# Alternate Donkey Kick - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/7431/alternate-donkey-kick/ - Media ID: 7431 - Primary muscle: Glutes - Body part: Glutes - Equipment: Body Weight - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/7431/alternate-donkey-kick.mp4 ## Description The Alternate Donkey Kick is a body-weight glute exercise performed from a kneeling, forearm-supported position. From all fours resting on your forearms, you drive one leg up and back with the knee bent at roughly ninety degrees, squeeze the glute at the top, then lower it and immediately repeat with the other leg. Alternating legs in this rhythm keeps tension flowing through the hips and makes the set feel more continuous than a same-side version of the movement. This exercise is useful for almost anyone. Beginners can learn to feel their glutes working without any equipment, while more experienced lifters use it as a warm-up, a burnout finisher after squats or hip thrusts, or a high-rep option for home workouts. Because you support yourself on your forearms, your torso stays low and stable, which makes it easier to isolate the hip than a hands-and-knees variation where the shoulders tend to do more work. The main target is the gluteus maximus, with the hamstrings assisting on the hip extension and the gluteus medius helping control the thigh's position. Your core and lower back work isometrically to keep the trunk from rotating or arching as each leg lifts. That trunk-control demand is quiet but real, which is one reason the donkey kick carries over well to exercises like hip thrusts, deadlifts, and running. Setup matters more than most people expect. If your knees sit too far behind your hips or your lower back sags, the lift turns into a spinal extension exercise and the glutes stop driving the movement. Position your knees directly under your hips, stack your shoulders over your elbows, and keep a slight forward tuck of the pelvis so the hip extension comes from the hip joint rather than the spine. Execution is about height through control, not kicking toward the ceiling. Press the sole of the working foot toward the ceiling until the thigh is level with or slightly above your torso, pause briefly to feel the glute contract, then lower the leg with intent before switching sides. A controlled tempo on the way down does more for glute development than extra height ever will. The most common errors are arching the lower back to gain range, swinging the leg for momentum, letting the hips rotate toward the working side, and craning the neck up. All four are easy to fix: shorten the range slightly, slow the tempo, and keep your gaze down toward the floor. If you feel the work in your lower back instead of your glutes, that is your cue to reduce height and re-brace. ## Instructions 1. Kneel on an exercise mat and lower onto your forearms so your shoulders stack directly over your elbows, with your hands relaxed or lightly clasped on the floor. 2. Position your knees directly under your hips and rest the tops of your feet on the mat so both lower legs lie flat behind you. 3. Look down at the floor, gently draw your lower ribs in, and brace your core as if bracing for a light push to the lower back. 4. Shift a small amount of weight onto the left knee and forearm, keeping the torso square to the floor. 5. Bend the right knee to about ninety degrees, then drive the sole of that foot up toward the ceiling by squeezing the right glute until the thigh is level with or slightly above your torso. 6. Pause for one second at the top and actively squeeze the glute without letting the lower back arch or the hips twist. 7. Lower the right knee back to the mat under control, then repeat the same lift with the left leg. 8. Exhale as each leg lifts and inhale as it lowers, keeping the breath steady rather than holding it. 9. Continue alternating legs until the set is complete, resetting your brace whenever your hips start to rock or your back begins to arch. ## Tips & Tricks - If your lower back takes over, the likely cause is chasing height. Cap the lift at thigh-level and add a one-second squeeze instead. - Keep the working knee bent at roughly ninety degrees throughout. Straightening the leg turns it into a kickback and shifts work toward the hamstrings. - Check that both hips stay pointed at the floor. If the working hip lifts, you are rotating instead of extending, so reduce the range. - Press lightly through the forearm on the opposite side to stop the shoulders from shrugging and the upper back from rounding. - Do not let the knee drift outward as you lift. The thigh should travel straight up and back, keeping the hips square. - Slow the lowering phase to two or three seconds. Most people lose the glute work entirely by dropping the leg and letting momentum reset it. - Keep your neck neutral by fixing your gaze a few inches in front of your hands; craning upward usually comes with back arching. - Place a folded towel under your knees if the mat is thin, since discomfort there causes people to rush the reps. - To make the set harder, add an ankle weight or pause for two seconds at the top rather than increasing speed. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Alternate Donkey Kick work? The gluteus maximus is the primary mover on each lift, with the hamstrings assisting hip extension. Your core and lower back stabilize the trunk, and the gluteus medius helps keep the thigh from drifting outward. ### Why do the Alternate Donkey Kick on forearms instead of straight arms? Resting on your forearms lowers the torso and reduces load on the shoulders and wrists, making it easier to keep the trunk still and isolate the hip. It is also more comfortable for anyone with wrist sensitivity. ### Is the Alternate Donkey Kick good for beginners? Yes. It requires no equipment, the range is easy to regulate, and it teaches you to extend the hip using the glute rather than the lower back, which carries over to squats, hip thrusts, and deadlifts. ### How high should I lift my leg in the Alternate Donkey Kick? Lift only until the thigh is level with or slightly above your torso while the knee stays bent at about ninety degrees. Height gained by arching the lower back comes from the spine, not the glutes, and should be avoided. ### Why do I feel the Alternate Donkey Kick in my lower back? That usually means the back is arching to extend the range or the core has stopped bracing. Tuck the pelvis slightly, reduce the lift height, and slow the tempo until you feel the glute doing the work. ### Should I do all reps on one side or alternate legs each rep? Alternating each rep keeps both sides evenly loaded and gives each glute a brief rest, which helps you hold good form for more total reps. Single-side sets are fine too if you want a stronger burn in one glute. ### How can I make the Alternate Donkey Kick harder without machines? Add an ankle weight, pause two to three seconds at the top of each lift, or slow the lowering phase to three seconds. Pre-fatiguing the glutes with a bridge before starting also raises the challenge. ### What can I use instead of the Alternate Donkey Kick? Glute bridges, quadruped hip extensions with straight arms, standing cable kickbacks, or banded kickbacks all train hip extension in a similar way. Choose whichever lets you keep the spine neutral and feel the glute clearly. ### Is it safe to do the Alternate Donkey Kick with knee problems? The knee stays bent and bears only partial body weight, so the movement is generally gentle on the joint, but a folded towel under the knees improves comfort. If kneeling itself causes pain, use a standing kickback variation instead.