Triceps pushdowns/ extensions

Norwegianguy1986

Hi. Me and my girlfriend are both using this exercise, using a rope rather than bar. Funny thing is she is able to pull heavier weight than me, even though I'm bigger than her. So we are a bit curious about whether she has strong arms or whether I have weak arms.

So this is a questions to the girls and women on this forum, what weights are you using as "work load" on the triceps pushdown?

Theoldguy1

Pretty hard to compare weights as the cable systems on different cable towers will tend to have different resistance.

You both could have weak arms or you both could have strong arms. Not enough points of comparison.

Mithridites

Just a thought, it may be about the angle more than strength. If your forearm length is much longer, you have to apply more force to do this exercise than a person with shorter limbs.

Norwegianguy1986

We use a rope, and have the elbows locked in towards our body to isolate the triceps. I can barely do a few reps with 25ibs becore I'm totally exhausted and start to cheat, while she can easily double that while keeping perfect form. Made us laugh a little. I have quite long arms though, so that might be a good point.

sutralotus

Its possible that pound for pound she may be stronger. Try the dip machine and see if its plays out that way.

Dogmom1978

Back when I went to a commercial gym, men used to put down the curl bar and walk away because I could easily curl 60lbs on the preacher bench with perfect form. My coworkers gave me the nickname “guns”.

I have a home gym now so I don’t upset any of the manly men by being stronger than they are 😜

IronIsMyTherapy

You may be doing a better job of isolating the triceps with better form. Her form may need improvement if she's using momentum, her delts could be joining the party, etc. Youtube tricep pushdown form and then see if she's stronger. The point isn't how much weight you can move, it's how much you move with proper form. Walk into any gym and the majority are throwing around more weight than they can properly handle. They'd get much better results by dropping their ego and the amount of weight they're using.

Dogmom1978

IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »

You may be doing a better job of isolating the triceps with better form. Her form may need improvement if she's using momentum, her delts could be joining the party, etc. Youtube tricep pushdown form and then see if she's stronger. The point isn't how much weight you can move, it's how much you move with proper form. Walk into any gym and the majority are throwing around more weight than they can properly handle. They'd get much better results by dropping their ego and the amount of weight they're using.

^^^

This! I’m absolutely obsessed with correct form as is my husband, but when I belonged to a commercial gym, there were SO many people who didn’t have correct form. You aren’t doing yourself any favors if you just use momentum or are only doing a partial movement so that you can lift more weight (thinking of squats for this one; I’m sure we’ve all seen people squat 3 inches with 200 lbs and secretly thought that means they can’t actually squat 200 lbs).

cgvet37

Dogmom1978 wrote: »

Back when I went to a commercial gym, men used to put down the curl bar and walk away because I could easily curl 60lbs on the preacher bench with perfect form. My coworkers gave me the nickname “guns”.

I have a home gym now so I don’t upset any of the manly men by being stronger than they are 😜

🤣😂

IronIsMyTherapy

Dogmom1978 wrote: »

IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »

You may be doing a better job of isolating the triceps with better form. Her form may need improvement if she's using momentum, her delts could be joining the party, etc. Youtube tricep pushdown form and then see if she's stronger. The point isn't how much weight you can move, it's how much you move with proper form. Walk into any gym and the majority are throwing around more weight than they can properly handle. They'd get much better results by dropping their ego and the amount of weight they're using.

^^^

This! I’m absolutely obsessed with correct form as is my husband, but when I belonged to a commercial gym, there were SO many people who didn’t have correct form. You aren’t doing yourself any favors if you just use momentum or are only doing a partial movement so that you can lift more weight (thinking of squats for this one; I’m sure we’ve all seen people squat 3 inches with 200 lbs and secretly thought that means they can’t actually squat 200 lbs).

Haha, yup. One day I wanted to do cable flies and asked this lady if I could work in. I think she felt flattered when I reduced the weight...I didn't have the heart to tell her that her form was absolute trash.

Dogmom1978

IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »

Dogmom1978 wrote: »

IronIsMyTherapy wrote: »

You may be doing a better job of isolating the triceps with better form. Her form may need improvement if she's using momentum, her delts could be joining the party, etc. Youtube tricep pushdown form and then see if she's stronger. The point isn't how much weight you can move, it's how much you move with proper form. Walk into any gym and the majority are throwing around more weight than they can properly handle. They'd get much better results by dropping their ego and the amount of weight they're using.

^^^

This! I’m absolutely obsessed with correct form as is my husband, but when I belonged to a commercial gym, there were SO many people who didn’t have correct form. You aren’t doing yourself any favors if you just use momentum or are only doing a partial movement so that you can lift more weight (thinking of squats for this one; I’m sure we’ve all seen people squat 3 inches with 200 lbs and secretly thought that means they can’t actually squat 200 lbs).

Haha, yup. One day I wanted to do cable flies and asked this lady if I could work in. I think she felt flattered when I reduced the weight...I didn't have the heart to tell her that her form was absolute trash.

I’m glad you worked in. I used to get really, really self conscious when the young guys were giving me looks and walking away (the gym had 2 preacher benches and I’ve always been a fan of preacher curls). My husband would always tell me not to let it get to me, but as a woman it used to freak me out that I was doing more weight than some of the guys. I was convinced that my form must be wrong or that I was using momentum, so I would have my husband repeatedly help monitor, but I was doing everything right.

I’ve since gotten over it and decided to be happy with my progress/gains, but I did quit the gym for a few years because of it and wish that I hadn’t. Now with a sweet home gym, no one gives me funny looks and I can just enjoy being stronger than other people my age 😊

evilokc

probably a little of both. your a little weak shes a little strong. if your ego is hurt do parallel bar dips. you should be better at them since most females lack overall upper body strength. if shes better than you at the bar dips then the answer is yes shes stronger than you. dont forget what they say. a good man is hard to find and a hard woman is good to find. keep her working those guns.

JessAndreia

For reference, I am 170 cm and weigh around 58 kg. I last (yesterday) did 30 lbs for 3 sets 8 reps. I'd say my form is quite controlled.

SnifterPug

5'10", bodyweight 76kg, do three sets of 10 pushdowns at the end of a lifting session. On a cable machine - weight 10kg. I can work with 12.5kg but not sure if I could do the same volume.