ProgreviaTriceps kickback: proper form, muscles worked and common mistakes
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How to do it
Torso hinged and upper arm pinned to your side with the elbow fixed and high. Extend the forearm to lockout and squeeze the triceps at the top; the elbow must not move throughout.
Muscles worked
Main muscle: triceps. When it plans weekly volume, every set of this exercise counts in full for triceps: the generator does not split it with other muscles.
Triceps kickback: where it gets hard, and where it doesn't
In the triceps kickback the dumbbell starts hanging straight down, and in that position gravity offers almost no resistance to the elbow. The load builds as your forearm nears horizontal, and the peak effort comes at the end, with your arm extended behind you. It is the opposite of the overhead dumbbell extension, where the hardest part happens at the bottom with the muscle lengthened. With the arm behind the body, the long head also works in a more shortened position. That is why big weights do not work here: it does best with light dumbbells and sets of 12 to 20 reps.
Put it at the end of your session, as a finisher after a compound lift and a stretch-focused move like the overhead extension. It is handy when you want a last push for the triceps without tiring your shoulders or lower back. With a cable the tension holds at the start, while with a dumbbell you need good control. If you lack shoulder mobility for overhead exercises, this is a sensible alternative.
A detail specific to this exercise: raise the upper arm until the elbow sits at torso height or slightly above, do not let it drop, and keep your back flat for the whole set. Rest your free hand on a bench. To progress, the best move is more reps and a two-second pause at lockout; adding weight brings more swinging than stimulus.
Technical sheet
- Movement pattern
- Isolation
- Minimum level
- Beginner
- Technical demand
- Basic
- Fatigue it generates
- Low (0.4 out of 2.2)
- Risk if technique breaks down
- Low
- Worked one side at a time
These are the values the generator uses to decide where the exercise goes within the session.
Recommended sets and reps
As an isolation exercise, it works best in 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 0–2 RIR. Use it at the end of the session to add volume without systemic fatigue.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Moving the arm from the shoulder: the elbow stays pinned by your side and only the forearm moves.
- Letting your dominant side do more of the work: each arm or leg completes the same range, at the same pace.
- Always starting with your good side and doing fewer reps on the other: start with the weaker side and match its reps on the strong one.
What the research says
This is an isolation exercise. For beginners, adding it on top of compound lifts does not always help: in the trial by Gentil and colleagues (2013), people who only did lat pulldowns gained as much arm size as those who also did curls. It earns its place with experience, and for muscles the big lifts leave short.
It is done one arm at a time, which shows whether one side is lagging and lets you give it the same reps as the other without the stronger side taking over.
You do not need to reach failure on every set: according to the meta-analysis by Refalo and colleagues (2023), stopping one or two reps short gives very similar growth. The generator prescribes it with RIR for that reason.
- Gentil P, Soares SR, Pereira MC, et al. Effect of adding single-joint exercises to a multi-joint exercise resistance-training program on strength and hypertrophy in untrained subjects. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2013;38(3):341-344.
- Refalo MC, Helms ER, Trexler ET, Hamilton DL, Fyfe JJ. Influence of resistance training proximity-to-failure on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2023;53(3):649-665.
How Triceps kickback compares with other triceps exercises
Of the 11 triceps exercises in the catalogue, ranked from least to most fatiguing by the values the generator uses, Triceps kickback is number 1.
That makes it a good candidate for adding triceps sets at the end of a session or in heavy weeks, when you want volume without extra fatigue.
With different equipment, the same movement pattern offers 4 alternatives, such as Triceps pushdown, Overhead cable triceps extension and Bench dips.
| Exercise | Equipment | Fatigue | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triceps kickback | dumbbells | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Triceps pushdown | cable | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Overhead cable triceps extension | cable | Low (0.6 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Overhead dumbbell extension | dumbbells | Low (0.6 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Bench dips | bodyweight | Low (0.6 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Seated overhead dumbbell triceps extension | dumbbells | Moderate (0.7 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| EZ bar skull crusher | barbell | Moderate (0.7 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
One side at a time. The meta-analysis by Kassiano et al. (2025), across nine studies, found no significant difference in hypertrophy between unilateral and bilateral training; for strength, each format improved most in its own type of test.
An isolation exercise. In the trial by Gentil et al. (2015), with untrained young men over ten weeks, the biceps curl and the lat pulldown were equally effective for gaining strength and size in the elbow flexors: isolation is not filler.
- Kassiano W, Nunes JP, Costa B, Ribeiro AS, Loenneke JP, Cyrino ES. Comparison of muscle growth and dynamic strength adaptations induced by unilateral and bilateral resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2025;55(4):923-936.
- Gentil P, Soares S, Bottaro M. Single vs. multi-joint resistance exercises: effects on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015;6(2):e24057.
Related guide
Best biceps and triceps exercises for bigger arms
Alternative exercises
- EZ bar skull crusher
- Triceps pushdown
- Overhead dumbbell extension
- Overhead cable triceps extension
- Seated overhead dumbbell triceps extension
More isolation exercises
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does Triceps kickback work?
Triceps kickback mainly works the triceps muscle group, plus synergist and stabilizer muscles depending on the variation.
How many sets of Triceps kickback should I do?
Between 3 and 5 sets per session, adjusting the total weekly volume for triceps to your level (about 10–20 sets per muscle per week).
Why don't I feel any load in the kickback when my arm is down?
Because with the forearm vertical the dumbbell hangs in line with the elbow, and gravity creates almost no resistance to the joint. The load builds as the forearm approaches horizontal and peaks at the end of the movement. That is why it pays to lift the elbow and pause at the top, instead of swinging the dumbbell.
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