You can think of it kind of like doing a dip but without any help from the chest or shoulders.
This movement is also a great assistance exercise to potentially train the top part of a muscle-up.
To do this one, you'll need a flat bench and a bar set on the safety rails of the power rack, or a Smith machine bar. If your gym has another place where you can set up a bar about midsection or chest height, you can use that as well.
This one puts massive tension on the triceps, similar to how a cable pushdown would but with several advantages:
1. It engages the long head more strongly because of how you're supporting your body in that position (the shoulder is flexed/angled forward and your body engages the long head to maintain that position).
2. The body position engages the core (similar to an abdominal roll-out or plank) and the lats (to stabilize the shoulders) via anti-extension.
3. Resistance can be adjusted by moving the bench closer to the bar or doing the exercise with your feet on the ground so that you're shortening the range of motion and using your legs to assist.
4. Because it's a closed-chain exercise where you're moving your body through space, even though it's an isolation-type exercise, it will have better carryover to other movements involving the triceps and pressing than a standard pushdown will.
5. I find this setup puts relatively more tension on the triceps and less torque on the lower back than a heavily loaded pushdown.
How to do Bodyweight Pushdowns
Set the bar on the rails at about chest height (or use a Smith machine bar) and set a flat bench a few feet away. Stand up on the bench.
Your toes will be set on the bench with your hands about shoulder width apart.
Keeping your body straight from head to knees, come down into the bottom position with your knees fully bent.
Now use TRICEP power to push yourself up. Try and keep your elbows tucked in at your sides as you do this one for maximum tricep work.
Focus on keeping your torso vertical. Because you're pivoting from your hands, your body will travel in an arc.
Come all the way up to full extension. Your body will come up over the bar.
Here's what it looks like from a bit further out.
This is an excellent exercise for the triceps when you're travelling and your hotel gym has limited equipment... literally all you need is a bench and a place to set the bar.
For a more "normal" approach to building triceps mass, go with Close Grip Dumbbell Bench Press.
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