ProgreviaCable glute kickback: proper form, muscles worked and common mistakes
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How to do it
With the ankle cuff on the low pulley, extend the hip driving the leg back and up with a slightly bent knee, squeezing the glute. Keep the torso firm and don't arch the lower back to cheat.
Muscles worked
Main muscle: glutes. When it plans weekly volume, every set of this exercise counts in full for glutes: the generator does not split it with other muscles.
Cable glute kickback: the bigger arc and the high finish
In practice it shares the cable, the ankle strap and the stance with the cable hip extension, so the difference is the arc. The kickback takes the leg back and up with the knee bent, and that slightly higher finish is what gives the exercise its name, but it is also what tempts you to arch your lower back. With the knee flexed, the hamstrings sit in a shortened position and help less, so the glute takes more of the work than if you kept the leg nearly straight. Compared with the machine glute kickback, here you balance yourself with the cable tugging at you.
It makes a good finisher for a glute session, at 10 to 15 reps per leg with light to moderate weight. Because the cable holds tension throughout, there is no dead spot at the bottom as with bodyweight kicks. If holding steady is hard, put your hands on the tower or use the machine kickback, which supports your thigh.
One specific detail: as you go up, squeeze the glute for a moment and lead with the heel, not the knee, then slow the way back with the same calm. If your lower back arches, shorten the top of the range.
Technical sheet
- Movement pattern
- Isolation
- Minimum level
- Beginner
- Technical demand
- Basic
- Fatigue it generates
- Low (0.4 out of 2.2)
- Risk if technique breaks down
- Low
These are the values the generator uses to decide where the exercise goes within the session.
Recommended sets and reps
As an isolation exercise, it works best in 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 0–2 RIR. Use it at the end of the session to add volume without systemic fatigue.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Arching your lower back as the leg goes back: the range ends when the hip is fully extended.
- Letting the weight stack touch down between reps: the cable loses its constant tension, which is its whole advantage.
- Using too much weight at the cost of technique and full range of motion.
What the research says
This is an isolation exercise. For beginners, adding it on top of compound lifts does not always help: in the trial by Gentil and colleagues (2013), people who only did lat pulldowns gained as much arm size as those who also did curls. It earns its place with experience, and for muscles the big lifts leave short.
On how hard to push: the meta-analysis by Refalo and colleagues (2023) found no clear advantage in going to failure over stopping just short of it. That is why the generator programs it with reps in reserve (RIR) instead of asking for failure on every set.
- Gentil P, Soares SR, Pereira MC, et al. Effect of adding single-joint exercises to a multi-joint exercise resistance-training program on strength and hypertrophy in untrained subjects. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2013;38(3):341-344.
- Refalo MC, Helms ER, Trexler ET, Hamilton DL, Fyfe JJ. Influence of resistance training proximity-to-failure on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2023;53(3):649-665.
How Cable glute kickback compares with other glutes exercises
Of the 15 glutes exercises in the catalogue, ranked from least to most fatiguing by the values the generator uses, Cable glute kickback is number 2 (tied with 4 others).
That makes it a good candidate for adding glutes sets at the end of a session or in heavy weeks, when you want volume without extra fatigue.
With different equipment, the same movement pattern offers 5 alternatives, such as Machine glute kickback, Hip abduction machine and Seated hip abduction.
| Exercise | Equipment | Fatigue | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine glute kickback | machine | Low (0.3 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Hip abduction machine | machine | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Seated hip abduction | machine | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Frog pump | bodyweight | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Cable glute kickback | cable | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| X-band walk | resistance band | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Cable hip extension | cable | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Basic |
An isolation exercise. In the trial by Gentil et al. (2015), with untrained young men over ten weeks, the biceps curl and the lat pulldown were equally effective for gaining strength and size in the elbow flexors: isolation is not filler.
- Gentil P, Soares S, Bottaro M. Single vs. multi-joint resistance exercises: effects on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015;6(2):e24057.
Related guide
Glute exercises: the guide to actually building them
Alternative exercises
More isolation exercises
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does Cable glute kickback work?
Cable glute kickback mainly works the glutes muscle group, plus synergist and stabilizer muscles depending on the variation.
How many sets of Cable glute kickback should I do?
Between 3 and 5 sets per session, adjusting the total weekly volume for glutes to your level (about 10–20 sets per muscle per week).
Should my knee stay bent or straight on cable kickbacks?
A slightly bent knee is standard and keeps the focus on the glute, because the hamstrings help less when the knee is flexed. A straighter leg brings the hamstrings in more. Either is fine as long as the hip does the moving and your lower back stays still; pick the version where you feel the glute most.
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