What is Donkey kick Exercise?
Contents
Donkey kicks are a type of exercise, that primarily affects your glutes, which makes your bigger butt, and tightens your butt muscle.
You can do this in many variations, like with a band, with the machine, straight-leg with a half-circle, and on the cable machine.
Add a resistance band, which will make this move a bit more challenging or hard to perform, and the burn more intense.
If you looking for a bigger butt size fast, then try a Smith machine donkey kick (Butt Blaster).
NOTE: start without adding weight until you are sure about lifting enough weight.

Benefits of Donkey Exercise
Donkey kicks have an excellent way of both stability and toning, especially for the butt.
Its targets your butt muscle which is the primary hip extensor muscle, the largest of your three glute muscles, and tones your butt (1).
Their biggest job is to keep us upright and push our bodies forward.
Also, helpful during running to control the flexion of the trunk on the stance side (2).
This low-load practice is incredible for working on your range of motion, balancing out your core and lower back, and focusing on your glutes.
Learn – Exercises To Give Your Butt A Good Shape: At Home
How To Do It?
Here are common donkey kick exercises, which doesn’t need any equipment:
- Your starting position will be like a dog position, hand under the shoulder, neck, and spine neutral.
- Tighten your core, and begin to lift with your left leg straight back and up toward the ceiling. (make sure your leg max height is before your back starts to arch).
- Now return to the beginning position. this is one rep.
- Try 20 reps on each leg for 4-5 sets.
You can use a resistance band, with the machine, and with dumbbells.
How Many Variations Are There?
Many different variations of this exercise can strengthen and tone your butt by affecting your gluteus in different ways.
Resistance Band Donkey Kick
- In just, you need a band, grab that band with your hands properly.
- Keep the back straight, and lift your leg to the back, as you see in this picture.
- While stretching the band slowly pull it up and slowly bring it down
- 15-20 reps with 2-3 sets of this.
Donkey kicks with Smith Machine
- In this, you need a smith machine. and set the rod according to your height or comfort.
- Now push the rod in an upward direction, as same as you do on a regular donkey kick exercise.
- Contract the butt as you bring your leg up and down and feel the motion.
- Complete 10-12 reps for 2-3 sets on each leg.
Cable kickback machine with a donkey kick

In this, you need a cable machine with an ankle attachment, which is also known as a standing donkey kick.
- Attach the cable with your leg ankle, and the pulley should be in the bottom.
- Stand against the machine, as you see in the picture.
- Now start donkey kick in the standing position, and pull your legs backwards. squeeze up.
- Weight not too light or too heavy (normal). slowly go back and slowly come down. this is one rep.
- 12-15 reps with 2-3 sets of this.
Straight Donkey kick with a half circle (GIF)
- Start with the donkey position and take your legs straight back. the toes should be back and straight.
- now in the process of coming down from the top, make a half-circle by turning your leg outwards.
- While making a half-circle, bring your knee back to the donkey kick position after the feet reach the ground. This is one rep.
- Do this 10-15 reps with 2-4 sets.
Can the donkey kicks exercise make your bum bigger?
Yes, this exercise makes your bum bigger, because it targets your gluteus Maximus which is the primary hip extensor muscle.
Also, there are some other exercises, which we can call alternative, see donkey kick’s main purpose is to get bigger and tone butt than the alternative does. which include:
Squats
Squats are a great way. if you are trying to increase and strengthen the size of your butt that targets your glute muscle.
Hip Thrusts
This exercise is one of the excellent, popular, and most recommended exercises for Butt shape and strengthening the glutes.
You can try it with weight and without weight.
Fire hydrant Exercise
This exercise is a bodyweight type exercise, also called quadruped hip abductions. which main purpose of targeting the gluteus maximus.
It improves body posture, increases core strength and stability, decreases the risk of injury, and is great for bigger hips.
Donkey kick and Squats Combination
Both exercises are best for the lower portion of our body, donkey kick exercise primarily targets our gluteus Maximus.
However, squats are also the best option for bigger hips, but their primary use is for bigger, and stronger thighs.
Squats burn more calories and strengthen the lower and upper muscles.
The combination of these two becomes a very good option. to strengthen and provide a good tone to the muscles of your hip and thighs.
Down Line
If you are trying to increase and strengthen the size of your butt then squats are excellent that target overall lower body parts.
Donkey kicks have excellent for the butt because their main target is the gluteus maximus which is the primary hip extensor muscle.
You can do the donkey kick exercises in many variations, like with a band, with the machine, and straight-leg with a half-circle.