One-Legged Cable KickbackMuscles Worked
The one-legged cable kickback works your glutes one side at a time as you drive the leg back against the cable, with your hamstrings assisting. The cable keeps tension on the glute through the whole arc, including the top, where bodyweight kickbacks get light.
PrimaryGlutes
SecondaryHamstrings
- Equipment
- Cable
- Level
- Intermediate
- Type
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
How to do it
- Clip an ankle cuff to a low pulley and fasten it around one ankle.
- Face the machine, step back a couple of feet and hold the frame with both hands, hinging slightly forward.
- With your standing knee soft and your abs braced, squeeze your glute to sweep the working leg back and slightly up.
- Stop when your hip is fully extended, before your lower back starts to arch, and hold the squeeze for a second.
- Let the leg return slowly against the cable's pull, then finish your reps and switch legs.
Form tips
- Keep your torso still; if it rocks forward to help the leg go higher, lower the weight.
- Point your toes slightly down or out and think about pushing your heel back, which keeps the effort in the glute.
Why it made the list
No. 8 of 12
Best Glute Exercises
Cable kickback isolates each glute independently. Constant cable tension through the full range of motion.
More glute exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your One-Legged Cable Kickback sets in KasMaker and watch your glutes and hamstrings fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
