Straight Bar Tricep Pushdown

The straight bar tricep pushdown is the standard cable exercise for the triceps, and the bar rather than the rope is what defines it. A fixed bar keeps both hands in a pronated grip at a set distance, which is a stronger and more stable position than a rope allows, so you can generally load it heavier and the lateral head of the triceps takes a larger share of the work. The cable keeps tension constant from the top of the movement to full extension, unlike a dumbbell where the load falls away. Everything depends on the elbows staying pinned to your sides. The moment they drift forward or you lean your chest over the bar, your bodyweight starts pressing the weight down and the triceps has been handed an easier job than the one on the stack suggests.