One-Legged Cable Kickback

How to do the One-Legged Cable Kickback

1. Hook a leather ankle cuff to a low cable pulley and then attach the cuff to your ankle.
2. Face the weight stack from a distance of about two feet, grasping the steel frame for support.
3. While keeping your knees and hips bent slightly and your abs tight, contract your glutes to slowly "kick" the working leg back in a semicircular arc as high as it will comfortably go as you breathe out. Tip: At full extension, squeeze your glutes for a second in order to achieve a peak contraction.
4. Now slowly bring your working leg forward, resisting the pull of the cable until you reach the starting position.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
6. Switch legs and repeat the movement for the other side.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	glutes
Secondary	hamstrings
Equipment	cable machine
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	isolation

No cable machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Butt Lift (Bridge) Bodyweight Leg Lift Bodyweight Single Leg Glute Bridge Bodyweight Glute Kickback Bodyweight Step-up with Knee Raise Bodyweight Hip Extension with Bands Resistance Bands

Easier than the One-Legged Cable Kickback

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Butt Lift (Bridge) beginner · Bodyweight Leg Lift beginner · Bodyweight Single Leg Glute Bridge beginner · Bodyweight

Harder than the One-Legged Cable Kickback

Kneeling Jump Squat expert · Barbell

Superset the One-Legged Cable Kickback with

Opposing quads work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Cable Hip Adduction quads Cable Deadlifts quads Barbell Full Squat quads Barbell Hack Squat quads

Common questions

What muscles does the One-Legged Cable Kickback work?

The One-Legged Cable Kickback primarily works the glutes, with the hamstrings as secondary movers. Butt Lift (Bridge), Leg Lift, and Single Leg Glute Bridge train the same muscle, across 6 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the One-Legged Cable Kickback?

A Cable Machine. Without a cable machine, Butt Lift (Bridge), Leg Lift, and Single Leg Glute Bridge train the same muscle, and 11 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the One-Legged Cable Kickback suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Butt Lift (Bridge), Leg Lift, and Single Leg Glute Bridge and work up.

Where should the One-Legged Cable Kickback go in a workout?

Late — the One-Legged Cable Kickback is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Cable Hip Adduction and Cable Deadlifts cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Butt Lift (Bridge) Bodyweight Leg Lift Bodyweight Single Leg Glute Bridge Bodyweight Glute Kickback Bodyweight Hip Extension with Bands Resistance Bands Physioball Hip Bridge Exercise Ball