Setup & Positioning
- Attach an ankle strap to the low pulley and secure it around the ankle of your working leg.
- Face the cable machine, holding the frame or a handle for support.
- Keep your standing leg slightly bent, core braced, and torso upright or leaning slightly forward from the hips (not the back).
Key point: “The motion comes from your hip—not your lower back.”
Execution
- Extend your working leg backward in a smooth arc until it’s just behind your body, keeping the knee slightly bent or straight.
- Pause briefly at the top and squeeze your glutes.
- Slowly return your leg to the starting position without letting the weight pull you forward.
Where You Should Feel It
- Glute max (primary)
- Hamstrings assisting
- Core muscles stabilizing your torso
Where You Shouldn’t Feel It
- Lower back strain from arching
- Hip flexor pinch from swinging too far forward
- Knee pain from locking out aggressively
Breathing
"Exhale as you kick the leg back, inhale as you bring it forward."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overarching the lower back – Keep ribs down and core tight.
- Swinging the leg – Use controlled motion to keep tension on the glutes.
- Letting hips rotate outward – Keep hips square to the machine.
- Shortening the range – Extend through a full, comfortable range for best activation.
