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Exercises

Tricep pushdown alternatives with and without a cable machine

Published October 23, 2026

The best tricep pushdown alternative without a cable is the dumbbell skull crusher: lying on a bench, you straighten your elbows against the weight just as you do on a pushdown. In a gym with the cables taken, the machine triceps dip is the closest match, and the triceps kickback copies the hard lockout with one dumbbell. With no weights, close-grip push-ups and bench dips work your triceps through the same lockout.

What a cable triceps pressdown alternative has to replace

The tricep pushdown trains your triceps with your upper arms pinned at your sides, so only your elbows move. It is hardest near the bottom, where your arms lock out and the triceps are fully shortened, and the cable keeps pulling the whole way.

A good swap keeps your upper arms still and makes you finish each rep with a straight, locked elbow.

How to do the cable triceps pressdown

Other cable moves

If the pushdown bar is gone but a pulley is free, change the attachment or the angle instead of the exercise.

Pushdown with two cables

Cable Cross Pushdown

Triceps

Each hand pulls the opposite high cable down and out to your hips. If the straight bar or rope is gone but both pulleys are free, this keeps the pushdown's lockout and lets each arm work on its own.

How to do it

  1. Set both pulleys high with no handles or single handles, and grab the left cable with your right hand and the right cable with your left.
  2. Stand between them with your hands crossed in front of your chest and your elbows bent.
  3. Press both hands down and apart until your arms are straight beside your hips.
  4. Let your hands come back up and across to the start under control.

Cues

  • Down and out, like an X opening
  • Upper arms still
  • Pause at full lockout

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the hands too wide at the bottom: finish beside your hips, not out to the sides.
  • Hunching forward: stay tall with your chest up.
Build a session with Cable Cross Pushdown

One-arm cable swap

Cable Triceps Kickback

Triceps

Hinging forward and straightening one arm back against a low cable loads the lockout even harder than a pushdown. Pick it when only a single low pulley is free.

How to do it

  1. Set a pulley low, grip the handle with one hand, and hinge forward with a flat back.
  2. Lift your upper arm until it is in line with your torso, elbow bent to roughly a right angle.
  3. Straighten your arm back until it is fully locked.
  4. Let the forearm swing back down slowly without moving the upper arm.

Cues

  • Upper arm stays parallel to your torso
  • Lock the elbow, then pause
  • Hinge, don't stand up

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the upper arm to move the weight: lighten the pin until only the elbow moves.
  • Standing too upright: the cable then pulls along the arm instead of against it.
Build a session with Cable Triceps Kickback

Cable swap for the stretch

Overhead Cable Triceps Extension

Triceps

With your arms overhead, the long head of your triceps works hardest where it is stretched, a position the pushdown barely reaches. Pick it when another pulley is free and you want that stretch.

How to do it

  1. Attach a rope to a high pulley, grab both ends with your palms facing each other, and turn so your back faces the stack.
  2. Step forward into a split stance so the cable is pulled tight, and lean your torso slightly forward with the rope ends behind your neck and elbows pointing ahead.
  3. Keep your upper arms close to your head and straighten your elbows, pushing the rope forward and up until your arms are straight out in front of your forehead.
  4. Spread the rope ends slightly at the end and hold for a moment.
  5. Let your hands travel back behind your head slowly until your forearms touch your biceps or you feel a strong stretch, then extend again.

Cues

  • Elbows point forward, not out
  • Only the forearms move
  • Deep stretch, every rep

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows flare wide: keep them about shoulder-width so the triceps, not your shoulders, extend the arm.
  • Moving the upper arm to help the weight: if your elbows drop and rise with each rep, the lats and shoulders are pressing, so lighten the stack.
  • Cutting the stretch short: the bottom of the rep is the point of the exercise, so lower until your hands are well behind your head.
Build a session with Overhead Cable Triceps Extension

Machines

When every cable is busy, a triceps machine gives you the same fixed path and a stack to load.

Closest machine swap

Machine Triceps Dip

Triceps

You press handles down from your sides, which is the pushdown's motion with a bigger load and no balance to manage. Use it when every cable in the gym is busy.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the machine and set the handles beside your lower ribs.
  2. Take the handles with your elbows pointing back and lean your torso slightly forward.
  3. Press down until your arms are straight.
  4. Let the handles rise until your elbows are at about 90 degrees, then press again.

Cues

  • Elbows point behind you
  • Hips stay on the seat
  • Full lockout

Common mistakes

  • Elbows flaring out: keep them tucked so the triceps does the work.
  • Coming off the seat to move the stack: lower the pin.
Build a session with Machine Triceps Dip

Machine isolation swap

Machine Triceps Extension

Triceps

Your upper arms rest on a pad and only your elbows move, so it is as strict as a pushdown. Pick it for high-rep finishing sets.

How to do it

  1. Adjust the seat so your upper arms rest flat on the pad and your elbows line up with the machine's pivot.
  2. Grip the handles and sit tall with your back against the backrest.
  3. Straighten your elbows until your arms are locked out, then pause.
  4. Bend your elbows slowly back to the start, stopping before the weight stack touches down.

Cues

  • Elbows on the pivot
  • Pause at lockout
  • Shoulders down, back on the pad

Common mistakes

  • Seat set too high or too low, so the pad digs into your elbows: move it until the pivot sits next to your elbow joint.
  • Short, bouncy reps near the start: open the elbows all the way until you feel the triceps stretch.
Build a session with Machine Triceps Extension

Dumbbells and barbell

Free weights can't pull from above, so lie down or lean over: then gravity loads the same elbow straightening that the cable does.

RIRLift's swap with dumbbells

Dumbbell Skullcrusher

Triceps

Lying on a bench, your upper arms stay fixed and your elbows straighten, so the triceps do the same job as on a pushdown. This is what RIRLift puts in the pushdown's place with dumbbells or a home gym.

How to do it

  1. Lie back on a flat bench and press two dumbbells up over your chest, palms turned in.
  2. Tilt your upper arms slightly back toward your head and lock them there.
  3. Bend only at the elbows, lowering the dumbbells beside your ears.
  4. Straighten your elbows to bring the weights back up.
  5. Straighten your elbows fully while your upper arms stay tilted back, so the triceps stay loaded at the top.

Cues

  • Upper arms still
  • Lower beside your ears
  • Straighten, do not press

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows drift and pressing the weight up: that is a close-grip press. Keep the upper arms fixed.
  • Elbows flaring wide: keep them about shoulder width.
Build a session with Dumbbell Skullcrusher

Overhead dumbbell swap

Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension

Triceps

One dumbbell held overhead with both hands stretches the long head of your triceps. Sit on a bench or chair so your lower back stays out of it.

How to do it

  1. Sit tall on a bench or chair with your feet planted and your back upright.
  2. Wrap both hands around the handle of one dumbbell and press it straight overhead.
  3. Bend your elbows so the weight sinks behind your neck, keeping your upper arms close to your ears.
  4. Stop when your forearms are about level with the floor and you feel a deep stretch in the backs of your arms.
  5. Straighten your elbows to bring the dumbbell back overhead, then start the next rep.

Cues

  • Elbows point up
  • Only the elbows bend
  • Deep stretch, every rep

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows wide: keep them about shoulder width so the triceps, not the shoulders, move the weight.
  • Arching your lower back as the dumbbell drops: brace your stomach, or sit against a backrest.
  • Cutting the stretch short: lower until your forearms reach level, since the bottom is the point of the exercise.
Build a session with Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension

Best one-dumbbell swap

Triceps Kickback

Triceps

With your upper arm parked level with your back, the kickback is hardest at full lockout, the same spot the pushdown loads. Use a light dumbbell and hold each lockout for a second.

How to do it

  1. Put one knee and the same hand on a flat bench and lean forward until your back is close to flat, holding a dumbbell in the other hand.
  2. Lift your upper arm until it is level with your torso and tight to your side, with the elbow bent about 90 degrees and the dumbbell hanging below it.
  3. Straighten your elbow and push the dumbbell back until your whole arm is in a straight line.
  4. Hold the straight arm for a second and squeeze the back of your arm.
  5. Bend the elbow slowly back to 90 degrees without letting the upper arm drop, then finish all reps before switching arms.

Cues

  • Upper arm stays parked
  • Lock out and pause
  • Only the forearm moves

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the dumbbell up: use a lighter weight so you can stop it at the top for a second.
  • Letting the upper arm drop toward the floor: keep the elbow level with your back; if it sinks, the weight is too heavy.
  • Bending only partway: straighten the arm fully, since the top is where the triceps work hardest.
Build a session with Triceps Kickback

Barbell swap

EZ-Bar Skullcrusher

Triceps

A bar lets you load the skull crusher heavier than dumbbells allow, with the same fixed upper arms. Pick it when the cables are busy and a bar and bench are free.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the end of a flat bench with an EZ bar or straight bar resting on your thighs, then lie back and press it straight up over your chest.
  2. Grip the bar overhand with your hands about shoulder-width, and plant your feet flat on the floor.
  3. Let your arms drift back slightly so the bar sits over your eyes rather than your chest; this is your start position.
  4. Bend only at the elbows and lower the bar in about two seconds until it is just above your forehead or just behind the top of your head.
  5. Straighten your elbows to drive the bar back to the start, keeping your upper arms at the same angle the whole time.

Cues

  • Upper arms stay still
  • Elbows point at the ceiling
  • Two seconds down, then press

Common mistakes

  • Turning it into a press: if your elbows swing forward as the bar comes up, the chest takes over; drop the weight until your upper arms stay put.
  • Elbows flaring out to the sides: keep them about shoulder width and pointing up so the triceps, not the shoulders, move the bar.
  • Stopping halfway: lower the bar until your forearms pass horizontal; the bottom of the rep is where the long head is stretched most.
  • Starting with the bar over your chest: tilt your arms back a little so the triceps stay loaded at the top instead of resting.
Build a session with EZ-Bar Skullcrusher

Bodyweight

No weights at all: dips and close-grip push-ups put your bodyweight on your triceps.

Bodyweight swap with a bench or chair

Bench Dip

Triceps

Palms on a bench's edge and your elbows pointing back make your bodyweight the load. Bend your knees to make it easier, or put your feet up to make it harder.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the side of the bench and set your palms on the edge beside your hips, fingers forward.
  2. Walk your feet out with your legs straight and slide your hips forward off the bench.
  3. Bend your elbows to lower your hips toward the floor.
  4. Stop when your upper arms are about parallel with the floor.
  5. Straighten your arms to push back up.

Cues

  • Hips close to the bench
  • Elbows point back
  • Stop at parallel

Common mistakes

  • Dropping too low: going past parallel loads the front of the shoulder, not the triceps.
  • Pushing with your legs: keep them straight and let them rest on your heels.
Build a session with Bench Dip

Bodyweight press for triceps

Close-Grip Push-Up

Triceps, Chest

Hands under your shoulders and elbows sliding back turn a push-up into a triceps press you can do anywhere. It works your chest and triceps together, so do it first while you are fresh.

How to do it

  1. Get into a high plank with your hands directly below your shoulders.
  2. Lower yourself with your elbows sliding back past your ribs.
  3. Stop just above the floor, then push up to locked elbows.
  4. Drop to your knees for the last reps if your hips start to sag.

Cues

  • Hands under shoulders
  • Elbows travel back
  • Full lockout

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows into a T: that moves the work to your chest.
  • Half reps near the top: lower until your chest is close to the floor.
Build a session with Close-Grip Push-Up

Best swap with no equipment

Floor Triceps Dip

Triceps

Sitting on the floor with your hands behind you, you straighten your elbows to lift your hips.

How to do it

  1. Sit with your knees bent and your hands flat behind you, fingers facing forward.
  2. Lift your hips slightly off the floor by straightening your arms.
  3. Bend your elbows to bring your hips down toward the floor, stopping just short of it.
  4. Push back up to straight arms.

Cues

  • Fingers face your feet
  • Hover the hips
  • Elbows straight back

Common mistakes

  • Sitting all the way down between reps: keep the tension on.
  • Letting the feet do the lifting: press from the hands.
Build a session with Floor Triceps Dip

Biceps to pair with them

Each example session ends with one biceps exercise, so it works as a full arm day.

Biceps, to pair in the gym

EZ-Bar Curl

Biceps

The gym session ends with one biceps exercise so a single visit covers your whole arm.

How to do it

  1. Load the bar, stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, and take the inner angled grips with your palms facing up and slightly in.
  2. Let the bar hang against your thighs with your arms straight and your elbows tucked by your ribs.
  3. Bend at the elbows to bring the bar up in an arc until your forearms point roughly at the ceiling and the bar sits near your upper chest.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top without letting your elbows drift forward.
  5. Lower the bar under control for about two seconds until your arms are fully straight, then start the next rep.

Cues

  • Elbows glued to your sides
  • Ribs down, no lean back
  • All the way down every rep

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the hips to get the bar moving: if the first inch needs a hip snap, the weight is too heavy for the rep target.
  • Letting the elbows travel forward at the top: that turns the end of the curl into a front raise and takes tension off the biceps.
  • Cutting the bottom short: half reps let you lift more but skip the stretched part of the curl. Straighten your arms fully before each rep.
Build a session with EZ-Bar Curl

Biceps, to pair at home

Dumbbell Curl

Biceps

The biceps half of a home arm session with dumbbells.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall holding two dumbbells, arms straight at your sides, and turn your palms to face forward.
  2. Brace your stomach and pin your upper arms to your sides.
  3. Bend one elbow and bring the dumbbell up toward your shoulder, keeping the palm turned up the whole way.
  4. Pause briefly at the top with your forearm vertical, then lower slowly until the arm is straight again.
  5. Repeat with the other arm, or curl both arms together if you prefer.

Cues

  • Elbows stay at your sides
  • Pinkie turns up
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Swinging your hips and back to get the weight up: take a lighter pair and keep your torso still for the whole set.
  • Letting the elbows drift forward at the top: that hands the work to your shoulders; stop the curl when your forearm is vertical.
  • Stopping short of straight arms at the bottom: lower all the way so the biceps work through their full length.
Build a session with Dumbbell Curl

Biceps, to pair with no weights

Bodyweight Bicep Curl

Biceps

A door-frame curl covers the biceps when you have no equipment.

How to do it

  1. Face an open door frame and take hold of both sides, hands level with your hips.
  2. Step one foot forward and lean back until your arms are straight and your body weight hangs on your hands.
  3. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides and bend them to pull your body toward the frame.
  4. Straighten your arms slowly to lean back out, then repeat.

Cues

  • Elbows pinned to your sides
  • Body stays straight
  • Front foot closer to make it harder

Common mistakes

  • Pulling your elbows back like a row: keep them fixed at your sides so only your forearms move.
  • Bending at the hips to finish the rep: tense your glutes and keep your body in one line.
Build a session with Bodyweight Bicep Curl

Example sessions without the cable triceps pressdown

Session 1

Gym, cable station taken

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets24 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentDip Machine, EZ Bar, Flat Bench, Triceps Machine

You train in a busy gym where the cable stack is always in use.

The machine triceps dip takes the pushdown's place as the heavy press-down, the EZ-bar skull crusher adds a stretched position, and the triceps extension machine finishes with strict high reps. An EZ-bar curl covers the biceps. 12 working sets.

Arms
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Machine Triceps Dip1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
EZ-Bar Skullcrusher 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Machine Triceps ExtensionPause at lockout. 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
EZ-Bar Curl 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
How to run it
Once or twice a week, at least two days after a heavy chest or shoulder day.
How to progress
When every set reaches the top of its range at the RIR shown, add one plate on the stack or the smallest jump on the bar next session and start again at the bottom of the range.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Home, dumbbells and a bench

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets24 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Flat Bench

You have adjustable dumbbells and a flat bench at home, and no cable.

The dumbbell skull crusher goes first because it carries the most load, the overhead extension adds the stretched position, and kickbacks finish on the lockout the pushdown trains. Lighter weights mean higher reps and shorter rest. 12 working sets.

Arms
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Skullcrusher1 warm-up set first 3 × 10–15 2 75 s
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
Triceps KickbackSets are per arm. 3 × 15–20 1 45 s
Dumbbell Curl 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
How to run it
Twice a week on non-consecutive days. Rest 45 to 75 seconds; with light dumbbells, short rest keeps the sets hard.
How to progress
Add reps until every set reaches the top of its range, then move up one dumbbell. At your heaviest pair, lower each rep over three seconds.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Bodyweight, with a chair or bench

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets39 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentFlat Bench

You train with your bodyweight and a sturdy chair or bench.

Close-grip push-ups give your triceps the most load, so they go first. Bench dips and floor dips then push the same muscles to failure, and door-frame curls cover the biceps. 13 working sets.

Arms
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Close-Grip Push-Up 4 × 8–20 1 75 s
Bench Dip 3 × 10–20 1 1 min
Floor Triceps Dip 3 × 15–25 1 45 s
Bodyweight Bicep Curl 3 × 10–20 1 1 min
How to run it
Two or three times a week. Take every set within one rep of failure, since bodyweight sets only get hard near the end.
How to progress
Add reps until you reach the top of each range, then make it harder: feet on a step for push-ups, feet up on a second chair for bench dips, a slower four-second lowering on floor dips.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What can I replace tricep pushdowns with?

In a gym, the machine triceps dip or the triceps extension machine. With dumbbells, skull crushers and kickbacks. With no equipment, close-grip push-ups and bench dips.

How do you do tricep pushdowns without a cable machine?

You can't copy the pull from above without a cable, but you can copy the movement: lie on a bench and do dumbbell skull crushers, or lean over a bench and do kickbacks. Both keep your upper arms still while your elbows straighten.

Can I do a tricep pushdown with dumbbells?

Not directly, since a dumbbell pulls down, not up. The triceps kickback is the dumbbell version of the same lockout, and the dumbbell skull crusher trains the same elbow straightening lying down.

Is the tricep press machine the same as a tricep pushdown?

Close. The machine triceps dip uses the same press-down motion with a fixed path, so it is a good swap when the cables are busy.

What is the best tricep pushdown exercise?

The one you can do with your upper arms still and a full lockout. A rope, a straight bar or an underhand grip all work; pick the one that feels best on your elbows and keep it.

Are 3 exercises enough for triceps?

Yes. One press, one overhead extension and one pushdown or kickback cover every part of the triceps. What matters more is taking each set close to failure.