Cable Triceps Kickback: Kick Your Triceps Workouts Into Overdrive

Dumbbell triceps kickbacks are a tried-and-true arm day staple, but what if we told you there’s another, arguably better way of hitting your tris?

That’s right; we’re talking about cable triceps kickbacks, which involve taking the same movement pattern from your classic dumbbell kickbacks and using a cable machine instead. The result: a wider range of motion, greater time under tension, and, ultimately, more muscle activation in your triceps!

Kate Meier, NASM-CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1, and GGR director of content, shares everything you need to know about how to do cable triceps kickbacks with proper form, including alternatives, benefits, common mistakes, and more. So, kick back, relax, and read on!

How To Do the Cable Triceps Kickback

When performed properly, your elbow should be the only thing moving, specifically from a flexed position to full extension. The rest of your body should remain fixed throughout. You’ll want a flat back, tight core, neutral neck, and eyes looking forward as you kick that cable back, squeeze the contraction, and release.

How to do it:

1. Set a cable machine pulley to the lowest position, select your desired weight, and either secure the single handle attachment or remove the attachment entirely.
2. Grip the rope or, if not using an attachment, grip the cable just below the carabiner.
3. Step back to create tension on the line and enter a staggered stance. If you’re gripping the cable with your right hand, your left leg should be forward and vice versa.
4. Push your hips back, lower your chest, and raise your upper arm, keeping your elbow bent, so that it’s parallel with the floor.
5. Breathe in, then exhale as you extend your elbow and “kick back” the cable.
6. Continue until your elbow is fully locked out.
7. Squeeze your triceps muscle, then slowly guide the cable back to the starting position.
8. Repeat for reps, then switch sides and repeat the set.

Modifications

• Dial it back: Setting a cable machine to a lighter setting should allow you to focus on getting the form locked in before you scale to heavier weights. You may also consider doing unweighted triceps squeezes using this exact movement to practice the mechanics.
• Make it harder: It’s hard to go super heavy on kickbacks, so incorporating other triceps exercises like the overhead triceps extension may help make the workout harder. You may also consider doing more reps per set or tempo training to maximize your time under tension. Feel the burn, baby!

How To Do the Cable Triceps Kickback At Home

Having one of the best cable machines for home gyms makes doing the cable triceps kickback at home a breeze, but we understand that not everyone has the budget or floor space. Luckily, you can get a fairly similar experience using resistance bands.

To perform a resistance band triceps kickback, simply anchor your resistance band in a low position, step back, and follow the same steps.

Cable Triceps Kickback Variations

• Dumbbell triceps kickback: Using one (or a pair) of the best dumbbells won’t provide the same constant tension as a cable machine, but it’s still an effective way to target your triceps. Plus, you can work both arms at the same time, making it ideal for time-sensitive workouts.
• Kettlebell triceps kickback: The kettlebell triceps kickback may seem like the dumbbell version using a different free weight—which it mostly is—but it’s more than that. Due to the kettlebell’s unique shape, you’ll need to work harder to hold it steady in the lockout position by recruiting your forearm muscles to a greater degree.
• Resistance band kickback: There are pros and cons to using resistance bands instead of cable machines for the kickback exercise. On the one hand, the best resistance bands are inexpensive, portable, lightweight, and convenient if you’re working out at home; on the other hand, you can add and subtract weight during your workout using a cable machine.

Cable Triceps Kickback Alternatives

Working the triceps cable kickback into your strength training will do a lot to help you build bigger arms. However, the best way to maximize strength and hypertrophy gains is by mixing the movement with other similar exercises.

Here are a few of our favorite cable triceps kickback alternatives to flesh out your workout.

Overhead Triceps Extension

Why do it: A 2023 study published in the European Journal of Sport Science¹ found that triceps brachii hypertrophy was “substantially greater” after doing extensions “in the overhead [rather] than neutral-arm position.” That doesn’t mean the kickback is bupkis; you’ll get the best results using both the kickback and the overhead triceps extension in your strength training.

How to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart holding a dumbbell with both hands by the top.
2. Push the dumbbell into the overhead lockout position by extending your elbows.
3. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
4. Continue until your forearms are nearly parallel with the floor.
5. Extend your elbows and push the dumbbell back to the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps.

Triceps Pushdown – Rope Attachment

Why do it: Frontiers in Physiology² found that you could increase muscle activation to the lateral, medial, and long heads of your triceps by performing the triceps pushdown exercise at different speeds and intensities, so you’ll never leave any region of the triceps behind.

How to do it: 

1. Adjust a cable machine pulley to the highest point, select your desired weight, and secure the rope attachment to the carabiner.
2. Grip the rope with both hands using a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
3. Step back to create tension on the line and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, back straight, core tight, and elbows fully bent.
4. Push the rope down by extending your elbows. Keep your upper arms still as you move.
5. Squeeze your triceps in the end position.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.
7. Repeat for reps.

Close-Grip Bench Press

Why do it: According to a 2021 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health³,  performing the bench press with a narrow grip increases triceps muscle activation, making it the perfect addition to any chest and triceps workout split.

How to do it: 

1. Rack a barbell and load it to your desired weight.
2. Set up a flat weight bench under the bar and lie down so that your eyes are directly under the bar and your feet are firmly planted on the floor.
3. Reach up and grip the bar with a double overhand grip that’s just inside shoulder-width.
4. Breathe in, then exhale as you unrack the bar and position it directly above your chest.
5. Inhale as you slowly lower the bar toward your chest by bending your elbows.
6. Continue until the bar lightly touches the top of your chest.
7. Exhale as you press the bar back to the starting position.
8. Repeat for reps then rerack the bar before repeating the set.

RELATED: How To Do The Close-Grip Bench Press

Skull Crusher

Why do it: Skull crushers prove you can get work done while lying down. According to the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness⁴, they provide similar muscle activation to the medial and long heads of the triceps compared to the overhead extension. However, the lying positioning increases isolation to the lateral head.

How to do it: 

1. Rack a barbell and load it to your desired weight.
2. Set up a flat weight bench under the bar and lie down.
3. Grip the bar with a double overhand grip and unrack the bar.
4. Slowly bend your elbows to lower the barbell toward your forehead.
5. Push the bar back to the starting position by extending your elbows.
6. Repeat for reps, then rerack the bar before repeating the set.

Benefits of the Cable Triceps Kickback

Adding cable triceps kickbacks to your loadout could mean greater upper-body strength and bigger triceps muscles thanks to that juicy muscle activation in this essential muscle group, but why cable kickbacks? What other benefits does this exercise offer? Here’s what we found:

Cable Machines Provide Constant Tension

There’s a reason why cable machine workouts are common in bodybuilding programs. It’s called constant tension.

“Cable machines apply tension to the working muscle throughout the entire range of motion,” says Kate Meier, NASM-CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1. “Free weight exercises, on the other hand, often allow the lifter a brief moment of rest in the peak position.”

Because of this lack of rest, controlled trials show⁵ that cable machine exercises may “enhance the benefits of [exercise], especially for those seeking greater increases in muscular hypertrophy.”

Kickbacks Are an Isolation Exercise

Speaking of exercises exceptional at building muscle, the cable triceps kickback—and triceps kickbacks in general—provides isolated activation to the triceps brachii.

“Isolation exercises are great for maximizing muscular hypertrophy and endurance because they let you ‘cash out’ at the end of a workout,” says Kate. “You can effectively exhaust most muscle groups with multi-joint compound exercises before fully fatiguing target muscles with your triceps isolation exercises like the cable triceps kickback.”

Combined with a comprehensive hypertrophy workout and a high-protein diet, exercises like this one may help you put on some real muscle mass.

It’s a Different Vibe

We can wholeheartedly recommend cable triceps kickbacks because they’re highly effective. That said, even if they weren’t as effective as the tried-and-true free-weight exercises many gym-goers prefer, we’d still suggest them.

Why? Because they’re different.

Cable machine exercises provide a totally different stimulus to the target muscle groups, which may pay dividends in the form of enhanced results. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research⁶ found that “some degree of systematic variation [may] enhance regional hypertrophic adaptations and maximize dynamic strength.”

Plus, switching things up every so often works wonders for your mental game, helping keep you motivated and consistently showing up for your training. That’s a win-win right there.

Common Cable Triceps Kickback Mistakes

The cable triceps kickback is a fairly simple movement, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a mistake. Don’t underestimate the exercise and find yourself guilty of committing these common mistakes.

Flaring Your Elbows

Proper form means your elbows are the sole joints responsible for moving the resistance through flexion and extension. That alone is simple enough, but it’s worth noting that, like the bench press and push-up, you should tuck your elbows tight to your torso.

RELATED: What Muscles Do Push-Ups Work?

Flaring your elbows outward isn’t just poor biomechanics; it may place undue stress on your shoulder joint and contribute to injury. Do yourself a favor and avoid elbow flare at all costs!

Using Too Much Momentum

To guarantee your triceps are the ones doing the work, the rest of your body should remain completely still. 

That means you’re not rocking forward and back to gain extra leverage. It also means you’re not pulling with your shoulders or entire arm to move the weights. And it especially means you’re not rounding your back and hyperextending.

“Keep your back straight, core tight, legs in a staggered stance, and neck neutral,” says Kate. “The only movement you want is your elbow extending to kick back, then flexing to return to the starting position. That’s it.”

Bending Your Wrists

It should be easy enough to get a neutral grip on the cable and keep your wrists strong and stable during the movement by following our recommendation of using a rope attachment (or no attachment).

Bending your wrist is more common using other attachment types, but it’s still possible when using a neutral grip, and it’s a big no-no. Not only does bending your wrists diminish power and activation in your triceps, but it can also lead to elbow pain or injuries over time.

Remember to keep your wrists strong, straight, and stable throughout the full range of motion. And, if you’re still having trouble, don’t discount the value of a good wrist wrap!

Muscles Worked by the Cable Triceps Kickback

The cable triceps kickback is categorized as an isolation exercise, so its primary purpose is to increase strength and build muscle in the triceps brachii⁷. This muscle is further subdivided into three main parts:

• The long head: Studies show⁸ that the long head of the triceps brachii produces “significantly higher muscle force and muscle activation than the lateral and medial heads” at 0° shoulder elevation. It is also important for stabilizing the shoulder joint.
• The medial head: The medial head plays no role in shoulder stability, but it contributes greatly to elbow extension at various degrees of shoulder elevation.
• The lateral head: The lateral head is arguably the most important of the three, as it is considered the strongest triceps head. It is integral for generating force during pushing exercises like the bench press and push-up.

What’s great about the cable triceps kickback is that, unlike many of the best triceps exercises, it predominantly targets the medial and long head of the triceps for even growth throughout the triceps brachii.

Cable Triceps Kickback: Final Thoughts

There are tons of viable triceps and biceps exercises at your disposal if you’re looking to build bigger arms, but the cable triceps kickback is among the best and most underrated. This gem of an exercise:

• Provides isolated muscle activation to the triceps brachii
• Uses a cable machine to place constant tension on the target muscle
• Increases your muscle’s time under tension for greater work per rep
• Targets the medial and long triceps heads to a greater degree

If you’re ready to kick your triceps training into another gear, don’t sleep on the cable triceps kickback. Give it a try during your next workout, and get ready to feel the burn!

Cable Triceps Kickback: FAQs

References

1. Maeo S, Wu Y, Huang M, et al. Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. Eur J Sport Sci. 2023;23(7):1240-1250. doi:10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279
2. Hussain J, Sundaraj K, Subramaniam ID, Lam CK. Muscle Fatigue in the Three Heads of Triceps Brachii During Intensity and Speed Variations of Triceps Push-Down Exercise. Front Physiol. 2020;11:112. Published 2020 Feb 21. doi:10.3389/fphys.2020.00112
3. Saeterbakken AH, Stien N, Pedersen H, Solstad TEJ, Cumming KT, Andersen V. The Effect of Grip Width on Muscle Strength and Electromyographic Activity in Bench Press among Novice- and Resistance-Trained Men. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(12):6444. Published 2021 Jun 14. doi:10.3390/ijerph18126444
4. Alves D, Matta T, Oliveira L. Effect of shoulder position on triceps brachii heads activity in dumbbell elbow extension exercises. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2018;58(9):1247-1252. doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.17.06849-9
5. García-López D, Herrero AJ, González-Calvo G, Rhea MR, Marín PJ. Influence of “in series” elastic resistance on muscular performance during a biceps-curl set on the cable machine. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(9):2449-2455. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e3482f
6. Kassiano W, Nunes JP, Costa B, Ribeiro AS, Schoenfeld BJ, Cyrino ES. Does Varying Resistance Exercises Promote Superior Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains? A Systematic Review. J Strength Cond Res. 2022;36(6):1753-1762. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000004258
7. Tiwana MS, Sinkler MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Triceps Muscle. [Updated 2023 Aug 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.
8. Kholinne E, Zulkarnain RF, Sun YC, Lim S, Chun JM, Jeon IH. The different role of each head of the triceps brachii muscle in elbow extension. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc. 2018;52(3):201-205. doi:10.1016/j.aott.2018.02.005