Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback
In SetGrip: Dumbbell Triceps Kickback (Seated, Alternating)
- Secondary muscles
- Delts, Upper Back
- Body part
- Upper Arms
- Position
- Seated
- Laterality
- Alternating sides
- Category
- Strength
Track this exercise in SetGrip — no account needed
Sitting on the end of a bench and folding forward puts your torso in the kickback position without asking your lower back to hold a free-standing hinge, and alternating arms lets you check each rep for full lockout. The one-at-a-time pace suits high-rep arm finishers where the standing two-arm version starts to degrade into swinging.
How to do the Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback
- Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and parallel to the ground.
- Extend one arm straight back, keeping it close to your body, until your arm is fully extended.
- Pause for a moment, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat with the other arm.
- Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Keep a slight bend at the top on lying extensions to protect the elbow, but lock out fully on cable pushdowns.
Muscles worked
Primary
Triceps · Arms
The triceps straighten the elbow, and overhead variations stretch the long head at the bottom, so you should feel the whole back of the upper arm working with a hard squeeze at lockout.
Secondary
- Delts — The front delt holds the upper arm in position on overhead extensions and should feel tension but not be lifting.
- Upper Back
Common mistakes
- Elbows flaring out — on overhead and lying extensions the elbows should stay pointed forward or up, not out to the sides, since flaring turns it into a press.
- Upper arm moving — the upper arm should be pinned in place and only the forearm should move; if the elbow drifts, drop the weight.
- Not finishing the rep — take every rep to a full triceps squeeze; on pushdowns that means a complete lockout for a count.
- Cutting the stretch — on overhead extensions let the weight travel down behind the head until you feel the long head stretch before pressing up.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 10–15 | 60–90 s |
| Endurance / finisher | 2–3 × 15–20 | 45 s |
| Strength | Not ideal — pick a compound lift for the same muscle | — |
Triceps extensions go after the presses in a push session or at the end of an arm day. Superset them with biceps curls on the same cable stack or with the same dumbbells.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without dumbbell
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback work?
The Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback primarily works the triceps. It also involves the delts and upper back, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback good for beginners?
Yes. The Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback is rated beginner: it uses a dumbbell and the movement is simple to learn. Start light, focus on the full range of motion and add load once every rep looks the same.
What can I do instead of the Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback?
If you cannot do the Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback, try the Seated Dumbbell Triceps Kickback, the Seated Single Arm Dumbbell Triceps Kickback or the Standing Single Arm Dumbbell Triceps Kickback. Each of them trains the triceps through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback, a sensible starting point is muscle growth: 3–4 × 10–15 with 60–90 s rest; endurance / finisher: 2–3 × 15–20 with 45 s rest. Do it after your compound lifts. It is a finishing movement, not the main event.
Track the Seated Alternating Dumbbell Triceps Kickback in SetGrip
All 1,100+ exercises with animations are in the app. No account, no sign-up — your data stays on your iPhone. Works with Apple Watch.
More exercises
- All arms exercises
- All triceps exercises
- All dumbbell exercises
- Dumbbell triceps exercises
- Banded Single Arm Side Triceps Extension
- Behind Head Close Grip Barbell Lying Triceps Extension
- Barbell Overhead Triceps Extension
- Seated Barbell Overhead Triceps Extension
- Seated Close Grip Barbell Overhead Triceps Extension
- Barbell Skull Crusher
Exercise data and animations are licensed ExerciseDB content used in SetGrip. This page is for general information and is not medical or coaching advice.