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legs

Donkey Kicks

On all fours, you lift one bent leg up behind you, pushing your foot toward the ceiling. Isolates the buttock of the working leg.

beginnermat

Donkey Kicks, start position
START
Donkey Kicks, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START1
  1. Find a flat spot.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Kneel on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
  2. Flatten your back and look at the floor.
  3. Tighten your stomach.

Check: Your hands are under your shoulders, your knees under your hips, and your back is flat and level.

Kick up

  1. Keep your right knee bent at a right angle.
  2. Lift that leg until the sole of your foot points at the ceiling.
  3. Squeeze the buttock for a second at the top.

Check: Your thigh is level with your back or a little higher, your knee is still bent, and your back has not arched.

Lower slowly

  1. Lower the knee slowly back toward the floor without resting it.

Check: The knee is just above the floor, ready for the next rep.

That is one rep. Do all the reps on one leg, then switch.

Breathe out as you lift in about 1 second; squeeze at the top; breathe in as you lower over 2 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Donkey Kicks: muscles worked, front view
Donkey Kicks: muscles worked, back view

gluteshamstringscore

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Arching the lower back to kick higher. Shifts the work into the lower back. Fix: Stop when the thigh is level with your back; squeeze harder instead of lifting higher.
  • Swinging the leg. Fix: Lift slowly and squeeze at the top.
  • Hips twisting open. Fix: Keep both hip bones pointing at the floor.
SAFETY1
  • Keep your neck in line by looking at the floor.
RELATED EXERCISES

harder: standing cable kickback

variants: fire hydrants, bodyweight glute bridge

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