Dumbbell Kickback

Setup

1. 01Hold a dumbbell in one hand and hinge the torso to near parallel with the floor.
2. 02Support the free hand on a bench or your thigh.
3. 03Pin the working upper arm against your side, parallel to the floor.
4. 04Set a flat back and brace the trunk.

Execution

1. 01Extend the elbow until the arm is completely straight behind you.
2. 02Squeeze the triceps hard for a beat at lockout.
3. 03Bend the elbow to lower the dumbbell under control to 90 degrees.
4. 04Keep the upper arm frozen in place for every rep.

Checkpoints

• -Upper arm stays parallel to the floor and glued to the side.
• -Full lockout is reached on every rep.
• -Torso stays hinged and still, not bobbing with the reps.
• -Wrist stays neutral, not swinging the dumbbell.

Common mistakes

• -Dropping the elbow so the top of the rep has no tension.
• -Swinging the dumbbell with shoulder momentum.
• -Using a load too heavy to fully straighten the arm.
• -Standing too upright and cutting the resistance at lockout.