Do you want to have curved buttocks with a natural effect? Want an easy exercise that works your entire butt? The exercise for you is the glute kickback!
It allows you to strengthen your entire gluteus in no time. The small, medium and large glutes will be solicited in this kick back movement and the many variations will help you work the hamstring which clings to the gluteus.
This article details how to do it without hurting yourself and also gives you some variations. To spice up this exercise, consider using elastic resistance bands or the pulley machine.
All Stages of Butt Kickback
The kickback is an essential exercise to build your buttocks. It can be done both indoors and at home, because it requires no equipment except a floor mat.
Here are the different steps to perform the gluteal kickback:
- Get on the ground on all fours with your hands and feet shoulder-width apart.
- Stretch one of the two legs backwards and bend your knee at 90°.
- Raise your leg as high as possible by contracting your buttocks, then lower slowly without touching the ground with your foot.
- Do the exercise with one leg, then switch legs.
Remember to exhale when you contract and your leg is up and inhale when you relax.
In parallel, do not hesitate to read: Top 6 exercises to strengthen the fold under the buttocks
Precautions for achieving a perfect gluteal kickback
For a healthy and effective practice of this bodybuilding exercise, it is important to follow and know some technical and safe elements to train optimally and progress quickly.
When performing the gluteal kickback, remember to contract your glutes, but also your abdominals to ensure greater stability and a more precise movement . The exercise will then benefit other parts of your body.
While performing the gluteal kickback, do not arch your back. It must remain straight to support your spine and avoid a hollow back that could hurt you during and after exercise. If you can, consider standing next to a mirror to keep this balance on your back during the glute kickback.
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10 variations of the glute kickback
The side kick
To perform this exercise, take the starting position of the classic gluteal kickback. Lift one of the two knees off the ground and keep the same angle at 90%.
But instead of going up to the back, you will go up with your leg bent to the side, as high as possible, before returning to the starting position.
Long leg kickback
To perform the extended leg kickback, assume the starting position of the glute kickback.
Instead of lifting a bent leg backwards, you raise it to a straight position. You perform the same movement as the classic kick back. Remember to always keep your back straight and wrap your belly well.
Knee bend kickback
To work more on your hamstrings in addition to your glutes, you can do this variation Still on all fours, stretch one leg behind and bend your knee so that your calf touches the back of your your thigh. This sheathing position for your buttocks will be effective.
Kickback with hip rotation
This variant will put more strain on your small and medium glutes. Still in the starting position on all fours, extend one leg backwards.
Rotate from the outside to your other foot. This rotation allows you to build deep muscles.
Also read: Growing your buttocks without sport, is it possible?
Standing leg raise
For this variation, stand up. Lean on a wall or pole if you have poor balance before tipping one of your legs backwards.
Keep it taut and tighten your abdominal strap. Bend your torso slightly forward to avoid arching your lower back.
Lying side raise
This time you can lie on your side on your floor mat. Help yourself with your arm on the ground side to raise your head slightly.
Raise your leg to the sky and perform several repetitions. You will quickly feel the exercise in your glute.
The bridge
Bridge is considered the opposite exercise to gluteal kickback although both work the same muscles. Lie on the floor on your back, arms along your body and palms on the floor. Bend the legs to form a 90° angle with the knees.
Raise your pelvis until it is aligned with the knees and shoulders. Contract the buttocks as much as possible for one second. Slowly return to the starting position.
Find out more: How to get bigger buttocks by training at home?
One leg bridge
This exercise is a variation of the previous one. Take the same starting position as the classic bridge. The difference is that you have to straighten one leg and push your body to lift your glutes with the leg still on the ground.
Squeeze your glutes while on top for a second before coming back down.
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Kickback on the pulley machine
The pulley machine is a must in the weight room. It is used for many exercises and the kick back is no exception to the rule. You can opt either for the classic kick back by positioning yourself on all fours on a weight bench or for the elevation of the leg in a standing position.
If you are using the bench, face the machine on all fours with the bench fully extended. The leg with the ankle strap will be stretched. If you are in a standing position, always face the machine, hold on to the wrists of the pulley.
Stretch the cable by stepping your leg back slightly. Remember to gradually increase your weights for deeper work on your glutes.
Also read: Ankle strap in bodybuilding: Top 5 lower body exercises
The Scorpion
Thanks to the Smith machine, you can go further in your session for the glutes This variant of the gluteal kickback is to be performed once you have mastered the basic movement.
Get into the starting position of the classic kickback gluteus. Your leg bent at 90% will come to position just below the bar. You will perform the movement by raising this bar. The important thing is always not to arch your back so as not to injure yourself.
Elastic resistance bands for the gluteal kickback exercise
To go further in your sessions to strengthen your glutes, consider using elastic resistance bands. Light and compact, they can be transported to the office as well as to the gym or in a travel bag. At home, you can easily use them to further engage your glute muscles.
Kick back is one of the perfect exercises to use these resistance bands. This is a great option if you want to do a glute-focused workout, but it's also great for getting your glutes more involved as part of an all-around workout.
Glute isolation exercises will take care of preparing your muscles well and pre-activating them so that they work as much as possible on more complete exercises that will follow, such as squats for example. You can therefore do some of these movements in pre-workout before moving on to more complete movements.
For the glute kickback, you can place your band around both of your thighs, squeezing tightly so the bent leg raise is harder, or placing one end around the ankle and the other in the middle of the arch of the leg that is going to work. The more time you spend holding your leg high, the tighter your gluteal muscles will be and the better results you'll get.
All the variations offered above can also be done with elastic resistance bands for deeper effort and increasingly difficult training. Push your limits by using this accessory and gradually increasing the resistance. You can then go further in your session for visible results quickly.
In conclusion, the gluteal kickback
The glute kickback is the perfect exercise for working your butt muscles as a whole. The three main muscles will be solicited through this exercise. Easy to make, you can do it both in the gym and at home.
Above all, remember to contract your buttocks and abdominals well when performing the gluteal kickback in order to work in depth and not dig into your back.
Many variations are possible to go even further in your buttocks session and several machines such as the pulley one can help you in the gym. However, the essential accessory remains the elastic resistance bands which will push you to surpass yourself by creating additional tension.
But your efforts won't be in vain! You'll have a shapely butt in no time with the glute kickback and elastic resistance bands!
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