How to do a Straight Leg Kickback
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Straight Leg Kickback
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Straight Leg Kickback is a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the glutes. By extending your leg out behind you, and off the ground, you’re already engaging your glutes and hamstrings. By pulsing your leg up and down, you take your already engaged glutes, and move them through a limited range of motion. This is a great exercise for isolating the glutes.
- Place your hands underneath your shoulders with extended arms and place your right knee underneath your right hip with your left leg extended on the ground behind you.
- Raise your left leg up towards the ceiling keeping your leg straight.
- Return your foot back towards the ground and repeat for allotted repetitions.
- Repeat with opposite side.
Common Form Mistakes
Hips Square
Keep your hips level to the ground. Twisting will let you raise your leg higher, but it will also reduce the effectiveness of this exercise. Focus on pointing your toe straight down towards the ground.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Straight Leg Kickback standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
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Alternative Exercises to Straight Leg Kickback
1. Single Leg Kickback
86.2 mSCORESWAPPED 358 TIMESSingle Leg Kickback is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your glutes. The exercise requires you to engage your glutes, and kick your leg back and up with your knees bent. Targeting each side independently is a great way to identify discrepancies in mobility and strength between sides.
- Beginner
- Glutes
2. Glute Kickback Machine
94.6 mSCORESWAPPED 258 TIMESGlute Kickback Machine is a variation on the more standard Single Leg Kickback. Unlike the standard variation, this exercise uses a machine to add resistance to the movement rather than just bodyweight. This gives you a bit more control over your resistance, and can be more easily scaled to your current capabilities. Additionally, the use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement. This lets you focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Glute Kickback Machine
3. Dumbbell Hip Thrust
88.1 mSCORESWAPPED 207 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation on the more standard Hit Thrust. By holding a dumbbell against your hips, you can add a bit more resistance to this usually bodyweight exercise. This is a great variation for adding a bit more difficulty to your Hip Thrusts.
4. Hip Thrust
97 mSCORESWAPPED 194 TIMESHip Thrust is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your glutes. This is a great beginner exercise that can help you learn and develop your glute drive, which is helpful for a number of different exercises and general movements. It’s a simple and easy to perform exercise that can help you develop strength.
- Beginner
- Glutes
5. Cable Hip Extension
89.9 mSCORESWAPPED 176 TIMESCable Hip Extension is an exercise that involves strapping your leg to a cable machine, and then extending your leg out behind you. The use of a cable allows you to have precise control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This lets you perform this exercise from a standing position unlike many other similar exercises that require you to lay on the ground.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
6. Standing Leg Side Hold
35.4 mSCORESWAPPED 173 TIMESStanding Leg Side Hold is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the glutes and hip abductors. By raising one leg to the side and holding it there, you engage these muscles to maintain stability and balance. This exercise helps improve balance, stability, and muscle endurance. It's a great addition for anyone looking to fine-tune lower body strength and muscle control.
- Beginner
- Glutes
7. Dumbbell Glute Bridge
69.3 mSCORESWAPPED 162 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation of the more common Glute Bridge. Like other Glute Bridge variations, this exercise primarily targets your glutes. By placing a dumbbell against your hips, you can add a bit more resistance to this exercise. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their Glute Bridge a bit more challenging.
8. Cable Pull Through
89.6 mSCORESWAPPED 150 TIMESCable Pull Through is a compound exercise that primarily targets your glutes. This exercise is similar to a kettlebell swing, although it can be performed much slower. The use of a cable allows for consistent tension throughout the movement while still developing your glute drive and hip hinge. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to build muscle mass and strength in their glutes, especially with regards to a hip hinge.
- Beginner
- Glutes
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
9. Kettlebell Swing American
83 mSCORESWAPPED 126 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more common Kettlebell Swing. Like the more standard version, this is a compound, explosive movement that primarily targets the glutes. By swinging the kettlebell overhead, this exercise can better translate to some more advanced exercises like Snatches. This is a great exercise for developing power.
- Intermediate
- Glutes
- Kettlebells
10. Frog Pump
53.8 mSCORESWAPPED 114 TIMESFrog Pump is a variation on the more standard Hit Thrust. Like Hip Thrust, this is a compound, bodyweight movement that primarily targets the glutes. By placing your feet together with your knees flared out to either side, you can further recruit your hip flexors.
- Beginner
- Glutes