How to do Dumbbell Kickbacks
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Dumbbell Kickbacks
Instructions for Proper Form
Dumbbell Kickbacks are an isolation exercise that target the triceps. The use of dumbbells prevents you from compensating for any strength discrepancies between sides. The movement itself is simple and easy to perform, making this a great exercise for beginners, and plenty of variations exist for more advanced users looking to add more difficulty and complexity to the movement.
- Grasp a dumbbell in both hands, and stand with your feet roughly hip width apart, and a slight bend in your knees.
- Engage your core, and hinge your hips back such that your torso is angled forward roughly 45 degrees, and your back is straight.
- Position your arms slightly behind you and bend your elbow. The dumbbells should be directly below your elbows.
- Engage your triceps to extend your arm behind you.
- Hold this position for a moment at the end of the movement.
- Maintain tension in your triceps as you slowly return to the starting position.
Common Form Mistakes
Elbow Drift
Don’t allow your elbows to drop during this exercise. You want to keep them stationary to keep tension in your tricep as much as possible. Think of the weight pivoting around your elbow, rather than reaching your entire arm back.
Don’t Swing
Allowing the dumbbells to swing can help you move more weight with this exercise, but it also makes it less effective. Keep your movements slow and under control, especially as you become fatigued near the end of your set.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Dumbbell Kickbacks standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps15lbs1 Rep Max20lbs
- intermediate8reps17.5lbs22.5lbs
- advanced8reps20lbs25lbs
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Alternatives & Variations to Dumbbell Kickbacks
1. Seated Tricep Press
97.4 mSCORESWAPPED 8,019 TIMESSeated Tricep Press is an isolation exercise that targets your triceps. The positioning of the dumbbell varies from many other tricep exercises, which is great for adding some variety to your exercise selection. By positioning the dumbbell overhead you can ensure that you’re taking your triceps through their full range of motion.
2. Cable Rope Tricep Extension
99.1 mSCORESWAPPED 7,196 TIMESThis is an isolation triceps exercise. The use of cables gives you more control over where the resistance is coming from, allowing you to keep more tension in your triceps compared to equipment like dumbbells. Because you can easily adjust the weight on a cable machine this is also a great exercise for performing drop sets, and burning out your triceps.
- Intermediate
- Triceps
- Rope Cable
3. Cable Tricep Pushdown
97.9 mSCORESWAPPED 6,721 TIMESThis is an isolation exercise that targets the triceps. This exercise is very similar to other cable tricep exercises with the exception of using a flat bar instead of other handle attachments. This keeps your hands palms down, and reduces the demand for stabilizing your wrist during the movement.
4. Dumbbell Skullcrusher
98.4 mSCORESWAPPED 6,429 TIMESDumbbell Skullcrusher is an isolation exercise that targets your triceps. Unlike some skull crusher variations, the use of dumbbells prevents you from compensating for any differences in strength between sides, as well as adding some instability to the movement.
5. Bench Dip
93.8 mSCORESWAPPED 4,845 TIMESBench Dip is a variation on the standard Dip. Like other Dip variations, this is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your triceps. Because your feet are still on the ground, this tends to be an easier variation, and a great way to build tricep strength as you work towards full bodyweight dips.
6. Single Arm Dumbbell Tricep Extension
88.5 mSCORESWAPPED 4,232 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Tricep Extension. Like other tricep extensions, this is an isolation movement that targets your triceps. By performing this exercise with a single arm, you add more instability to the movement, as well as prevent yourself from compensating for any strength discrepancies between sides.
7. Machine Tricep Dip
92.9 mSCORESWAPPED 2,933 TIMESMachine Tricep Dips are a variation on the more standard Dip. This is a compound movement that primarily targets your triceps. By using a machine, you restrict your range of motion, and add more stability to the movement. This allows you to focus on exertion rather than stabilizing the movement. Because you’ll also be using a weight stack instead of bodyweight, you can have more control over your resistance. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to work towards performing full bodyweight dips, or just building muscle mass and strength in your triceps.
8. Standing Dumbbell Tricep Extension
77.1 mSCORESWAPPED 2,882 TIMESLike other Dumbbell Tricep Extensions, this is an isolation movement that targets triceps. By performing this exercise while standing instead of seated, you add a small amount of instability to the movement. In addition, performing this exercise while standing can make this a more beneficial variation for developing functional strength in your triceps.
9. Machine Tricep Extension
90.2 mSCORESWAPPED 2,680 TIMESSimilar to other tricep extensions, this variation is an isolation movement that targets the triceps. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. By placing your elbows against the pad, you ensure that the movement is coming entirely from your triceps, and you aren’t accidentally recruiting additional muscle groups.
10. Dip
93.9 mSCORESWAPPED 2,481 TIMESDips are a compound, bodyweight triceps exercise, and an incredibly common exercise. The exercise requires you to raise and lower yourself in a suspended position by flexing and extending your arms. With the standard variation, this is mostly accomplished by engaging your triceps, however other variations can shift this to be more of a chest exercise.