The triceps kickback provides little benefit. This exercise -- you bend over, pin your arm at your side in a right angle, and extend it straight back -- places your arm in a position that makes it hard to overload your muscles, and limits resistance for all but the last quarter of the move. Instead, challenge your triceps with body-weight extensions, which keep your muscles under constant tension.
Adjust a Smith machine bar so that it's level with your lower chest. Step back and grab the bar as if you're about to perform a pushup, but keep your hands closer than shoulder width apart and in line with your head. Bend at your elbows and bring your forehead toward the bar, keeping your body straight from head to ankles. Pause at the lowest point possible, usually inches from the bar, then press back up. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions
