All Exercises

Dumbbell Standing Kickback

Strengthen your triceps with the dumbbell standing kickback. This isolation exercise targets the back of your upper arms for defined, sculpted muscles.

Intermediate
Isolation
Push
1 min per set1 min rest

Description

A strength exercise where you hold a dumbbell in each hand, bend over slightly, and kickback the weights behind you.

How to Do Dumbbell Standing Kickback

  1. 1
    Setup

    Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip. Hinge forward slightly at your hips, keeping your back straight and core engaged, until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.

  2. 2
    Setup

    Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, pinning your upper arms close to your sides and parallel to the floor. Your forearms should hang straight down with the dumbbells.

  3. 3

    Exhale as you extend your elbows, contracting your triceps to "kick back" the dumbbells directly behind you. Focus on moving only your forearms and keeping your upper arms stationary.

  4. 4

    Fully extend your arms until your triceps are completely contracted and your arms are straight. Hold this peak contraction briefly.

  5. 5

    Inhale as you slowly and controllably return the dumbbells to the starting position, allowing your forearms to hang vertically again. Maintain tension in your triceps throughout the eccentric phase.

Tips

  • Keep your upper arms stationary throughout the movement; only your forearms should move to isolate the triceps effectively.
  • Focus on a strong contraction at the top of the movement, squeezing your triceps as if trying to touch the back of your arms together.
  • Control the eccentric (lowering) phase, resisting the weight as it returns to the starting position to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Choose a weight that allows you to maintain strict form; using too heavy a weight will often lead to swinging and shoulder involvement.

Common Mistakes

  • ×Swinging the weights using momentum instead of triceps strength; fix this by lowering the weight and focusing on a controlled, deliberate extension.
  • ×Allowing the upper arms to drop or move away from the body; fix this by pinning your elbows tightly to your sides and keeping your upper arms parallel to the floor.
  • ×Arching your lower back excessively; fix this by engaging your core and maintaining a slight hinge at the hips with a flat back throughout the exercise.

Variations

Related Exercises

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