Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
A bent-over, one-arm triceps extension that trains the back of the arm through strict elbow control — a classic arm-day finisher.
How to do it
- Stand with a dumbbell in one hand and a slight bend in your knees.
- Hinge forward at the hips to about 45 degrees, keeping your back flat.
- Pin your working upper arm to your side with the elbow bent to 90 degrees.
- Extend your elbow, driving the dumbbell straight back behind you until your arm is fully straight.
- Squeeze the triceps hard at the top, dumbbell behind you and upper arm still pinned.
- Lower the dumbbell back to the bent-elbow start, then repeat and switch arms.
Key technique cue
Upper arm pinned and still, back flat — straighten the elbow fully, no swinging.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Dropping or swinging the upper arm during the movement, which turns the kickback into a row.
- ✕ Going too heavy and using momentum, which takes the triceps out of the work.
- ✕ Not fully extending the elbow at the top, where the triceps fully contract.
- ✕ Rounding the lower back instead of hinging with a flat back, which puts the spine at risk.
Benefits
- ✓ Isolates the triceps under strict single-joint loading.
- ✓ Builds the back of the arm without help from pressing movements.
- ✓ Improves elbow lockout strength for compound presses.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
- Band Tricep Kickbacks
- Cable Tricep Kickback
About the exercise
The Dumbbell Tricep Kickback is one of the cleanest isolation exercises for the back of the arm. Hinging forward with the upper arm pinned to your side and extending the dumbbell straight back makes the triceps do all the work with no help from the chest or shoulders. The kickback is close to mandatory in any arm-day block or hypertrophy program. It works especially well as an arm-day finisher with light weight and high reps, where the goal is metabolic stress and a hard contraction rather than max weight. Pair it with skullcrushers and overhead extensions for complete triceps training.
Updated
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