Yesterday while I trained, a woman came into the gym after just completing her daily run. She grabbed some dumbbells and did seated triceps kickbacks.
If you can picture the technique, you'll see why she was set up for no gains before she even started.
Picture this:
Sit with your arms hanging by your sides (as if they were holding dumbbells). Now lean your chest forward about 30 degrees. Now swing the hands forward as if doing a dumbbell curl, and then extend them back as far as you can (as if doing the kickback).
Now take a look at where your hands end up. Then take a look at how high they have traveled (remember, resistance is only applied when you move a dumbbell against gravity - not when you move it parallel to the floor).
So she would have worked her muscles for about two inches. Very ineffective.
And even when kickbacks are done properly, they are hardly effective.
Kickbacks tend to be more common among women then men. I don't know exactly why...but neither men nor women should limit themselves to such an inefficient exercise...not when you have total body calorie burner, strength building exercises like pushups at your disposal.
One of my favorite clients, who has moved back to Portland, OR (I miss you Amy!), had without exception, the best arms in the gym.
She could do 15 pushups, nose to the ground. We never once did triceps kickbacks.
Pick your exercises wisely, and your body will change in less time than ever,
CB
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