Cable glute kickback: how to do it
Main muscles: Gluteus maximus. Helpers: Hamstrings, Gluteus medius. Below: step-by-step form, common mistakes, a muscle map, reps and rest, and what to swap it for.
Equipment
Cable
Reps
10–15
Rest
75 s
Muscle group
Legs
How to do it
- Cuff on the ankle, torso leaning slightly, hands holding the frame.
- Drive the leg back with the glute, do not arch the lower back.
- Return slowly and keep the cable under tension.
Common mistakes
Arching the lower back instead of working the glute, rotating the pelvis.
Muscles worked
primary·secondary
- Primary
- Gluteus maximus
- Secondary
- Hamstrings, Gluteus medius
A secondary muscle gets roughly half the stimulus of a set — that is also how the log’s stats count it.
Programs that use it
- Lower body focus, 3 days3 × 10–15
Alternatives: similar exercises
Deadlift
Barbell · Erector spinae (lower back), Gluteus maximus, Hamstrings, Semitendinosus
Lunges
Dumbbells · Rectus femoris, Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus, Gluteus medius
Romanian deadlift
Barbell · Hamstrings, Semitendinosus, Gluteus maximus
Hip thrust
Barbell · Gluteus maximus, Gluteus medius
Good morning
Barbell · Hamstrings, Erector spinae (lower back), Gluteus maximus
Back squat
Barbell · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus
Log your sets — the app suggests the next weight
GymAssist tracks the load on each of 40 muscles, paints it on a body map and uses double progression to tell you when to add weight.
Free forever for the first 500