Swinging the upper arm
Lock the upper arm to your side and lighten the weight until only the elbow moves.
Isolation · Cable
Cable Tricep Kickback
A one-arm triceps extension done bent over at a low cable, finishing with the arm straight back. The cable keeps tension on the triceps at full lockout, where a dumbbell kickback goes slack. Good as a light finisher for anyone chasing triceps size.
- Primary
- Triceps
- Starting rep range
- 12–15 reps
- Target effort
- 1 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 2.5 kg / one stack step
Muscles worked
The triceps straighten the elbow against the cable; all three heads work, and keeping the upper arm slightly behind the torso puts more stretch on the long head. The rear delt and lats only hold the upper arm still.
How to set up
- Set a single handle or no handle (grab the cable ball) at the lowest pulley, or about knee height.
- Step back, hinge forward until your torso is about 45 degrees or flatter, and brace with your free hand on your thigh.
- Pin your working upper arm against your side, parallel to the floor or slightly above.
- Start with the elbow bent about 90 degrees and the hand under the elbow.
How to do each rep
- Straighten the elbow until the arm is fully locked out behind you.
- Hold the lockout for a one-second squeeze without letting the upper arm drop.
- Lower under control for 2 seconds back to about 90 degrees of elbow bend.
- Keep the shoulder still; only the forearm should move.
Common cable tricep kickback mistakes
Partial lockout
Pick a load you can fully straighten and squeeze for a second on every rep.
Standing too upright
Hinge further so the cable pulls against the forearm through the whole range.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the cable tricep kickback at 12–15 reps with about 1 reps in reserve. As an isolation exercise it fits well after your main compound lifts.
Kickbacks progress best by reps: work up to 15-20 clean reps, then take the smallest stack increment. If the stack jumps are too big, add a pause at lockout instead.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Cable Tricep Kickback alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
Are cable kickbacks better than dumbbell kickbacks?
For most people, yes. The cable keeps tension at lockout and through the start of the rep, while the dumbbell only loads the top. Use whichever you can do with a still upper arm.
Are kickbacks a good triceps builder?
They are a useful accessory, not a main builder, because the load stays light. Pair them with a heavier press or extension like close grip bench or overhead extensions.