Beginner

Cable Glute Kickback

The cable glute kickback drives one leg back against a low pulley, isolating the glute maximus at the top of hip extension with constant tension. It is an easy-to-load accessory for adding glute volume without taxing the whole body. Ideal for finishing a lower-body session or shoring up a lagging side.

Equipment
Cables
Body part
Glutes
Type
Strength
Browse by muscle
Gluteus Maximus
Browse by movement
Hinge
Muscles worked
Target
Gluteus Maximus
Secondary
Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus
Tertiary
Gluteus Medius

How to do it

  1. 1

    Attach an ankle cuff to a low pulley and secure it to one ankle.

  2. 2

    Face the machine and hold the frame for support, hips square.

  3. 3

    Keep a slight bend in the working knee and brace your core.

  4. 4

    Kick the leg straight back by extending the hip.

  5. 5

    Squeeze the glute hard at the top of the range.

  6. 6

    Return the leg forward under control and repeat, then switch sides.

Tips

  • Keep the torso still; do not arch the back to fling the leg higher.
  • Lead with the heel and squeeze the glute rather than the lower back.
  • Use a full but honest range; short, controlled reps beat big swings.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The cuff rides up onto the calf where it slides and pinches; strap it right above the ankle bone so the pull runs through the leg rather than twisting it.
  • Distance from the stack decides everything here: too close and the plates sit on the stack at the start, so the first part of each kick moves no weight; too far and the cuff drags you forward at the start of every rep.
  • The working hip rotates open so the leg travels out to the side, which brings the lower back and the outer hip into a movement meant to be straight-line extension.
  • Hip extension is a short range, roughly a foot of travel behind the body, and anything much longer than that comes from the pelvis tipping rather than the glute working.
  • The stance leg bends a little more with every rep until you are doing a shallow squat on it, which hides how much the working side is actually moving.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the cable glute kickback should a beginner do?
Two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps per leg, at a weight where the glute rather than the lower back is what fatigues. Add one plate only after both legs finish the same reps with the torso still. It belongs at the end of a lower-body day, once the squats and hinges are done, since it is volume work rather than a strength lift.
What can I do instead of the cable glute kickback with no cable machine?
Loop a resistance band around a low anchor and your ankle for the band version, which gives the same line of pull with tension that builds toward the top. With no equipment, a single-leg glute bridge with your shoulders on a couch loads hip extension harder than a bodyweight kickback ever will. Standing hip extension holding a chair also works as a low-load option.
What is the cable glute kickback good for, and when is it the wrong pick?
It isolates the gluteus maximus with steady tension and lets you train one side at a time, which is useful for adding glute volume or bringing up a weaker side without loading the whole body. It is a poor choice as your main glute exercise, since a squat, hip thrust or hinge moves far more weight in the same muscle. Use it after those, not instead of them.

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