Secure a looped resistance band around your right palm and right foot. How to: Assume the starting donkey kick position on all fours. What’s different: A slight variation of the classic, a looped resistance band creates tension (and extra resistance that you can control). And don’t be afraid to go low on the weight until you’ve fully mastered the motion. Reps/sets for best results: Aim for three to four sets of 12 to 15 reps on each leg.įorm tips: Try to keep your hips facing forward through the move. Pause for a count, release, then slowly lower the leg back to your starting position. Move your leg far enough so that you feel a burn, but not so far that your hips are forced to open your hips out to the side. With your hips facing forward and your hips and right knee slightly bent, grasp the machine in front of you for balance as you use your glutes and hamstrings to kick your leg directly behind you. How to: Position yourself roughly 12 inches away from a cable machine with an ankle strap positioned at the bottom and secured to your right foot. What’s different: Tired of glute workouts on all fours? This standing donkey kick variation provides a fresh angle-without putting pressure on your knees and wrists. Just make sure your bent knee forms a 90-degree angle when you begin.Ģ. Reps/sets for best results: Aim for three to four sets of eight to 12 reps on each leg, depending on how much weight you use.įorm tips:Finding the right starting position may take some adjusting. Stop once you feel the urge to rotate your hips or arch your back, pause, then slowly return to your starting position. Using your glutes and hamstrings to initiate the movement, keeping your core engaged, push the bar through and up from the bottom of your foot. You should be roughly one to two feet in front of the machine itself with the bar in line with your body. How to: Position yourself underneath a Smith machine on all fours so that the arch of your right foot is nestled beneath the bar and your right knee forms a 90-degree angle. What’s different: Grow some serious glutes by adding weight to a traditional donkey kick. Reminder: Make sure you’ve mastered the original donkey kick before moving on to these more advanced versions. And, just like the OG version, the variations from Jones below are designed to torch your gluteus maximus, all while strengthening your core, back, and shoulders. 5 Donkey Kick Variations To Turn Things Up A NotchĪlthough donkey kicks are super-effective on their own, you can add some oomph to the movement with extra resistance or experimenting with new planes of motion, says Roxie Jones, a NASM-certified trainer, former SoulCycle Instructor, and Talent Hack ambassador. If you don't feel the burn from two sets of 20 reps, add resistance: Try ankle weights, a dumbbell nestled in your knee crease, or a resistance band looped around your lifted foot. If you include them in a leg and butt workout, pair the kicks with butt moves that target the other two glutes muscles-side-lying leg lifts, clamshells, band walks, or single-leg bridges. Because they’re a low-weight move and don’t max out your muscle capacity, they can be a great warmup or part of an active recovery day. When you’re at the gym, donkey kicks are super-versatile. The 35 Best Butt Exercises For A Super-Toned Tush.
KICK IT BAND HOW TO
“Both of these things will help to improve posture and prevent hip and spine injuries.”
KICK IT BAND PLUS
“It helps stretch the hip in the opposite direction that we hold it when we sit,” Ray says, plus the movement counteracts those sedentary hours in a chair. This exercise is especially beneficial for anyone who has a desk job. They also work your core and shoulder muscles, since your entire body has to remain stable while your leg lifts. They target your gluteus maximus-the largest of your three glutes muscles, and the bulk of your booty. Benefits Of Donkey Kicksĭonkey kicks are great for both stability and toning, Ray says. How to control it: Only lift as high as your hips can stay level (a mirror can help monitor this).
This causes you to rely on your back instead of your glutes, which compresses your spine and neglects the muscles you’re aiming for here.Īlso, be sure your hips stay level-when your IT band or hip flexors are too tight, your body will compensate by rotating your hips as you lift, Ray says. Donkey kicks target your glutes, core, and shoulders.įorm tips: Don't let your lower back arch as your leg lifts, says Ray.
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