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Reverse Grip Pressdown – Hit your tris in a whole new way!

Q: I heard that reverse grip pressure works the lateral head of the triceps better than standard pressure. What is the best way to do this exercise?

A: What you have heard is correct. Generally speaking, the medial head of the triceps does most of the work in elbow extension, especially at the beginning of movements. But in reverse grip downward pressure, most of the tension is placed on the side of the head, the large, fleshy muscle seen in the upper middle of the back of the upper arm. Not only does this exercise add variety to your triceps workout, it also allows you to focus on your lateral head, helping you chisel out some details in your horseshoes. For that reason, it’s a great final exercise for the triceps. This is the best way to do it.

To work both arms simultaneously, grasp a short straight bar attached to a high wire pulley with a palms up grip, with your hands slightly narrower than shoulder width apart. Stand in front of the weight stack.

Pull the handle down until your elbows are bent at about a 90 degree angle. This is your starting position. Inhale a little more than usual and hold your breath as you press down on the handle in an arm-stretching action. Maintain a firm grip and use a moderate speed. Keep your elbows in place at the sides or slightly down in front throughout the movement.

Press down until your arms are fully extended and locked as you exhale. Hold for 1-2 seconds, then inhale as you return to the starting position. Keep your hands aligned with your forearms; There should be no action or bent position at the wrist joints. Also, keep your spine in its normal curvature throughout the exercise.

TIPS FROM TRI

Here are some other points to keep in mind when performing this exercise:

• Because much greater force is exerted against the thumbs in reverse grip pressure, maintaining thumb strength is critical to its ability to handle increasingly heavy weights. To strengthen your thumbs, do thumb flexion exercises with manual tweezers. If you tend to flex your wrists, do reverse curls to strengthen your wrist extensors, which keep your hands in line with your forearms.
• Make sure to fully extend your arms and lock your elbows at the bottom of the pressure. The locking action allows a maximum peak of the triceps and helps maintain a full range of motion in the elbow joints.
• This exercise can also be done with one arm at a time. Stand sideways in front of a cable machine so that your work arm lines up with the cable on the upper pulley. Place the leg furthest from the pulley slightly in front of the other and grasp the handle with your palms facing up. Hold your working elbow firmly at your side and keep your upper arm aligned with the side of your body. From this starting position, complete the exercise as described above.
• When training both arms simultaneously, use a short rotation bar, one that rotates as you execute the movement. This will allow you to maintain the same grip and hand and arm position throughout the exercise.