Dumbbell Prone Triceps Kickback
Dumbbell Prone Triceps Kickback Exercise Description
The dumbbell prone triceps kickback is a chest‑supported elbow‑extension exercise that targets the triceps brachii (long, lateral, and medial heads). Lying prone on a bench minimizes trunk movement and momentum, helping you isolate the elbow joint and maintain a neutral spine. The goal is to keep the upper arm fixed alongside the torso while the forearm moves from flexion to full extension. Because the resistance is free‑weight and gravity‑dependent, the exercise feels most challenging as the forearm approaches horizontal with the floor, near end‑range extension. Performed with controlled motion and steady shoulder positioning, it reinforces precise elbow mechanics and improves your awareness of scapular stability and wrist neutrality.
- Muscle Groups: Triceps
- Target Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Lateral Head
- Assisting Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Long Head, Triceps Brachii - Medial Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: Infraspinatus, Rhomboid Major, Subscapularis, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Arms, Upper Arms
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Dumbbell
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Elbow Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Outer Tricep
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Dumbbell Prone Triceps Kickback Exercise
‘- Set up prone on a chest‑supported bench with feet on the floor, pelvis and ribcage lightly in contact, neck neutral (gaze down).
– Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in (neutral grip), elbows bent about 90 degrees.
– Gently retract and depress the scapulae; keep shoulders down and away from ears.
– Fix the upper arms next to the torso; maintain this shoulder position throughout.
– Brace lightly so the spine stays neutral without arching or rounding.
– Extend the elbows to move the dumbbells toward your hips; think “pivot only at the elbow.”
– Finish with the elbows straight but not forcefully locked; forearms in line with upper arms.
– Pause briefly to eliminate momentum while keeping the shoulders still.
– Flex the elbows under control until the forearms point toward the floor; avoid letting the elbows drift forward.
– Keep wrists neutral (no excessive bending) and the head and torso quiet.
– Form checks: no torso swinging, no shoulder shrugging, no flaring elbows; reduce range and reset if the upper arm moves.
Dumbbell Prone Triceps Kickback Tips
‘- Lie prone with chest, pelvis, and ribcage lightly on the bench, feet on the floor, neck neutral, and gaze down.
– Start with a neutral grip (palms facing in) and elbows bent about 90 degrees at your sides.
– Gently retract and depress your scapulae so the shoulders stay down and away from your ears.
– Fix your upper arms alongside your torso and maintain this shoulder position throughout the movement.
– Brace lightly so your spine stays neutral without arching or rounding.
– Extend your elbows to move the dumbbells toward your hips, thinking “pivot only at the elbow.”
– At the top, finish with the elbows straight but not forcefully locked, forearms in line with your upper arms, and pause briefly to eliminate momentum.
– Lower by flexing the elbows under control until your forearms point toward the floor, avoiding any forward drift of the elbows.
– Keep your wrists neutral (no excessive bending) and your head and torso quiet throughout.
– Use form checks: no torso swinging, no shoulder shrugging, no flaring elbows; reduce range and reset if the upper arm moves.
Dumbbell Prone Triceps Kickback Beginner Introduction
The dumbbell prone triceps kickback places the lifter face‑down on a bench with the chest supported, so the body stays relatively still while the arms work. With a dumbbell in each hand and the upper arms held near the sides, the movement centers on bending and straightening at the elbow. This setup highlights the triceps on the back of the upper arms while the rest of the torso remains quiet, encouraging a natural, steady posture through the head, neck, and back.
Because the weights move against gravity, tension increases as the forearms rise toward a level position with the ground, making the final part of the extension feel especially demanding. The exercise emphasizes smooth, deliberate motion, with the shoulders staying low and stable instead of shrugging or swinging. That combination of controlled elbow action, calm shoulder blades, and straight wrists builds a strong sense of how the arms should line up and move during pressing or pushing tasks in general.