Triceps kickback: The best exercise to get toned and stronger arms

If you want well-toned and stronger arms, adding the triceps kickback to your upper body or arm training session can help.

This upper arm-strengthening exercise is one of the best and most common moves for targeting all three heads of the triceps - the long, lateral and medial.

Triceps kickback muscles worked

This exercise activates the core and works on the back muscles. (Photo via Pexels/Ruslan Khmelevsky)

As the name suggests, this exercise primarily targets the triceps. While the triceps kickback targets all three heads, it specifically works on the lateral head of the triceps.

Secondary muscles that get worked on during this upper arm exercise include the rear deltoids and other muscles located in the mid and upper back. Additionally, the core muscles also get activated during triceps kickbacks and provide support and strength throughout the movement.

A triceps kickback can be done with dumbbells, cables and resistance bands depending on your fitness level and preferences. Moreover, they can be performed using both arms simultaneously or be done unilaterally, i.e., using one arm at a time.

Here’s how you can perform each variation

How to do cable triceps kickbacks?

Instructions:

Stand upright facing a low pulley cable machine, and bend forward slightly at the waist to make the torso parallel to the floor.
With the core muscles engaged, and neck, spine, and head in a straight line, place one hand on the thigh, and grab the cable with the other hand.
Contract the triceps, and slowly extend your arm back while pulling the cable as far as you can.
Return your arm to the starting position, and complete a few more reps. Switch sides, and repeat.

How to do dumbbell kickback?

Dumbbell triceps kickback is an easy exercise. (Photo via Pexels/Julia Larson)

Instructions:

Stand straight, and place your left knee, foot and shin on an exercise bench. Bend over, supporting the body on the knee, with the torso parallel to the floor.
Hold the top of the bench with your fingertips, and grab a dumbbell in your right hand. Hold the dumbbells against your side, and ensure that there's a 90-degree bend at the elbow.
Straighten your right arm backwards till it gets parallel to the floor, and slowly lower the dumbbell till the arm gets back at 90 degrees.
Contract the triceps at the top of the movement, and repeat a few times before switching arms.

How to do resistance band kickbacks?

Instructions

Stand straight with a resistance band under the feet. Hold the band with both hands, and keep the elbows bent at 90 degrees.
Bend over till the torso gets almost parallel to the floor, and extend your arms back by pulling the resistance band.
As you do that, make sure the lower back is straight and core muscles are engaged.
Return your arms to the starting position, and do a few more reps. Switch sides, and continue.

Triceps kickback form tips

Perform a few stretching exercises before attempting this triceps exercise. (Photo via Pexels/Miriam Alonso)

Before doing this exercise, remember to do a 5-10 minute warmup to activate and loosen up the muscles. You can perform a few upper body or arm stretching exercises, jumping jacks or skipping.

When doing a triceps kickback, ensure that you're using proper form to safely and efficiently target the muscles. Focus on moving the weight only with the triceps while keeping control of your bodyweight as you extend the arms back. Make sure to keep the body as stable as possible while keeping a neutral position of the head and neck, which will keep the back straight.

The triceps kickback is an excellent exercise to develop a stronger, thicker and well-toned triceps muscle. Powerful triceps are needed not only for weightlifting exercises but for almost every push and pull movement involved in day-to-day activities.

You can add this exercise to your full body, upper body or arm workout routine. Aim to do it at least twice a week, and add a few more popular triceps exercises to your routine, like triceps extensions, skull crushers, triceps pull-downs and push-ups.