Donkey Kick

Setup

1. 01Start on hands and knees with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
2. 02Brace the core and keep the spine neutral.
3. 03Keep the working knee bent at about 90 degrees with the foot flexed.

Execution

1. 01Drive the heel up toward the ceiling by extending the hip, keeping the knee bent.
2. 02Stop when the thigh is in line with the torso and squeeze the glute hard.
3. 03Lower the knee back toward the floor under control without touching down.
4. 04Complete all reps, then switch legs.

Checkpoints

• -The lower back stays neutral; the lift stops before the spine arches.
• -Hips stay square to the floor, not rotating open.
• -The knee holds its 90-degree bend for the whole rep.
• -The glute, not the lower back, does the lifting.

Common mistakes

• -Arching the lumbar spine to kick higher.
• -Letting the hips rotate toward the working side.
• -Kicking with momentum instead of squeezing through the range.
• -Dropping the head and rounding the upper back.