Donkey Kicks
Kicking the leg back on all fours. Glute isolation. It works mainly the glutes, with help from the hamstrings.
In Flawless, Gold, the third of eight ranks, starts at 10 reps in one set for men aged 23–39 and 8 for women.
How to do Donkey Kicks
- Get on all fours with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips, back flat and core braced.
- Keeping one knee bent at 90 degrees, push that foot up towards the ceiling by squeezing the glute.
- Stop when the thigh is in line with the body; arching the lower back to go higher takes the work away from the glute.
- Lower slowly without touching the floor, do all reps, then switch legs.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Glutes | Gluteus maximus |
| Secondary | Hamstrings | Biceps femoris |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Glute isolation at the top of the range
- Shapes the upper glute
- Hip stability on one leg
Rep standards for Donkey Kicks
| Rank | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start |
| Silver | 5 | 4 |
| Gold | 10 | 8 |
| Platinum | 15 | 12 |
| Diamond | 20 | 16 |
| Obsidian | 25 | 20 |
| Painite | 30 | 24 |
| Antimatter | 50 | 40 |
Numbers are reps in one set, for ages 23–39.
Flawless ranks Donkey Kicks by the most reps you managed in one set; the rank updates after every workout. Women’s limits are 20 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Donkey Kicks work?
It works mainly the glutes, with help from the hamstrings.
How do you do Donkey Kicks?
Get on all fours with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips, back flat and core braced. Keeping one knee bent at 90 degrees, push that foot up towards the ceiling by squeezing the glute. Stop when the thigh is in line with the body; arching the lower back to go higher takes the work away from the glute. Lower slowly without touching the floor, do all reps, then switch legs.
How many reps of Donkey Kicks is good?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 10 reps in one set for men aged 23–39 and 8 for women, Diamond at 20 and 16.
Try it free
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