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Cable Rope Incline Tricep Extension animation

How to do the Cable Rope Incline Tricep Extension

TricepsCableBeginner

The cable rope incline tricep extension keeps constant tension on the long head of your triceps throughout the entire range of motion, making it one of the most effective tools for building real arm thickness. Master this movement and you will develop the kind of tricep strength and shape that carries over to every pressing exercise you do.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Triceps
Secondary
Front deltsChest

Step-by-step

  1. Set an incline bench at roughly 45 degrees in front of a low cable pulley, attach a rope, and sit facing away from the machine with the rope held overhead
  2. Brace your core, press your back into the pad, and hold your upper arms vertical and stationary beside your ears throughout the set
  3. Extend your forearms upward by straightening your elbows fully, squeezing the triceps hard at the top of the rep
  4. Lower the rope under control until your elbows are fully bent and you feel a deep stretch in the triceps before initiating the next rep

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows flare wide reduces long head engagement, so keep upper arms close to your head and pointed straight at the ceiling throughout
  • Using momentum by rocking the torso robs the triceps of tension, so anchor your back firmly to the bench and move only at the elbow joint
  • Cutting the range of motion short at the bottom eliminates the stretch that drives muscle growth, so lower until your forearms travel past parallel to the floor

Pro tip — At the top of each rep, actively spread the rope ends apart as you lock out your elbows, this external rotation cue dramatically increases peak tricep contraction beyond what a simple extension alone produces.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

More Triceps exercises

Barbell Close Grip Bench PressBarbell Close Grip Bench PressBarbell Decline Close Grip To Skull PressBarbell Decline Close Grip To Skull PressBarbell Incline Reverse Grip PressBarbell Incline Reverse Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip Triceps ExtensionBarbell Lying Close Grip Triceps ExtensionBarbell Lying ExtensionBarbell Lying Extension
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