10 Best Cable Rear Drive Alternatives for Triceps Hypertrophy

The Cable Rear Drive is done standing with a cable machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Bodyweight Kneeling Triceps Extension, the Triceps Dip (Between Benches) and the Body Tricep Press.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Cable Rear Drive

Cable Rear DrivePlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Triceps
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Shoulders, Back

How to perform Cable Rear Drive
  1. Attach a handle to a low pulley cable machine and stand facing away from the machine.
  2. Grasp the handle with an overhand grip and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
  3. Keeping your elbows stationary, pull the handle back towards your body, squeezing your triceps at the end of the movement.
  4. Slowly return the handle to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
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Ranked Cable Rear Drive Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Cable Rear Drive on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Best match
    Bodyweight Kneeling Triceps ExtensionPlay demonstration

    1. Bodyweight Kneeling Triceps Extension

    76% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the triceps with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Kneel down on the ground with your knees hip-width apart.
    2. Place your hands on the ground in front of you, shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward.
    3. Extend your legs straight behind you, balancing on your toes and hands, forming a straight line from head to heels.
    4. Bend your elbows and lower your upper body towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
    5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your hands to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: kneeling, not standing
  2. Triceps Dip (Between Benches)Play demonstration

    2. Triceps Dip (Between Benches)

    55% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a bench with your hands gripping the edge of the bench, fingers pointing forward.
    2. Slide your butt off the bench, supporting your weight with your hands.
    3. Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your back close to the bench.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
  3. Body Tricep Press

    3. Body Tricep Press

    52% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Position a bar in a rack at chest height.
    2. Standing, take a shoulder width grip on the bar and step a yard or two back, feet together and arms extended so that you are leaning on the bar. This will be your starting position.
    3. Begin by flexing the elbow, lowering yourself towards the bar.
    4. Pause, and then reverse the motion by extending the elbows.
    5. Progress from bodyweight by adding chains over your shoulders.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying face down, not standing
  4. Triceps PressPlay demonstration

    4. Triceps Press

    52% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
    2. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, parallel to the ground.
    3. Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your upper arms close to your sides.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: kneeling, not standing
  5. Close-grip Push-up (On Knees)Play demonstration

    5. Close-grip Push-up (On Knees)

    52% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by getting on your hands and knees, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart.
    2. Lower your upper body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
    3. Pause for a moment when your chest is just above the ground.
    4. Push through your palms to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying face down, not standing
  6. Close-grip Push-upPlay demonstration

    6. Close-grip Push-up

    51% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start in a high plank position with your hands placed close together, directly under your shoulders.
    2. Engage your core and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
    3. Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying face down, not standing
  7. Diamond Push-upPlay demonstration

    7. Diamond Push-up

    51% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start in a high plank position with your hands close together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
    2. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe, engaging your core and glutes.
    3. Lower your chest towards the diamond shape formed by your hands, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying face down, not standing
  8. Elbow DipsPlay demonstration

    8. Elbow Dips

    49% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your hands gripping the edge next to your hips.
    2. Slide your hips forward off the bench and straighten your legs, keeping your heels on the ground.
    3. Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your back close to the bench.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your hands to straighten your arms and lift your body back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
  9. Triceps DipPlay demonstration

    9. Triceps Dip

    48% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your hands gripping the edge, fingers pointing forward.
    2. Slide your butt off the bench, supporting your weight with your hands.
    3. Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your back close to the bench.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Rear Drive
  10. Incline Close-grip Push-upPlay demonstration

    10. Incline Close-grip Push-up

    47% match
    • Triceps
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Place your hands on an elevated surface, such as a bench or step, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Extend your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet, with your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
    3. Lower your chest towards the elevated surface by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Cable Rear Drive
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying face down, not standing

Why You Might Need a Cable Rear Drive Alternative

You may substitute Cable Rear Drive for several valid reasons: no cable station available, shoulder or elbow irritation from the cable line, or a program focus that needs a different joint angle. Alternatives let you target the triceps’ long, lateral, and medial heads via comparable extension mechanics. For example, overhead extensions increase long-head stretch while close-grip pressing boosts axial load and overall mass. Use a technique cue: brace your scapula, lock your elbow path, and pause briefly at the top to ensure peak triceps activation rather than momentum from the shoulder.

How to Choose the Right Cable Rear Drive Substitute

Select a substitute based on equipment, desired triceps head emphasis, and loading progression. If you lack cables, choose weighted dips or close-grip bench presses for heavy axial loading; if you want long-head stretch, choose overhead extensions. Prioritize the same movement pattern, elbow extension, so track tempo, range of motion, and progressive overload. Cue: control the eccentric for 2–3 seconds, keep the elbow fixed, and squeeze at full extension to maximize muscle fiber recruitment and mechanical tension.

Cable Rear Drive FAQ

What muscles does Cable Rear Drive work?

Cable Rear Drive primarily targets the triceps, especially the lateral and long heads, via elbow extension. Keep the elbow pinned and extend the forearm to full lockout to emphasize triceps activation rather than shoulder involvement.

Can I build muscle without doing Cable Rear Drive?

Yes, you can build triceps mass using presses, dips, and overhead extensions that reproduce elbow-extension mechanics. Ensure progressive overload, maintain strict elbows-in technique, and include variations like close-grip bench or weighted dips to progressively increase tension and hypertrophy.

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