Dumbbell Kickback
The dumbbell triceps kickback is a single-arm elbow extension performed with the torso hinged forwards over a bench and the upper arm held still alongside the body. It works the triceps, mainly the lateral and medial heads, with the dumbbell heaviest at full lockout, and it is typically used as a light, high-rep arm finisher.
Also called: Tricep Kickback, DB Kickback, Triceps Kickback, Bent-Over Triceps Extension · Equipment: dumbbell · Pattern: isolation
Step by step
- Place one knee and the same-side hand on a flat bench, put the other foot on the floor slightly out to the side, and pick up a dumbbell in your free hand.
- Hinge forwards until your back is flat and close to parallel with the floor, with your head in line with your spine.
- Draw your working elbow up and back until your upper arm sits alongside your torso, parallel to the floor, with the elbow bent to 90° and the dumbbell hanging below it. Keep the upper arm fixed there for the whole set.
- Straighten your elbow, moving only the forearm, until your arm is fully straight behind you.
- Hold the lockout for one second, where the dumbbell is heaviest.
- Take two seconds to bend your elbow back to 90° without letting the upper arm drop.
- After the last rep, set the dumbbell down on the bench or floor, swap your hand and knee on the bench and repeat with the other arm.
- Upper arm fixed alongside your torso
- Only the forearm moves
- Squeeze the lockout for a second
- Flat back, braced on the bench
- Two seconds back to 90°
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Triceps brachii: lateral head | Prime mover | C |
| Triceps brachii: medial head | Prime mover | C |
| Triceps brachii: long head | Secondary | B |
| Posterior deltoid | Stabiliser | D |
| Forearm flexors | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Upper arm dropping
Fix: Keep your upper arm parallel to the floor and fixed beside your torso.
Swinging the dumbbell up
Fix: Move only the forearm, pause at lockout and take two seconds back to 90°.
Finishing short of lockout
Fix: Straighten the elbow fully and hold the lockout for one second.
Rounding or twisting the back
Fix: Brace your hand and knee on the bench and keep your back flat and square.
Choosing a dumbbell that is too heavy
Fix: Pick a weight you can hold at full lockout for one second on every rep.
What the research says
Muscle growthRehab & prehabGeneral fitnessEndurance
- Muscle length — A trial comparing overhead triceps extensions with arms-at-side extensions found about 1.5 times the triceps growth overhead, driven by the long head. The kickback keeps the shoulder behind the body, so the long head works at a short length. There is no direct research on kickback growth.
- Activation — In a single-lab comparison of common triceps exercises, the dumbbell kickback ranked among the highest for triceps activation. Activation is not the same as growth, and the small usable load limits how much tension the kickback can carry.
- Load and effort — Research finds growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure, although very light loads (around 20% of maximum) have produced less growth. Rep-in-reserve estimates are usable but tend to under-count, most of all on light, high-rep sets.
- Rep ranges — Kickbacks are commonly trained for 12–20 reps with a light dumbbell and a held lockout.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns. Around 10 or more hard sets a week has been associated with more growth than fewer than 5.
- Placement — Many lifters use the kickback late in a session as an arm finisher, alongside an overhead triceps exercise that trains the long head at length.
Swap it mid-workout
- Single-Arm Cable Tricep Extension
- Dumbbell French Press
- Dumbbell Tricep Extension
- Cable Overhead Tricep Extension
- Dumbbell Skullcrusher
- Lying Dumbbell Extension
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the dumbbell kickback in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.