Exercise Tutorial: Donkey Kick
Published: September 11th, 2020
Revised: February 16, 2023
Table of Contents
What Is a Donkey Kick
The Donkey Kick (also known as a kickback) is a bodyweight exercise that is done down on all fours. The Donkey Kick is easy to learn and perform, and is best for toning the glutes and increasing core stability.
A fun fact is that this exercise gets its name from its resemblance to a donkey kicking its leg back! Keep reading to learn exactly how to perform the Donkey Kick, and why the Donkey Kick is a staple exercise for many women looking to sculpt their butt.
How to Do Donkey Kick
The Donkey Kick is a very simple exercise to learn. The best part is that the Donkey Kick does not require much space or any equipment to perform! Follow these steps to learn how to perform the Donkey Kick:
Begin down on all fours on the ground. This means that your hands are underneath the shoulders, and your knees are underneath the hips. Keep your neck in a neutral position to maintain a straight spine. Try gazing at the ground just in front of you.
Brace the core before you begin the movement. Using the right leg only lift the knee behind you to elevate the foot into the air. Your foot should be pointed towards the sky at all times. Stop when the thigh is just above parallel to the floor. Do not extend the leg, keep the bend at the knee.
Slowly return the knee to the starting position, but do not make contact with the floor. Repeat this movement on the right leg only, and then switch legs when you are finished.
You have now learned how to perform the Donkey Kick!
Donkey Kick Form
Although the Donkey Kick is a relatively easy exercise to learn and perform, there are a few important points to remember when it comes to proper form. When completing a Donkey Kick, be sure to remember these key points:
The toe of the active foot should always be pointed towards the sky
The spine should be in a neutral position. If your spine starts to arch, do not lift the leg as high
Your hips should always be parallel to the shoulders, they should not rotate
Keep the core braced
Lower the leg in a controlled manner, do not just let it drop!
If you follow proper Donkey Kick form, you will reap all of the benefits of the exercise and avoid injury.
Donkey Kick Benefits
The Donkey Kick is a popular glute exercise for good reason- all of its benefits! Some of the benefits of consistently performing the Donkey Kick include,
Increased core stability
Increased muscle tone in the Glutes
Increased muscle strength in the Glutes
Bodyweight exercise
Easy to progress
Why Is The Donkey Kick Useful
The Donkey Kick is a useful exercise to prevent hip and spine injuries and tone the muscles in your butt. It is also a useful exercise because the Donkey Kick does not require equipment or much space, which is great for people who do not have access to a gym or prefer to workout at home! Ultimately, the most important part of Donkey Kick is that it increases strength in the glutes, which are involved in many everyday activities from walking, jumping and various sports.
Donkey Kick Muscle Worked
The primary muscle that the Donkey Kick engages is the Gluteus Maximus. This is the largest muscle of the Glutes. The Donkey Kick will also engage the Abdominals, low back and Hamstrings. As well, the shoulders and calves will also be engaged as they help to stabilize the body when you are lifting your leg, but to a lesser extent.
Donkey Kick Variations
There are a few Donkey Kick variations that you can try if you are looking to challenge yourself from the basic movement. These Donkey Kick variations are listed below:
Donkey Kick Machine
Donkey Kick With Band
Quadruped Band Donkey Kick
Donkey Kick Plank
Donkey Kick Machine
The Donkey Kick machine is a great alternative for those who have wrist problems and find it uncomfortable to get down on all fours. There are different versions of the Donkey Kick machine, one where you are standing upright and extend the leg backwards, and the other where your elbows and chest are supported by a pad and you kick back your leg. Both variations are great ways to strengthen the Glutes and Hamstrings, especially with the additional load.
Donkey Kick With Band
To perform the Donkey Kick with band, place a small resistance band around the thighs, just above the knee. Proceed to perform the Donkey Kick as usual. The Donkey Kick with band is a great progression due to the added resistance, and your ability to increase the resistance of the band as you improve!
Quadruped Band Donkey Kick
The Quadruped Band Donkey Kick is essentially the same thing as the Donkey Kick with Band. You can change the movement by using a long resistance band and holding the front end under the palms of your hands, and looping the remaining end onto the bottom of the active foot. Perform the Donkey Kick as usual except this time, extend the leg straight out behind you.
Donkey Kick Plank
The Donkey Kick Plank is definitely an advanced movement and a great challenge! Get into the plank position with your forearms flat on the ground. Hold the plank as usual. As you are holding your plank, lift one foot off the ground, bend at the knee and perform a Donkey Kick! If you need a refresher about how to perform a plank, click here.
Donkey Kick Alternative
How to Do Circling Donkey Kicks
Circling donkey kicks are a variation of the donkey kick exercise. What makes it different is when you extend the leg, you keep the knee locked and focus on engaging the glute muscles. Once you're ready imagine you're drawing a circle with the feet, remember to keep the foot plantar flexed.
Remember to reverse the directions (you want to have the same amount of repetitions of circles on both motions). This movement must be done with control, low speed, and balanced.
