Cable Glute Kickback
Reviewed by Bryan Cortez, MS
Lock the lower back, move from the hip — the glute does all the work.
Coaching profile
low-fatigue isolation. This page is the practical coaching layer: use it for setup, cues, programming, pain-free adjustments, and substitutions. The complete biomechanics tier list lives on the muscle page.
How the rankings are built →Demonstration
Demonstration production queue
The written coaching card is ready. The owned video is next.
Physique Skool is filming one canonical demonstration per exercise. Until this movement is published, use the setup, execution, common errors, programming, and substitutions below.
Browse Physique Skool on YouTubeHow to do it
Setup
- Ankle strap on the low cable, hinge slightly forward, hold the frame for support.
Execution
- Drive the leg straight back from the hip, squeeze the glute, control the return; don't arch the lower back to cheat it.
Common Errors
- Arching the lower back to swing the leg higher
- Rotating the hip open to fake extra range
- Using momentum instead of a controlled squeeze
- Standing too upright (cuts the glute tension)
Cues That Work
- Move from the hip; squeeze without arching; return into cable tension
No-Fly Zone
under 8 reps (you'll just swing from the lower back)
Programming
Sequence priority
Late
Low fatigue, single-joint isolation — a finisher, or first as a glute activator.
Progression
Model — Triple
Fallback model — Double
Triple progression: add reps toward ~20, then a pin or micro-plate.
Best program fit
Legs, Lower
Load increments
If it hurts
Pain is information, not a challenge to push through. Stop the set if pain is sharp, worsening, or changes how you move. These are exercise-selection options, not medical diagnosis or rehabilitation advice.
Work down this list in order. Stop at the first change that removes the pain.
Step 1
Setup tweaks
Hinge angle; foot turnout; strap height.
Step 2
ROM / tempo / bias
Pause and squeeze at the top; slow eccentric; constant-tension reps.
Step 3
Implement swap
Machine kickback, glute bridge, or hip thrust for load.
Substitutions
The Evidence
Isolates the glute with constant tension. Does NOT load heavy — pair it with a hip thrust or squat.
SFR — 4
Put the exercise inside a system.
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