Dumbbell Kickback

1. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and hinge forward at the hips until your torso is close to parallel with the floor.
2. Brace your free hand on a bench or your knee for support.
3. Pin your upper arm against your side, elbow bent to about 90 degrees.
4. Without moving your upper arm, extend your forearm back until your arm is fully straight.
5. Squeeze your triceps hard at full extension.
6. Slowly bend the elbow to return the dumbbell to the starting position.
7. Complete all reps on one side before switching arms.

Common Mistakes

• Swinging the upper arm: Letting the shoulder move to help lift the weight turns this into a shoulder exercise. Keep your upper arm locked against your torso the whole set.
• Using too much weight: A dumbbell that's too heavy forces you to cheat the range of motion. Drop the load until you can lock out fully with control.
• Stopping short of lockout: Not fully extending the elbow at the top skips the peak triceps contraction. Straighten the arm completely on every rep.
• Rounding the back while hinged: Letting your spine round while bent over strains the lower back. Keep a flat back and brace your core throughout.