The Palms-Up Cable Arm Chop

Trail Log · Movement Breakdown

Here's a triceps exercise that uses a cable machine and an underhand grip — which is unusual for a pushing movement but absolutely fantastic for targeting the triceps from a different angle. Your triceps have three heads (that's why they're called tri-ceps), and each one responds best to slightly different arm positions, so variety isn't just the spice of life — it's the recipe for complete arm development.

You attach a straight or EZ bar to a high cable, face the machine, and grab the attachment with your palms facing up at shoulder width. You pull the bar down until your arms are fully extended at your sides, elbows pinned to your ribs, feet at shoulder width. This is your starting position, and from here, the movement is beautifully simple.

You slowly raise the bar attachment by bending your elbows, letting it rise until it's aligned with your chest. Only your forearms move — your upper arms stay glued to your sides like they've been duct-taped there. Then you press the bar back down to full arm extension, contracting your triceps forcefully at the bottom. The supinated (palms-up) grip shifts the emphasis to the medial head of the triceps, which is the head that's most visible from the front and contributes most to that horseshoe shape everyone covets.

The cable provides constant tension throughout the entire range, which means there's no dead spot where the muscle gets a mini-vacation. It's relentless in the best possible way, building triceps that are strong through every inch of their range and capable of pressing, pushing, and extending with authority.