Glute Kickback (Machine)
The Glute Kickback (Machine) is a lower-body isolation exercise that targets the gluteus maximus through guided hip extension. By using a fixed path of motion, it allows for safe, heavy loading to build glute strength and size without requiring significant balance.
Because the glutes are a large muscle group capable of handling high volume, the AI analyzes your recovery data and RPE to determine the optimal resistance for stimulating growth without overtraining. If you have a history of lower back pain with free weights, the app recognizes this machine variation as a safer alternative and adjusts the load to ensure you maintain tension on the glutes rather than compensating with your lumbar spine.
Form Cues
- Press your chest firmly against the support pad
- Drive your heel back and up in a smooth arc
- Squeeze your glute hard at the top of the movement
- Control the weight slowly as you return to the start
- Keep your core braced to stabilize your spine
- Don't arch your lower back to lift the weight higher
- Don't use momentum or swing the leg aggressively
- Don't let the weight stack slam down between reps
- Don't rotate your hips to the side as you kick back
- Don't look up; keep your neck neutral
Common Mistakes
- Hyperextending the lower back
- Using excessive momentum
- Shortening the range of motion
- Rotating the hips open
- Going too heavy too soon
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily isolates the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the posterior chain, by forcing it to perform heavy hip extension against stable resistance. It also engages the hamstrings as secondary movers and recruits the core stabilizers to keep your torso fixed against the machine's pad.
Primary
Secondary
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