Arms · Dumbbell
Kickback
How to do the kickback, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
See it in motion
How to do it
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Extend your arms straight back until they are fully extended, squeezing your triceps at the top. Slowly return to the starting position, keeping your elbows stationary throughout the movement.
- 1Hinge at your hips and lock your upper arms by your sides so you feel the movement isolated in your triceps
- 2At the top of each rep, squeeze the back of your arms and pause briefly to feel the burn
- 3Keep your shoulders retracted and your core engaged to support a stable posture
Common mistakes
- Avoid swinging your arms or using momentum; the motion should come solely from your elbows
- Don't round your shoulders or let your elbows drift down toward the floor
- Avoid hyperextending your elbows; straighten them with control and stop short of locking out hard
Muscles worked
The kickback mainly works the triceps, with the forearms assisting.
- TricepsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the kickback for you and tracks it every session.
The AI builds your whole program, drops the right lifts into each workout, and adjusts your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More triceps exercises
- How to do the skullcrushers
- How to do the cable overhead extension
- How to do the dumbbell overhead extension
- How to do the barbell skull crushers
- How to do the tricep extension
- How to do the tricep pushdown
Last reviewed April 2026.