Exercises · upper arms

Dumbbell Kickback

A bent-over triceps isolation exercise where you extend dumbbells behind you while keeping the upper arms still.

upper armstricepsdumbbellbeginnerisolation

Secondary muscles

shoulders

How to do it

  1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand and hinge forward at the hips with a flat back.
  2. Bend your elbows to about 90 degrees and pin your upper arms alongside your torso.
  3. Brace your torso and keep your elbows still.
  4. Straighten your arms by driving the dumbbells back until your elbows are fully extended.
  5. Squeeze your triceps at the back of the movement.
  6. Bend your elbows under control to return to the start position.

Form cues

  • Keep elbows glued in
  • Only move the forearms
  • Squeeze at full extension
  • Keep your back flat

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the dumbbells with the shoulders or torso
  • Letting the elbows drift away from the ribs
  • Dropping the upper arms during the set
  • Snapping the weights down instead of lowering slowly

Breathing

Inhale as you bend the elbows to the start position, and exhale as you straighten the arms back.

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