DONKEY KICK: The donkey kick is a great exercise to tighten and strengthen your glutes. What a lot of people tend to forget is that your glutes are actually made up of three muscles; Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, and Gluteus Minimus. The Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus are two of the primary hip abductor muscles. This is important to understand because when people think about strengthening their glutes they often just do squats, but squats primarily target only the Gluteus Maximus whereas the donkey kick exercise incorporates all three Gluteus muscles. It doesn’t stop with the glutes. This exercise also helps strengthen your core and lower back.
Sets: 3-5
Repetitions: 15-20 (Each Leg)
How To:
1. Start on all fours with your hands below your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips.
2. Engage your core and lift your left knee up behind you to hip level until it is in line with your body. (keep your foot flexed).
3. Slowly lower your leg back down to starting position and repeat all reps before moving on to the opposite leg.
Tips:
- Make sure your back stays flat throughout the exercise. Do not arch your back.
- Your foot on the lifted leg should be flexed and parallel to the ceiling.
- Keep your abs tight throughout the exercise.
- Keep your leg in line with your hip.
Exercise Variation – Standing Donkey Kick: (Beginner)
Stand by a wall, about an arm’s length away. Place both hands on the wall at chest level and lift one leg back and up with your knee bent, slowly lower and repeat reps before continuing with the opposite leg.
