Triceps Kickbacks: How-To, Tips, and Alternatives from an Expert

How to Do the Triceps Kickback

You Can Perform Triceps Kickbacks Standing, Seated, or with Your Body Supported by a Weight Bench. You Can Also Do Them Using a Pair of the Best Dumbbells or a Cable Machine. Our Expert Guide Will Focus on the Standing Dumbbell Triceps Kickback.

Modifications

You Can Easily Incorporate Triceps Kickbacks into Your Weighted Arm Workouts at Home. You Can Use a Pair of Dumbbells, Resistance Bands, or Even Some Heavy Household Objects Like Canned Goods, Bags of Rice, or Jugs of Laundry Detergent.

How to Do Triceps Kickbacks at Home

You Can Easily Incorporate Triceps Kickbacks into Your Weighted Arm Workouts at Home. You Can Use a Pair of Dumbbells, Resistance Bands, or Even Some Heavy Household Objects Like Canned Goods, Bags of Rice, or Jugs of Laundry Detergent.

Triceps Kickbacks Variations

Related: Unilateral Exercises

Triceps Kickbacks Alternatives

The Triceps Kickback Exercise Is Excellent If You’re Looking to Build Muscle and Strength in Your Triceps, but It’s Not the Only Move You Should Be Doing If You’re Looking to Build Bigger Arms.

Diamond Push-Up

Why Do It: According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research2, You’ll Get More Activation in Your Pectoral and Triceps Muscles When Performing Push-up Variations That Use a Narrower Hand Placement. So, Diamond Push-Ups Make an Intuitive Alternative (Or Addition) to Triceps Strength Training Programs.

Straight-Arm Pushdown

Why Do It: “Straight-Arm Triceps Pushdowns Are One of the Best Ways to Target the Triceps While Minimizing Stress on Your Elbow Joints, ” Says Kate Meier, Nasm-Cpt, Usaw-L1, Cf-L1. “They Also Require Shoulder Stabilization, So You May Improve Shoulder Stability from Performing Triceps Pushdowns Regularly. ”

Dumbbell Triceps Extension

Why Do It: the Dumbbell Triceps Extension, Also Known as the Overhead Extension, Is Similar to the Kickback in That It Uses Elbow Extension to Target the Triceps Muscles, But, in Some Ways, It May Be More Effective. According to the European Journal of Sport Science4, Using an Overhead Position for the Triceps Extension May Result in Greater Muscle Growth Compared to Movements Using a Neutral Arm Position.

Skull Crusher

Why Do It: “The Skull Crusher Workout May Sound Foreboding, but It’s Basically Just a Lying Triceps Extension, ” Says Kate. “They’re Great for Targeting the Triceps While Minimizing Stress on the Shoulder Joint Due to the Supine Positioning. ”

Triceps Dips

Why Do It: the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health3 States That Bench, Bar, and Ring Dip Exercises Are Among the Most Effective for Targeting Your Triceps, Proving That You Don’t Need a Ton of Weight or Fancy Machines to Get a Great Triceps Workout. This Is a More Advanced Alternative, So You May Want to Start Closer to the Ground with Bench Dips to Build up Strength Before Attempting This Exercise.

Benefits of the Triceps Kickbacks

Working out Your Triceps Is Important for Bigger Arms and More All-Around Upper Body Strength, but Why the Triceps Kickback as Opposed to Any Other Triceps Exercise?

Provides Targeted Triceps Isolation

Compound Exercises Are Great for Activating Various Muscle Groups, But, as They Say, “Jack of All Trades, Master of None. ”

May Enhance Your Shoulder Stability

The Long Head of the Triceps Brachii Attaches to the Scapula, Meaning It Facilitates Some Arm Movements, Specifically Extension and Adduction, at the Shoulder Joint. Because of This, Your Triceps Strength and Shoulder Stability Go Hand in Hand.

May Improve Your Weightlifting Performance

Personal Trainers Often Categorize Exercises as Main Lifts or Accessory Lifts. Whereas Your Main Lifts Are the Meat and Potatoes of Your Workout—Think Bench Press, Deadlift, Back Squat—Your Accessory Lifts Help Build the Muscle Groups and Movement Mechanics Required to Excel at Your Main Lifts.

Common Triceps Kickback Mistakes

The Triceps Kickback Is an Effective Exercise for Building Triceps Strength and Size When Performed Correctly, but There Are a Few Things You Should Try to Avoid. Here Are Some of the Most Common Mistakes Associated with the Triceps Kickback.

Rounding Your Back

Performing the Triceps Kickback Starts with Hinging Forward So That Your Chest Is Nearly Parallel with the Floor. That Means You’re Maintaining a Straight Back, a Neutral Spine and Neck, and a Braced Core. Rounding Your Back Puts Excess Stress on Your Lower Back Muscles and Could Contribute to or Cause an Injury.

Using Too Much Momentum (Or Any)

With the Triceps Kickback, One Joint Should Do All the Movement During This Exercise. That Joint, of Course, Is Your Elbow, Which Essentially Functions Like a Hinge Moving from Fully Bent to Fully Extended with Each Rep.

Going Too Heavy

Swinging Your Arms Around to Do Kickbacks Usually Indicates You’ve Gone Too Light or Are Rushing, but Going Too Heavy Can Cause You to Recruit Other Muscle Groups or Rely on Momentum All the Same.

Muscles Worked by Triceps Kickbacks

As an Isolation Exercise, the Triceps Kickback Works, Well, the Triceps Muscle or Triceps Brachii5 to Be More Scientific. You Can Further Divide the Triceps Brachii into Three Heads:

Triceps Kickbacks: Final Thoughts

We’re Pretty Sure Biceps Curls Will Never Fall out of Fashion, but Prioritizing the Triceps Is the Best Way to Build Bigger Arms Since They Take up Literally Two-Thirds of Your Arm’s Real Estate. Using Exercises Like the Triceps Kickback May Help You Succeed in That Goal Because:

Triceps Kickbacks: Faqs

Triceps Kickbacks Are Good for the Triceps Exclusively. as an Isolation Exercise, the Movement Should Not Target Other Surrounding Muscle Groups And, Thanks to the Exercise’s Relatively Small Range of Motion, Allows for a Strong Contraction at the Peak Position of Each Rep.

Are Kickbacks Good for Triceps?

Triceps Kickbacks Are Good for the Triceps Exclusively. as an Isolation Exercise, the Movement Should Not Target Other Surrounding Muscle Groups And, Thanks to the Exercise’s Relatively Small Range of Motion, Allows for a Strong Contraction at the Peak Position of Each Rep.

What’s a Good Weight for Triceps Kickbacks?

“Beginners Often Believe They Need to Go Heavy When Doing Kickbacks to Get the Best Results, but That’s Not the Case, ” Says Kate Meier, Nasm-Cpt, Usaw-L1, Cf-L1, and Ggr Director of Fitness Content. “Because the Dumbbell Is Far from the Body, Most People Lift Much Less When Doing Kickbacks Than They Do on Other Dumbbell Exercises Like the Biceps Curl or Shoulder Press. ”

What Is the Most Effective Triceps Exercise?

We All Have Our Strengths and Weaknesses, Meaning It’s Difficult to Identify One Objective “Best Triceps Exercise” That Will Be the Most Effective for Everyone.

References

Christopher Covello Is a Professional Freelancer and Published Author. He Writes Copy, Content, and Seo-Focused Material in Various Niches with a Heavy Focus on Fitness and Nutrition. Christopher’s Personal Fitness and Nutrition Journey Began in 2009 When He Was Working as a Short Order Cook and Came to Recognize That His Habits Were Unhealthy and Unsustainable. He Educated Himself on Mindful Eating and Balanced Nutrition and Has Prioritized Healthy Living Ever Since. Today, Christopher Writes in the Fitness and Nutrition Niche, and Is Often Found Running, Hiking, Rock Climbing, Spartan Racing, Training at His Crossfit Box, or Practicing Yoga.