Standing Low-Pulley One-Arm Triceps Extension
The standing low-pulley one-arm triceps extension has you stand with your back to a low cable station and extend one arm forward and down, isolating the triceps on a path that keeps tension on the muscle through the full range. Working one arm at a time lets you feel exactly where the muscle is working and catch a side that's weaker before it hides behind a stronger arm on a two-handed pushdown.
Why it works
The triceps straightens your elbow, and this exercise asks it to do that against a cable pulling from behind and below, which keeps the muscle under tension even as your arm nears full extension, a point where many triceps exercises go slack. Starting with your back to the machine and your arm bent behind you also puts the triceps in a stretched position before the rep even begins, so the first part of the movement is already doing real work rather than just taking up the slack in the cable. Training one arm removes any chance of your dominant side doing more of the work without your noticing, which is common on a straight-bar pushdown.
Set up
- Attach a single handle to a low pulley and stand with your back to the machine, a step or two away.
- Hold the handle in one hand with your elbow bent and tucked close to your side, upper arm still.
- Brace your core and keep your torso upright rather than leaning forward to help.
How to do it
- Extend your arm forward and down by straightening your elbow, keeping your upper arm pinned to your side.
- Pause briefly once your arm is fully extended.
- Bend your elbow back to the starting position with control, resisting the cable's pull.
- Keep your upper arm still throughout; only your forearm should move.
- Repeat for the set, then switch arms.
Form cues
- Pin your upper arm to your side, let only the forearm move.
- Extend all the way, but don't lock the elbow harshly.
- Control the return instead of letting the cable snap your arm back.
- Keep your torso upright, no leaning to help.
Breathing: Exhale as you extend your arm, inhale as you bend it back to the starting position.
Common mistakes
Letting the upper arm drift away from the body during the extension.
Fix: Keep your elbow pinned to your side for the whole rep; a moving upper arm turns this into a shoulder exercise instead of a triceps one.
Leaning the torso forward to help push the handle out.
Fix: Keep your torso upright and braced, and let the triceps alone do the work of straightening the arm.
Letting the cable yank the arm back to the start.
Fix: Control the bend back just as carefully as the extension; resisting the cable on the way back builds more strength than letting it do the work.
How to program it
- Two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps per arm is a solid range for this single-joint triceps exercise.
- Twice a week is enough, especially alongside pressing work like a bench press or overhead press that already loads the triceps.
- Place it after your main pressing movement in a session, since it's a better finisher for the triceps than a starting exercise.
Safety notes
- Keep the elbow extension controlled rather than snapping it straight; a hard lockout under fast momentum can strain the joint.
- Stop if you feel a pull at the back of the elbow rather than fatigue through the muscle itself.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Push
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
How many reps should I do for the standing low-pulley one-arm triceps extension?
Two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps per arm works well, twice a week alongside your other pressing work.
What's the difference between this and a regular triceps pushdown?
This version trains one arm at a time and starts with the elbow bent behind you, which keeps the triceps under tension through the full range; a pushdown uses both arms and a shorter, more upright range of motion.
What can I do without a cable machine?
A dumbbell one-arm triceps extension trains the same single-arm pattern without needing a pulley station.
Why do I feel this more in my shoulder than my triceps?
Keep your upper arm pinned to your side instead of letting it drift forward or out; a moving upper arm shifts the work toward the shoulder.