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Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored

How to Do Standing Bent Over Band Triceps Kickbacks Variation | In-Depth Guide [VISUAL LEARNERS]
Beginner

Proper Form & Common Mistakes | Home Resistance Training

LET’S DO IT: HOW TO DO the Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored - FULL VERSION (5 min)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE?

QUICK DEMO

QUICK DEMO

QUICK DEMO: HOW TO DO the Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored - FAST VERSION (2 min)

MUSCLES THIS WORKS

MUSCLES

MAIN MUSCLES WORKED IN the Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored

TRICEPS

OTHER MUSCLES WORKED:
  • Anconeus (a forearm muscle)

STARTING POINTERS

Starting Pointers

WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY

 ALL WE'RE DOING:

Just bend and unbend the elbow, in a bent over position.

Here's another great underarm flab exercise. This version of the tricep kickback exercise is done by securing the resistance band under both feet. The band will be pulling your upper arm forward and also pulling to bend the elbows. This resistance will keep tension on the long head of the triceps to hold the arms back throughout the exercise. All of the elbow extensors will work together to straighten the elbows. The exercise is done in a bent-over position, so you will also be working the muscles of the back of the torso and the legs. The goal for the setup would be to bend over far enough that the band is pulling the arms down towards the floor and bending the elbows. The upper arm does not have to be parallel with the floor because the resistance will increase as the band is stretched, making this a good option if you have limited shoulder extension. 

There will be a trade-off with the starting position: The further the upper arm is lifted back into extension (past the torso) the less the long head of the triceps will be able to contribute to straightening the elbow. This is not good or bad, just information to use to meet your goals for the movement. 

HOW TO DO THE EXERCISE

LOOKS

HOW Band Triceps Kickbacks - Foot Anchored SHAPE OUR BODY

Will tone and shape the triceps which is the biggest muscle of the arm. Firms the F word - flabby - upper arm region. 

PROPER FORM

PROPER FORM: Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored

LET’S DO IT: HOW TO DO the Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored - FULL VERSION (5 min)

EQUIPMENT, SETS & REPS

EQUIPMENT

Main set (3: Light/Med/Heavy)
X-Heavy Band (I recommend getting this too if you plan to use resistance bands frequently).

SUGGESTED STARTING WEIGHT FOR WOMEN:

Moderate resistance bands

SETS & REPS:

2 sets of 8 reps

PACE:

Moderate-paced straightening of the elbow and slower release.

BODY POSITION

BODY POSITION FOR THE Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored

BAND: Secure the band under both feet, holding one end of the band in each hand. 

FEET: Feet hip width apart, toes pointed forward.

BODY STANCE: Hinge forward at hips to a position where you can comfortably hold good posture: neutral spine, sternum lifted, broad chest, shoulder blades in and down the back. 

ARMS: Lift your upper arms up to be in line or slightly behind your torso - closer to parallel with the floor will work the long head of the triceps more), and bend your elbows a little less than 90 degrees. The band should be pulling your upper arm forward and pulling your elbow into a bend. The band should be taut in the starting position.

HAND/GRIP: Hold one end of the band in each hand. Palms facing each other - neutral grip. Your wrist should be held neutral (not bending) throughout the exercise.

HOW TO DO

HOW TO DO Band Triceps Kickbacks - Foot Anchored

CUE: Your upper arm should be held still, all of the movement is isolated to your elbow joint.

Press your hands back to straighten your elbows.

Slowly control the movement as you bend your elbows back to the starting position. 

Repeat for the desired number of reps.

HOW TO SAFELY GET OUT OF THE EXERCISE

From the starting position, stand up, step forward and release the band.

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how-to-resistance-band-triceps-kickbacks-standing-bent-over-proper-form-home-exercise

COMMON MISTAKES

COMMON MISTAKES

WHAT TO AVOID WITH THE Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored

KEY TIP:

Guess what? Good news! Many avoids are the same for most movements. Once you learn the basics, there's really only a few extra avoids for each individual movement.

MISTAKES: COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID (4 min)

1. Avoid Arching Spine

AVOID: Avoid arching the spine.

WHY NOT?

  • This can increase the stress on the joints of the spine
  • Will also decrease the muscle activity of the muscles on the upper back that are important for good posture.

WHAT TO DO:

  • Keep the spine neutral, the sternum lifted, shoulder blades should be back and down.
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2. Avoid Moving Elbows

AVOID: Avoid letting the upper arm move up and down.

WHY NOT?

  • This would activate the latissimus dorsi and teres major and decrease the activity of the triceps.

WHAT TO DO:

  • Keep your upper arm still, just move at the elbow.
avoid-moving-elbows-up-and-down-resistance-band-triceps-kickbacks-standing-bent-over-proper-form

3. Avoid Elbows Flaring Out

AVOID: Avoid locking or hyperextending the elbow of the supporting arm.

WHY NOT?

  • Locking the elbow when it is supporting some of the body weight increases the stress on the elbow joint and the ligaments.

WHAT TO DO:

  • Keeping the elbow straight but soft or slightly bent will increase the activity of the arm muscles that support the elbow joint - for an added bonus.
avoid-elbows-moving-away-from-torso-resistance-band-triceps-kickbacks-standing-bent-over-common-mistakes

4. Avoid Shoulders Toward Ears

AVOID: Avoid letting your shoulders hunch up.

WHY NOT?

  • This happens when the upper trap tries to help out and the top of the shoulder moves closer to the earlobe
  • Promote poor shoulder mechanics which may irritate or injure the shoulder joint soft tissue or joint surface
  • Will decrease the scapular stabilizers during the exercise.

WHAT TO DO:

  • Keep the neck relaxed, and space between the top of the shoulder and the earlobe. 
avoid-shoulders-hunching-toward-ears-resistance-band-triceps-kickbacks-standing-bent-over-common-mistakes

WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY

WHAT & WHY

BENEFITS OF TRAINING THE triceps

WHAT: WHAT Triceps Kickback IS ALL ABOUT (2 min)

WHAT

Tricep Kickbacks target the large muscle on the back side of the upper arm. The main function of this muscle is to straighten the elbow, like the movement that you make to push a door open. This is a very simple movement, just straightening the elbow and then controlling the movement of the arm as you the elbow bends again. This exercise is the compliment to bicep curls - the bicep curl works the muscle on the front and the tricep works the muscle on the back of the upper arm. If you do bicep curls, make sure to include some tricep exercises in your workout to keep the muscles well-balanced.

There are a few options for body position for tricep kickbacks. The main things to keep in mind are that you want the upper arm in line or slightly behind the body, and concentrate on isolating the movement to the elbow. This will work one part of the tricep - the long head, for both of its functions: moving the upper arm back and straightening the elbow.

The other thing to think about is the resistance of the muscle. With dumbbells, the resistance will be greatest when the upper arm is pushed back, running parallel to the floor and the elbow is fully extended. When you are using an elastic band, the resistance will be greatest when the band is stretched the longest and you are resisting the band pulling the upper arm forward and bending the elbow. Take a minute to think about your setup before completing the movement.

Muscles are the strongest when they are in the middle of their range of motion - not too short and not too long. This is important when you are setting up for the tricep kickbacks. If you do not lean your torso over far enough, you will need to lift the arm back further behind your torso to get it to be parallel to the floor. The further you lift the arm behind the torso - the shorter the long head of the tricep will be. This position will make it harder for the long head of the triceps to help to fully straighten the elbow. This is neither good or bad, but it may help you get the right body position to meet your goals.

WHY BOTHER DOING IT?

WHY

WHY DO WE EVEN CARE?

BENEFITS: WHY BOTHER DOING the Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored (2 min)

THE BIGGER ARM MUSCLES MEANS WE NEED THEM IN OUR LIFE

Since this is the largest muscle of our arm, it means we use it a LOT in everyday life to do stuff, especially anything that feels hard.

The word tricep means that there are three heads (or parts) to the muscle. All three heads of the muscle cross the elbow joint, with their primary function being to straighten the elbow. The long head of the tricep also crosses the shoulder joint. This part of the muscle can also help to pull the upper arm back, like the movement you would do to pull a cord down to open the shades.

WORKS ALL 3 HEADS OF THIS MUSCLE!

Tricep kickbacks work all three heads of the triceps and the anconeus - which is a small muscle in the forearm area that helps to straighten the elbow. These muscles are also important for stabilizing the elbow joint.

SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE LONG HEAD OF THE TRICEPS

The position of the triceps kickback is good for targeting the long head of the tricep. What I learned from Carol the physical therapist is that different arm positions will work each of the three heads in different ways. By positioning our arm a little differenty we can give a bit more focus to one of the three heads, which can be nice for really fatiguing that portion of the muscle, and is also what helps give nice shape to our arm.

When the arm is held back against resistance, the long head of the triceps is shortened at the shoulder joint and then, to straighten the elbow. This positioning keeps tension on the long head of the triceps throughout the movement. This is one of the few triceps exercises that do this, making it a nice way to add variety to your tricep training. When your upper arm is down by your side or raised up in front but less than shoulder level, the long head of the triceps will do most of the work to extend the elbow.

Most joints have muscles on opposite sides that do opposite movements. This is true for the elbow joint - the biceps bends the elbow and the tricep straightens the elbow. Bicep curls are probably one of the most common exercises, and sometimes the triceps are overlooked. Most functional use of the arms requires that the biceps and triceps work together in coordination to control the movement of the arm. Including exercises for both the biceps and triceps can help keep the muscles balance in order to keep the elbow joint healthy.

The anconeus is a pretty small muscle that crosses the elbow joint. The muscle does not have a lot of power, so it does not contribute much to extension. It does work to stabilize the elbow joint, especially to hold the forearm in a neutral position - between pronation and supination.

EVERYDAY LIFE

EVERYDAY LIFE &

MUSCLE FUNCTION

HOW WE USE OUR triceps IN EVERYDAY LIFE

IN LIFE: EVERYDAY WAYS WE USE our tricep muscles (4 min)

1. STRAIGHTENS (EXTENDS) THE ELBOW

  • Reaching with a straight arm
  • Pushing a door shut, stroller, shopping cart
  • Pushing up from a chair, floor, or lying down- on side
  • Sports - provides power for swinging in golf and backhand shots in tennis
  • Throwing - as the straightens

2. HELPS TO STABILIZE THE ELBOW JOINT - DURING ALL ARM USE

  • Writing, eating, dressing, using a screwdriver

3. THE LONG HEAD OF THE TRICEPS ONLY (BECAUSE IT CROSSES THE SHOULDER JOINT):

  • Extension (moving the arm back behind the body) and adduction of the shoulder (moving the arm in towards the midline
    • Swimming
    • Reaching the back pocket
    • Putting a belt on
  • Stabilization of the shoulder
    • Holding the arm still while using the hand - writing, carrying objects, driving, pushing a wheelbarrow

HOW TO FEEL WHAT MUSCLE IS WORKING

How to Feel What Muscle is Working

MUSCLE: HOW TO FEEL our triceps WORKING (1 min)

Place the palm of your hand on the edge of a table or the wall with the elbow bent. Place your other hand on the back of your upper arm. Lean some of your weight onto the arm, and straighten the elbow. You will feel the triceps activate.

SCIENCY STUFF

ALLLL MUSCLES & WHEN

ALL MUSCLES WORKING & WHEN DURING THE Band Triceps Kickback - Foot Anchored

The core and scapular stabilizers work to hold the spine in a neutral position and the shoulder blades back and down throughout the exercise. 

The long head of the triceps, the latissimus dorsi, and the teres major work isometrically to hold the upper arm in a slightly extended (just slightly behind) and adducted (close to the body) position to provide a stable base for the triceps to work off of - the only resistance for this is the weight of the arms.

All three heads of the triceps and the anconeus contract concentrically to straighten the elbow joint. 

The muscles of the forearm work to hold the wrist in a neutral position. 

The triceps and anconeus contract eccentrically to control the movement as the elbow bends and returns to the starting position. 

PIN IT FOR LATER!

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