Overhead Tricep Extensions vs Cable Pushdowns: New Research Finds One Builds 40% More Muscle

Although similar exercises, one seems to target your triceps much better.

Newly published research compared two favourite tricep exercises performed on a cable machine: overhead tricep extensions vs cable pushdowns. And it turns out one can build 40% more muscle than the other.

The research was conducted by Ritsumeikan University and the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya. Here is how the research was conducted.

A total of 21 participants (14 men and 7 women around 23 years old) were used for the research. Before the tests began, their one-rep maxes were tested for each exercise and their arm mass was measured using an MRI.

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Participants would perform overhead triceps extensions on one arm and triceps cable pushdown on the other arm. There would be a total of 5 sets of 10 reps of each exercise after a short warm-up. The participants did this twice a week, on non-consecutive days, for 12 weeks. Each week, the weight increased for each exercise.

After 12 weeks, participants’ arm mass was measured again using an MRI. Everybody grew stronger with both exercises, but overhead triceps extensions built 40% more muscle growth and size compared to the triceps cable pushdown.

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According to the findings of the result, one possible explanation for the difference in muscle building is that the long head of the triceps (triceps brachii) is lengthened more during the overhead extension.

Another reason for the findings is the decrease of blood flow to the triceps during the overhead extensions might have increased the “metabolic stress within the muscle and promoted hypertrophy.”

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