Exercise Guide

Donkey Kick

From all fours, driving one bent knee up toward the ceiling. Straightforward glute max work that needs no equipment at all.

BeginnerStrengthPushIsolation
Form
Donkey Kick - Start position
Start
Donkey Kick - Mid position
Mid
Donkey Kick - End position
End

Illustrations by Bryl Lim for Workout Guide, after Everkinetic. Used unchanged under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Details

Primary Muscle

Glutes

Equipment

Bodyweight

Difficulty

Beginner

Category

Strength

Force

Push

Mechanic

Isolation

Secondary Muscles

HamstringsCore
How to Perform
  1. 1

    Start on all fours with a flat back and your core braced.

  2. 2

    Keeping your knee bent at 90 degrees, drive one heel up toward the ceiling.

  3. 3

    Squeeze the glute at the top without letting your lower back arch.

  4. 4

    Lower under control and repeat, then switch sides.

Tips
  • ★Height is limited by your hip, not your back. If your spine is arching, you have gone too far.
  • ★Push the heel toward the ceiling rather than swinging the leg up.
Explore by Muscle
GlutesHamstringsCore