Donkey kick

Muscles worked: Glutes
Glutes
🔧 no equipment ↕ Hinge 🔁 reps Difficulty:

Muscle outlines from Body Muscles by Ivan Vulović, Apache 2.0 — regrouped and recoloured for Muscle Train.

How to perform

Start on all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips, spine neutral. Engage your core by tightening your abs. Lift one leg towards the ceiling, knee bent at 90 degrees. Drive through your heel, lifting until your thigh is parallel to your torso. Squeeze your glute at the top for one second. Lower slowly, stopping just before the floor, then repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

Muscles Worked

Gluteus maximus
Secondary: Hamstrings, core stabilizers, gluteus medius

Tips

Focus on pressing your foot into a low ceiling, not kicking high. Drive through your heel to engage the glutes, not your hamstrings. Maintain a stable torso – no shifting or rotation. Perform each rep slowly and controlled: 2 seconds up, 1 second hold, 2 seconds down. Combine with fire hydrants for comprehensive glute activation.

Similar exercises

Resistance band donkey kick Hamstrings · 🔧 Resistance band 1/10 Resistance band standing donkey kick Hamstrings · 🔧 Resistance band 1/10 Side kick Glutes · 🔧 no equipment 1/10 Half butt kick Glutes · 🔧 no equipment 1/10
Feedback

Found a bug or have an idea?

MuscleTrain is actively being built. If something looks broken, or you have a suggestion, let us know — it really helps shape the app.