Glute Kickback

How to do the Glute Kickback

1. Kneel on the floor or an exercise mat and bend at the waist with your arms extended in front of you (perpendicular to the torso) in order to get into a kneeling push-up position but with the arms spaced at shoulder width. Your head should be looking forward and the bend of the knees should create a 90-degree angle between the hamstrings and the calves. This will be your starting position.
2. As you exhale, lift up your right leg until the hamstrings are in line with the back while maintaining the 90-degree angle bend. Contract the glutes throughout this movement and hold the contraction at the top for a second. Tip: At the end of the movement the upper leg should be parallel to the floor while the calf should be perpendicular to it.
3. Go back to the initial position as you inhale and now repeat with the left leg.
4. Continue to alternate legs until all of the recommended repetitions have been performed.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	glutes
Secondary	hamstrings
Equipment	no equipment
Difficulty	beginner
Type	compound

Train the same muscles a different way

5 alternatives for the same glutes, with and without kit.

Hip Extension with Bands Resistance Bands Physioball Hip Bridge Exercise Ball Downward Facing Balance Exercise Ball One-Legged Cable Kickback Cable Machine Pull Through Cable Machine

Harder than the Glute Kickback

Kneeling Jump Squat expert · Barbell One-Legged Cable Kickback intermediate · Cable Machine Kneeling Squat intermediate · Barbell

Superset the Glute Kickback with

Opposing quads work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Bodyweight Squat quads Bodyweight Walking Lunge quads Freehand Jump Squat quads Barbell Side Split Squat quads

Common questions

What muscles does the Glute Kickback work?

The Glute Kickback primarily works the glutes, with the hamstrings as secondary movers. Hip Extension with Bands, Physioball Hip Bridge, and Step-up with Knee Raise train the same muscle, across 6 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Glute Kickback?

None — the Glute Kickback is bodyweight, so it works at home, in a hotel room or outdoors. Hip Extension with Bands and Physioball Hip Bridge also need nothing.

Is the Glute Kickback suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Glute Kickback is rated beginner. Kneeling Jump Squat, One-Legged Cable Kickback, and Kneeling Squat are the progressions from here.

Where should the Glute Kickback go in a workout?

Early — the Glute Kickback is compound, working 2 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Bodyweight Squat and Bodyweight Walking Lunge later.

Similar exercises

Hip Extension with Bands Resistance Bands Physioball Hip Bridge Exercise Ball Step-up with Knee Raise Bodyweight Barbell Glute Bridge Barbell Barbell Hip Thrust Barbell Butt Lift (Bridge) Bodyweight