follow these steps for this exercise:

You will be performing the exercise on your knees, with your hands on a flat bench and feet on the floor. You must also keep a straight back and look forward.
Go down in slow motion till your chest touches the ground, and return to the starting position by pushing off your palms.

Here are some benefits:

It's easy to perform this exercise at home or anywhere else without any equipment needed.
It's great for beginners who want to start doing strength training exercises but don’t have access to equipments like dumbbells or barbells.
If you do not have those things at home, don’t worry, as you can still get strong by doing push-ups every day.

2) Diamond Push-up

Diamond push-ups are the most effective push-up variation for targeting the triceps and a great alternative to tricep rope pushdowns.

To perform diamond push-ups, set up in a push-up position with your arms straight and directly below your shoulders. Proceed as follows:

Thepalms should form a diamond shape with your hands placed under your shoulders. If you can’t yet do regular push-ups, practice them against the wall till you’re ready to move on to an elevated surface like a bench or chair.
Once you're ready, move your palms into the diamond position, and lower yourself down till the chest touches the floor while keeping the arms completely straight.
Press back up till you reach full extension, and repeat for 8-12 reps depending on what level of resistance you’re working at (more advanced).

If you want to increase difficulty or intensity when performing diamond push-ups, try adding weight through a weighted vest or by holding dumbbells between each hand (make sure these are heavier than normal, as they will need to be moved around). If this variation still isn't enough of a challenge, try doing it from two inches higher off the ground instead.

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3) Close Grip Bench Press

This is a great tricep rope pushdown alternative for the upper body. It works the triceps, chest, and shoulders and can be done at home or at the gym.

To do it:

Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the floor and back tight against it.
Grab a barbell with an overhand grip that's slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart. Place your hands just apart from each other to allow for a proper range of motion without being too far away to feel any tension in the shoulders.
Slowly lower down into a full extension till you feel a maximal stretch in the triceps, and push back up.

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4) Tricep Kickback

Triceps kickbacks are a great exercise for the triceps, and they can be done with dumbbells or cables.

When performing triceps kickbacks with a pronated grip (which is similar to the tricep rope pushdown), keep your elbows close to your sides.
That will help isolate the triceps over other muscle groups in the arm that may get involved during the move.
Use a dumbbell, and stand in a staggered position as you extend your arms out behind you.
Repeat for reps.

5) Skull Crusher

Skull crushers are an effective alternative to tricep rope pushdowns.

Follow these steps to do it:

You can do it with dumbbells or a barbell, but make sure to keep your elbows close to your body and back straight. Don't let them flare out to the sides, and don't lean forward too much.
Keeping your back straight can help you avoid injury.
Lie down on a flat bench, and hold a bar over your head.
Bring the bar down behind your head by bending the elbows and keeping the arms straight.
Lift your arms back up over your head, and repeat.

6) Tricep Extension

This exercise isolates the triceps but also works other muscles in the arms.

Do it as follows:

The movement is simple — hold the weight up behind your head. Push it up, and lower it back down.
Start with your arms straight, and bend your elbows till they're at a 90-degree angle. Keep them close to your body throughout the exercise.
The movement should be slow and controlled; that will help you get better results.

Takeaway

If you're looking to build your triceps, the aforementioned tricep rope pushdown alternatives are the way to go. They can help you get the results you have always dreamed of and can be done anywhere.