One-Legged Cable Kickback

Also called cable kickback, cable glute kickback and standing glute kickback.

Works

Glutes, plus hamstrings

Equipment

Cable

Level

Intermediate

Type

Isolation, one side at a time

How to do it

Setup. Hook a leather ankle cuff to a low cable pulley and then attach the cuff to your ankle.

1. Face the weight stack from a distance of about two feet, grasping the steel frame for support.
2. While keeping your knees and hips bent slightly and your abs tight, contract your glutes to slowly "kick" the working leg back in a semicircular arc as high as it will comfortably go as you breathe out. Tip: At full extension, squeeze your glutes for a second in order to achieve a peak contraction.
3. Now slowly bring your working leg forward, resisting the pull of the cable until you reach the starting position.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
5. Switch legs and repeat the movement for the other side.

Cues

• Cuff on the ankle, face the stack.
• Hold the frame, abs tight.
• Kick back with the glute.
• Stop before the low back arches.

Common mistakes

• Arching the low back.
• Swinging the leg.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

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