Smith-Machine Donkey Kick
Glute burner! Tone and sculpt your glutes with the Smith-Machine Donkey Kick. Get ready to feel the burn!
The Smith-Machine Donkey Kick is a compound exercise that mainly works the glutes & hips and hamstrings, with help from the lower back and core. You'll need: smith machine or weight plates.
Required Equipment
Smith-Machine Donkey Kick Muscles Worked
Primary
Glutes (gluteus maximus); Hamstrings
Secondary
Spinal Erectors (erector spinae); Deep Core (transverse abdominis)
Smith-Machine Donkey Kick Variations and Alternatives
How to do the Smith-Machine Donkey Kick
Set up the Smith Machine: Adjust the machine with an appropriate weight that you can control easily for several repetitions.
Position yourself: Get on your hands and knees under the bar with your back flat and core engaged. Position the arch of one foot securely under the bar.
Lift the knee: Bring the knee of the leg under the bar up so that your thigh is vertical and calf is horizontal.
Perform the kick: Extend your leg by pushing the bar upward, focusing on squeezing your glutes.
Extend the leg: Continue until your leg is straight or almost straight. Keep the motion controlled using your glute muscles.
Return to start: Slowly bring the weight back to the start by bending your knee and controlling the descent.
Repeat: Do the required number of reps with one leg before switching to the other.
Maintain form: Keep correct form throughout the exercise to prevent injuries and target the muscles effectively.
Safety tip: Select a weight that allows for proper form throughout the full range of motion. Overloading could result in poor technique and potential injury.
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Smith-Machine Donkey Kick FAQs
What muscles does the Smith-Machine Donkey Kick work?
The Smith-Machine Donkey Kick mainly works the glutes & hips and hamstrings, with help from the lower back and core. The main muscles are the gluteus maximus and hamstrings.
What equipment do you need for the Smith-Machine Donkey Kick?
Smith machine or weight plates.
Is the Smith-Machine Donkey Kick a compound exercise?
Yes. It's a compound movement, meaning it trains several muscle groups at once rather than isolating one.
What workout day should the Smith-Machine Donkey Kick go on?
It belongs on leg day in a push/pull/legs routine.
What are some Smith-Machine Donkey Kick variations and alternatives?
Similar exercises include the Alternating Donkey Kick, Basic to Cross Donkey Kick, Cable Donkey Diagonal Kickback and Cable Donkey Kickback.
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