How to do it
- Stand facing the cable and grip the rope or bar.
- Pin the elbows at your sides, leaning slightly forward.
- Straighten the arms fully, pushing the hands down.
- Let the hands rise slowly until the forearms are just past parallel to the floor.
Common mistakes
- Elbows drifting forward and back.
- Leaning over the weight to push with the body.
- Partial reps at the bottom only.
Breathing and tempo
Breathe out as you lift and in as you lower. Lift in about 1-2 seconds, pause briefly where the muscle is shortest, and lower in 2-3 seconds.
Make it harder or easier
Harder: More load or a pause at the bottom.
Easier: Lighter load.
Sets and reps
Beginners: 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps, stopping 2-3 reps short of failure.
Building muscle: 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps, stopping 0-2 reps short of failure.
Safety
- Keep the wrists straight.
Swaps
Full gym: Overhead triceps extension, Skull crusher, Close-grip bench press, Close-grip push-up, Bench dip