Cable Rear Drive
- Secondary muscles
- Delts, Upper Back
- Body part
- Upper Arms
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Facing away from a low pulley and driving the handle back past your hips works the long head through shoulder extension as well as elbow extension, which is why the upper back and rear delts chip in. It behaves like a loaded, stricter kickback, and it stays a light-weight, higher-rep movement.
How to do the Cable Rear Drive
- Attach a handle to a low pulley cable machine and stand facing away from the machine.
- Grasp the handle with an overhand grip and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
- Keeping your elbows stationary, pull the handle back towards your body, squeezing your triceps at the end of the movement.
- Slowly return the handle to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Keep a slight bend at the top on lying extensions to protect the elbow, but lock out fully on cable pushdowns.
Muscles worked
Primary
Triceps · Arms
The triceps straighten the elbow, and overhead variations stretch the long head at the bottom, so you should feel the whole back of the upper arm working with a hard squeeze at lockout.
Secondary
- Delts — The front delt holds the upper arm in position on overhead extensions and should feel tension but not be lifting.
- Upper Back
Common mistakes
- Elbows flaring out — on overhead and lying extensions the elbows should stay pointed forward or up, not out to the sides, since flaring turns it into a press.
- Upper arm moving — the upper arm should be pinned in place and only the forearm should move; if the elbow drifts, drop the weight.
- Not finishing the rep — take every rep to a full triceps squeeze; on pushdowns that means a complete lockout for a count.
- Cutting the stretch — on overhead extensions let the weight travel down behind the head until you feel the long head stretch before pressing up.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 10–15 | 60–90 s |
| Endurance / finisher | 2–3 × 15–20 | 45 s |
| Strength | Not ideal — pick a compound lift for the same muscle | — |
Triceps extensions go after the presses in a push session or at the end of an arm day. Superset them with biceps curls on the same cable stack or with the same dumbbells.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without cable
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Cable Rear Drive work?
The Cable Rear Drive primarily works the triceps. It also involves the delts and upper back, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Cable Rear Drive good for beginners?
It is rated intermediate, so it suits people who already train regularly. Beginners can still do the Cable Rear Drive with light load and a spotter or coach watching the first few sessions; if it feels awkward, pick an easier variation from the alternatives below first.
What can I do instead of the Cable Rear Drive?
If you cannot do the Cable Rear Drive, try the Stability Ball Dumbbell Triceps Kickback, the Seated Dumbbell Triceps Kickback or the Standing Single Arm Dumbbell Triceps Kickback. Each of them trains the triceps through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Cable Rear Drive, a sensible starting point is muscle growth: 3–4 × 10–15 with 60–90 s rest; endurance / finisher: 2–3 × 15–20 with 45 s rest. Do it after your compound lifts. It is a finishing movement, not the main event.
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Exercise data and animations are licensed ExerciseDB content used in SetGrip. This page is for general information and is not medical or coaching advice.