Cable Donkey Kickback
What Is the Cable Donkey Kickback?
Cable Donkey Kickback is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the glutes while also engaging the hamstrings. It is a beginner-level movement performed standing on one leg, bent forward at the hips with both hands braced on the cable machine, while an ankle strap attached to a low pulley resists the working leg as it drives back and up with the knee bent. It adds hip extension work for the gluteus maximus one leg at a time, with a load that is easy to adjust and control.
Keeping the knee bent is what separates it from a straight-leg cable kickback. The hamstrings cross both the hip and the knee, and holding the knee bent leaves them shortened, so they contribute less to driving the thigh back and more of the work falls to the glutes. A straight leg lets the hamstrings help more, while kicking out and away from the body, as in the Cable Diagonal Kickback, brings in more of the gluteus medius at the side of the hip. The standing leg and the lower back also work the whole time to hold the bent-over position steady, so the glutes of the working leg do the moving but the rest of the body is not switched off.
Compared with a bodyweight donkey kick on hands and knees, the cable lets you add load in small steps and keeps the leg loaded from the very start of the rep, where a bodyweight kick has almost no resistance. That load is not equal at every point, though. With the pulley low and in front of you, the pull on the hip is greatest early in the rep, while the working thigh is still under the body, and eases off as the leg reaches back, the reverse of a Barbell Hip Thrust, where resistance peaks at full hip extension. Adjusting the weight and reps can help tailor the difficulty to different fitness levels and goals.
It is usually programmed as extra glute work after the main lower-body lifts, such as the Barbell Squat or Barbell Deadlift, and it suits beginners and anyone who wants more glute volume without putting a heavy load on the spine. If balancing on one leg in the bent-over position is the hard part, the Glute Bridge trains the same hip extension lying on your back and is a sensible place to start. Because the weight stays light, it is easy to feel the glutes working, and a rep that finishes with the lower back arching instead of the hip extending is a sign the weight is too heavy.
Muscles Worked
- Gluteus Maximus
- Primary
- Biceps Femoris
- Medium
- Gluteus Medius
- Medium
- Semimembranosus
- Medium
- Semitendinosus
- Medium
- Rectus Abdominis
- Minimal
Instructions
- Attach an ankle strap to the low pulley of a cable machine and secure it around one ankle.
- Stand facing the machine, hinge forward at the hips, and brace both hands on the frame or support bars for stability.
- Shift your weight onto your standing leg while keeping a slight bend in the knee.
- Bend the knee of your strapped leg to about 90 degrees and hold that angle for the whole set.
- Engage your core and slowly drive your strapped leg back and up until your thigh is roughly in line with your torso.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top without arching your lower back.
- Slowly return your leg to the starting position without letting the weight stack rest.
- Complete the desired number of reps, then switch legs and repeat.
Common Mistakes
Using Momentum
Swinging the leg instead of using controlled movement reduces glute activation and increases injury risk.
Overarching the Lower Back
Kicking the thigh higher than your hip can extend forces the lower back to arch to make room, which takes tension off the glutes and strains the spine, so keep your core tight and stop when your thigh is roughly in line with your torso.
Not Squeezing the Glutes
Failing to contract the glutes at the top of the movement reduces effectiveness.
Losing the Knee Angle
Letting the knee straighten as you kick back, or curling your heel toward your glutes at the top, turns the rep into a straight-leg kickback or a leg curl and hands more of the work to the hamstrings, so hold the same knee bend from start to finish.
Opening the Hip to the Side
Rotating the working hip open to raise the foot higher twists the pelvis and lower back instead of extending the hip, so keep both hips square to the machine and drive the knee straight back.
Standing Too Upright
Standing tall starts the rep with the hip already almost straight, which leaves the thigh little room to travel back before the lower back arches, so hinge forward from the hips and brace your hands on the frame.
Injuries
Cable Donkey Kickback is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. It moves one leg through hip extension against a single cable while your hands on the frame support the bent-over torso, so loads stay light and the spine is not carrying the weight. Most problems come from how far the leg is pushed back and from the setup rather than from the load itself.
The lower back is the main strain point. Overarching the lower back during the kickback can lead to discomfort or strain. It happens at the top of the rep: the hip can only extend a little past the line of your torso, so any extra height comes from the lower back arching and the pelvis tipping forward rather than from the glutes. To avoid this, keep your core engaged and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement. Stop the kick when your thigh lines up with your torso, keep the knee bent at the same angle from start to finish, and lower the weight if you have to swing or arch to complete the rep. A stretch across the front of the working hip and thigh at the top is normal, because the hip flexors lengthen as the leg moves back. This movement does not tighten them.
The rest of the risk sits in the setup. Fasten the ankle strap snugly just above the ankle bones so it cannot slide onto the foot or dig into the Achilles tendon, and reposition or loosen it if you feel pinching, numbness, or tingling in the foot. You are balancing on one leg while the cable pulls the working leg toward the machine, so hold the frame firmly with both hands and keep a soft bend in the standing knee rather than locking it. The cable also draws the heel toward your glute at the top, so hold the knee angle steady instead of letting the foot drift, and return the leg under control so the stack does not jerk your ankle forward. If the cable drags your leg forward between reps or you have to grip hard just to stay upright, the weight is too heavy.
If you cannot keep your lower back still, lower the weight or shorten how far the leg travels, or learn to extend the hip without arching using Glute Bridge and a bodyweight kickback such as Bent Leg Kickback. Band Kneeling Single-Leg Kickback adds light resistance from a kneeling position, so standing balance is not a factor. To progress, add a one to two second squeeze at the top before adding load, then add weight in small steps only while your back stays still and your thigh still stops in line with your torso. For heavier glute loading, move to Barbell Hip Thrust. Stop the set if you feel sharp pain in your lower back, a pinch at the front of the hip, a sudden sharp pull in the glute or the back of the thigh, or numbness or tingling under the strap or down the leg.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: How much weight should I use for this exercise?
Start with a light weight to master proper form, then gradually increase resistance as you build strength. Focus on controlled movements rather than heavy loads.
- Q: Can I do this exercise without a cable machine?
Yes, Bent Leg Kickback is the bodyweight version on all fours, and Band Kneeling Single-Leg Kickback or Band Single-Leg Kickback add resistance with a band. What the cable adds is load you can measure and raise in small, repeatable steps, which is harder to do with body weight or a band.
- Q: How many sets and reps should I do?
Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps per leg. Feel free to add more reps or resistance for an extra challenge.
- Q: Should I keep my knee bent or straighten my leg?
Keep the working knee bent at roughly 90 degrees for the whole rep, which is what separates the donkey kickback from a straight-leg cable kickback. With the knee bent the hamstrings are already shortened and can contribute less to hip extension, so more of the work falls to the glutes.
- Q: Why do I feel it in my hamstrings or lower back instead of my glutes?
The hamstrings usually take over when the knee straightens as the leg travels back, so hold the bend from start to finish. Lower back strain comes from kicking the foot too high and finishing the rep by arching the spine instead of extending the hip. Stop when your thigh is roughly in line with your torso, and keep your ribs down and your hips square to the machine.
- Q: Can the Cable Donkey Kickback replace a hip thrust?
Not really, because the two do different jobs. The Barbell Hip Thrust uses both legs and takes far heavier loads, so it usually serves as the main glute lift, while the Cable Donkey Kickback trains one side at a time with light loads and fits best as accessory work after it.