Reps Only exercise

Banded Donkey Kick form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The banded donkey kick is a quadruped hip extension performed with a band looped around the thighs or foot, targeting the gluteus maximus while the core resists lumbar extension. It is a staple activation and finishing movement for lifters who want direct glute work with constant band tension, and it is common in rehab settings because it loads the hip without compressing the spine.

Banded Donkey Kick illustration

How to do Banded Donkey Kick

  1. 1Loop a band above your knees or around one foot and set up on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
  2. 2Brace your core and keep a neutral spine so your lower back does not arch as the leg moves.
  3. 3Exhale and drive one heel up and back toward the ceiling, keeping the knee bent at roughly ninety degrees.
  4. 4Squeeze the glute at the top and stop before your pelvis tilts or your back hyperextends.
  5. 5Lower the knee back toward the floor under control without letting the band snap it down, then repeat all reps before switching legs.

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Track Banded Donkey Kick in Plates

Save this movement to a workout template, log sets and rest periods, and keep your training history in one focused gym tracker.