The Dumbbell Tricep Kickback is a beginner-friendly dumbbell strength exercise that targets the triceps. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesTriceps
Secondary muscles—
EquipmentDumbbell
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
Stand with a dumbbell in one hand and a slight bend in your knees.
Hinge forward at the hips until your torso is at about 45 degrees and your back is flat.
Pin your working upper arm against your side with the elbow bent at 90 degrees.
Extend the elbow to swing the dumbbell straight back behind you until the arm is fully locked out.
Squeeze the triceps hard at the top with the dumbbell behind you and the upper arm still pinned.
Lower the dumbbell back down to the bent-elbow start, then repeat for reps before switching arms.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Isolates the triceps with strict single-joint loading.
Builds the back of the arm without pressing assistance.
Improves elbow lockout strength for compound presses.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Letting the upper arm drop or swing during the lift, which turns the kickback into a row.
Going too heavy and using momentum, which makes the triceps work disappear from the lift.
Cutting the lockout short and not fully extending the elbow, where the triceps fully shorten.
Rounding the lower back instead of hinging with a flat back, which puts the spine at risk.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Dumbbell Tricep Kickback, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
