AskTheTrainer.com Personal Trainer Mike Behnken, MS, NASM-CPT-PES, CSCS AskTheTrainer.com No single resistance training exercise is good for "toning" by itself. Toning requires losing body fat and either maintaining or gaining muscle mass. If you have low body fat and little muscle, this exercise will do a great job at toning your triceps. Total Gym kickbacks are very effective at isolating the triceps. Kickbacks are far superior on the total gym than with dumbbells. The demonstration was ...