Donkey Kicks: Benefits and Variations for Strong Glutes

Getting firmer glutes might just be the number one request clients make when working with personal trainers. Do you know all the best exercises to help clients meet their glute goals? One often overlooked for its simplicity or done incorrectly is the classic donkey kick. Here’s everything you need to know. 

What is a Donkey Kick and What are the Benefits? 

Technically speaking, this move is a quadruped bent knee hip extension. It targets and activates glute muscles. On all fours on a mat, you lift up one leg at a time, extending the hip and squeezing the glutes. 

Some consider this a variation of a glute kickback. During a glute kickback, the hamstrings contribute muscle for hip extension. During a quadruped donkey kick, bending the knee isometrically contracts the hamstrings and the glutes primarily control the hip extension.

Try donkey kicks during your next workout for these benefits: 

• First and foremost, the donkey kick exercise targets and strengthens two glute muscles. This is important for many people because most sit throughout the day. Sitting weakens the glutes and leads to injuries during other activities. 

• Another side effect of sitting all day is tight hip flexors. This move is great for releasing that tension and stretching out the fronts of your hips. 

• Isolate your biggest glute muscle with this move. Yes, there are many reasons to incorporate compound exercises, but if you really want to isolate the gluteus maximus, this move will do it. 

• If you have a client unable to do more complicated compound movements like squats, this is a gentler alternative for targeting glutes. 

• The donkey kick helps stabilize your core. You have to balance in this position, which strengthens core muscles and gives you better balance in other exercises and daily movements. 

• Starting with donkey kicks can help you activate your glutes more effectively during a workout or run. Include them in your warmup routine. 

If you’re ready for a bigger glute challenge, try the Bulgarian split squat.

Which Muscles Does a Donkey Kick Work? 

The main beneficiary of the donkey kick is the glutes. It really targets the largest glute in particular, the gluteus maximus. It also engages the gluteus medius, to the outside and under the gluteus maximus. It works with another small muscle, the gluteus minimus, to stabilize the hip and pelvis. 

Often overlooked, it’s important to add in any exercises that target these smaller muscles. They tend to be too weak in many people, especially anyone who sits all day. When weak, you are more susceptible to injuries and pain. 

The glutes are the main targets, but your lower back and arms also get a little bit of a workout during a donkey kick. Focus on engaging and stabilizing your core, and you’ll feel this move in your lower back as you squeeze. By holding up your body weight, your arms will get stronger as well. 

How to Do a Donkey Kick Correctly

It’s essential that you get the position and form correct. You are not likely to injure yourself doing this exercise, but you can waste your time. Make this move effective and efficient with the right position and movement and a focus on squeezing the glutes:

• Start on all fours on the mat with hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart. 

• Focus on making your back a straight line. Don’t let your lower back sag. Don’t round it upward either. 

• Engage and tighten your core as you lift your right leg up, keeping the right knee bent at a 90-degree angle.

• Picture this movement as if the bottom of your foot is going to press flat against the ceiling. 

• As you lift your leg, squeeze your glutes. 

• Don’t lift so high that your back starts to arch–keep a neutral spine. 

• Lower back down and do the same with the left leg. 

The movement should be slow. By going slowly, you avoid the mistake of using the momentum of your swinging leg. You want to lift with your glutes and really feel the burn as you lift and squeeze. 

How to Progress – Donkey Kick Variations 

Master the basic donkey kick first. Using proper form is essential for getting the most out of this exercise. You can get into the position and lift your leg a hundred times without feeling much. Do it correctly and feel the burn in your glutes before you move on to these more challenging variations.

Weighted Donkey Kick

When a standard donkey kick gets easier and you have to do a lot of reps to feel fatigued, add weight. This movement can be executed with an ankle weight or with a dumbbell behind the knee.

Donkey Kicks with Resistance Bands

Another alternative is to add a resistance band. Loop one end around the bottom of your foot and hold the other end underneath both hands. Switch the band to the other leg to do the other side. Don’t put the band on both feet at the same time. 

Add Some Rotation in the Hip

A strict donkey kick is an up-and-down motion with no lateral movement. Add some rotation in the hip to up the difficulty factor. Once your leg is lifted, and you’ve squeezed the glutes, straighten your leg, rotate it outwards, and circle in and back to the starting position. 

Another way to increase the challenge with hip rotation is to do sideways donkey kicks. Instead of lifting the leg straight back, lift it to the side, like a dog lifting its leg on a fire hydrant. You’ll still get the glutes with this move but in a different way. It will also activate upper leg muscles and the fronts of your hips. 

Use a Smith Machine

To really take it up and add as much weight as you want, use a Smith machine when doing standard donkey kicks. Start small until you get the feel and positioning under the bar. Add weight to really isolate and strengthen the glutes. 

Become a Glute Training Specialist

Try out donkey kicks and variations in your own fitness workouts and with clients. You’ll love the results you get with consistency, good form, and challenging progressions. 

Better glutes are a top priority for many clients. The ISSA Glute Training Specialist course teaches you the science behind building better glutes and how to focus on these muscle groups to give clients the best results. You’ll learn how to unlock the hips, create better programming, and deliver envious results.