Machine · Legs and glutes
Standing machine glute kickback
The standing glute kickback machine lets you target your glutes one leg at a time. The movement is guided, so it’s easy to control for beginners and more advanced lifters. It’s a solid option to feel your glutes working without loading your lower back too much.
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The essentials
- Rest your upper body on the pad and hold the handles.
- Push the plate back through your heel without arching your back.
- Return slowly, then switch legs.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Glutes
Setup
- Pick a light weight on the stack with the selector pin for your first try.
- Adjust the pad or foot support so your working foot rests on it comfortably.
- Set the chest or torso pad (if there is one) so your back stays straight and stable.
- Grab the handles to keep your upper body from moving around.
- Place your working leg on the pad or foot support and your other leg firmly on the floor or on the support made for it.
How to do it
- Take a deep breath and brace your core lightly to keep your torso solid.
- With the working leg, push the pad back, driving the movement from your glutes, not your lower back.
- Lift until you feel a strong squeeze in your glutes, without arching your back or lifting your chest.
- Hold for about one second at the top, keeping control without dropping the weight.
- Lower your leg forward in 2 to 3 seconds, under control, back near the starting position.
- Repeat for your planned reps, then switch legs and match the same number of reps on the other side.
Common mistakes
Arching the lower back to kick higher
Instead : Bring your belly closer to the pad, brace your abs, and stop the range as soon as you feel it leave your glutes and move into your lower back.
Kicking the weight instead of pushing it
Instead : Slow the movement down, especially on the way back, and think “push with the glute” instead of swinging the leg. The weight should stay under control the whole time.
Letting your torso move with the machine
Instead : Hold the handles firmly, press your chest into the pad, and keep your ribcage steady throughout the movement.
Coming back too fast to the start
Instead : Count 2 to 3 seconds on the way back. If you can’t control it that long, lower the weight so you can own every rep.
Coach tips
- Use a comfortable range of motion: your leg doesn’t need to go very high for your glutes to work hard.
- Breathe out as you push your leg back, breathe in as you return to the start.
- Start with a weight where both sides feel similar, without a big strength difference between legs.
- This machine works well for drop sets: you can sometimes pull the pin to reduce the weight and keep going, as long as your form stays solid.
Variations
- Top-hold reps: add a 1–2 second pause at the top of each rep to really feel the glute contraction.
- Top-half partials: finish a set with short reps in the top half of the movement once your glutes are already tired.
Sets and reps
People often use this machine for 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 20 reps per leg, with a moderate load that stays under control.
Exercises on this machine
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Common questions
Where should I feel the standing glute kickback?
Mainly in your glutes. If you feel it more in your lower back, shorten your range of motion, bring your torso closer to the pad, and lighten the weight.
Do I need to fully straighten my leg?
You can keep a small bend in your knee the whole time. The goal is to have the work coming from the glutes, not from locking out the knee joint.
I barely feel my glutes, what can I change?
Slow down the lowering phase, reduce the weight, and focus on pushing from the glute instead of the foot. Add a brief squeeze at the top of each rep to dial it in.