Dumbbell Kickback

How to do the dumbbell kickback with proper form to build strong triceps

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How to perform

1. Set up with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips until your back is nearly flat, keeping your spine neutral.
3. Tuck your upper arms against your sides with your elbows bent to a 90-degree angle.
4. Exhale as you extend your arms straight back, squeezing the triceps hard at the top.
5. Hold the contraction for a moment, then inhale and lower the dumbbells slowly and under control back to the start.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles worked

The kickback is an isolation exercise for the triceps, which extend the elbow, while the shoulders work quietly to keep your upper arms pinned in place.

• Triceps — extend the elbows and do all the primary work
• Shoulders — stabilize the upper arms during the hinge position
• Core — holds the torso steady in the forward lean

Make it easier

Use a lighter pair of dumbbells, or do the exercise one arm at a time with your free hand braced on a bench or your thigh. Practicing cable pushdowns first is another good way to feel the triceps contract.

Make it harder

Increase the weight, pause for two full seconds at the top of the extension, or slow the lowering phase down to a three-second count. Leaning a little further forward also lengthens the range of motion.

Common mistakes

Mistake: Swinging the upper arms or shoulders to move the weight. Fix: keep the elbows glued to your sides and only the forearms should move. Mistake: Rounding the lower back in the hinge. Fix: brace your core and keep the spine long and neutral. Mistake: Cutting the extension short. Fix: lock out the elbows fully and squeeze the triceps before lowering. Mistake: Rushing the negative and letting the weight drop. Fix: lower for a slow, steady count of two to three seconds.