Cable Kickback
Kicking a cable attachment back and up from a hip hinge — isolates the glutes through a controlled range.
Also called: cable glute kickback, glute kickback
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Attach the ankle cuff to the low pulley and to your ankle. Hinge slightly forward at the hips, holding the machine for balance.
How to do the Cable Kickback
- Kick the working leg straight back and up, squeezing the glute at the top.
- Pause briefly at full extension.
- Return the leg to the starting position with control.
- Keep the hips square — avoid rotating to swing the leg higher.
Cable Kickback muscles worked
The Cable Kickback works the glutes.
Common Cable Kickback mistakes
- Rotating the hips to gain extra range.
- Using momentum instead of a controlled squeeze.
- Standing too upright, taking the glutes out of the movement.
Scale it
Easier: Lighter weight, smaller range of motion.
Harder: Pause 1–2 seconds at the top of each rep.
Pairs well with
Air Squat
The unloaded squat — the foundational lower-body pattern, used for warm-ups, circuits, and building movement quality.
Back Squat
The barbell squat — the heaviest-loadable lower-body strength lift, building quads, glutes, and trunk strength together.
Bird Dog
Extending opposite arm and leg from all-fours with a still trunk — back-friendly core stability and hip-extension control.
Box Jump
An explosive two-foot jump onto a box with a soft landing — leg power and landing mechanics for stronger, springier strides.