Single-Arm Cable Triceps Extension
Trains the Lateral Head and Medial Head.
- Equipment
- A cable station
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
- Level
- Beginner

How to do it
- Set a single handle on a high pulley and take it in one hand with an underhand or neutral grip.
- Stand a step back with your elbow tucked against your side.
- Start with the forearm at about parallel to the floor.
- Push the handle down until the arm is straight, keeping the elbow pinned.
- Squeeze briefly at the bottom.
- Let the handle rise under control until the forearm is back to parallel, then finish the side before swapping.
Common mistakes
- Letting the elbow travel forward and back. Once the upper arm moves, the shoulder and the lat are pushing the handle down and the triceps are going along with it.
- Bracing the working arm's elbow with the free hand. Holding the elbow feels helpful and it removes the work of keeping it still, which is a real part of the single-arm version.
- Turning the torso toward the working side. One arm means the trunk has to stay square against an asymmetric pull, and rotating is how that gets avoided.
- Expecting the underhand grip to reach the long head. The elbow is at the side, so the long head is shortened at the shoulder whichever way the hand faces — an overhead extension is the movement that reaches it.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Lateral HeadTriceps
- Medial HeadTriceps